Faded Love! [Elvis Presley]

Chapter 6

I made some progress with Elvis. I was really thrilled about that. I got it that he did not hate me. And he had not wanted me there. But it was progress. We were going to be working together. I was going to be monitoring his health.

He was going to listen to me. He was hoping to work things out with Ginger in the meantime and get her back at Graceland. I hoped he would focus more on him right now.

And getting him off these pills. That was my main concern. I had never helped anyone with a d**g habit before. I understood why Elvis did not want to get placed in a hospital because this news might leak out to the press and that would be really bad for him.

I got him to change his eating habits. I addressed the pills. He had tossed them out. He had to get on a good sleep habit to. I noticed he always was up at night.

Then was awake by noon or later. Those were not good habits to keep up with either. I had all kinds of notes on Elvis. And how he could change for the better. If he wanted to change. That was going to be the hard part. Getting the change. I knew he could do whatever he put his mind to do. But getting him there. That was going to be the hard part of all this.

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"I got up as soon as I could" Elvis yawns that afternoon. It was around two pm.

"Elvis this is not early" I laugh. "I have been waiting around all day. I had my lunch just now. The best ham sandwich ever" I add. I toss a potato chip into my mouth. I was seated at his table in the dining room. Vernon had joined me for lunch, but he left and went back to his office to work.

Elvis yawns then sets down at the table beside me. "I set my alarm. But I did not hear it. I had a splitting headache last night. And I tossed and turned" he mutters.

"Side effects from being off those pills. You are off schedule and now you have to get used to a new life. But you need to keep trying" I beg him. "You have done so much better yesterday. It will really take time" I promise him.

"Promise me something" he begs me.

"Go ahead!" I say.

"Please tell Ginger that I am doing everything that I possibly can. For her. I am changing for her" he says with a serious look in his eyes.

"Elvis the most important person to change for is yourself. It is noble to want to change for Ginger. But she is right that you should change. For you" I point out sternly.

He nods. "I will try. I really miss her right now" he admits.

"I know you do. But try to focus on you" I beg him.

"Then she will come back around. I mean she did not break up with me yet" he mutters.

"Can I ask you something? It is a bit personal" I begin.

He looks up at me. "Go ahead"

"Do you always have to have someone in your life?" I ask. "Have you ever been alone? Or depended on yourself?" I ask him.

He looks surprised by my remarks. "I find it hard to sleep at night if I do not have someone in bed with me. I feel the need to be with someone. Back when my momma died I lost a part of me. Then death hit my mind a lot. And I did not like to feel alone. I like having others around me" he admits to me.

"So, it started during your army days. When death hit you. Do you worry about death a lot? About dying?" I wonder. "I mean all of us worry in the back of our mind at some time of our life" I point out to him.

He nods. "I do. I worry about it a lot. After momma died. I worried about how long I would be here. What really happened to momma after she passed on. Why she had to leave me and paw. So many unanswered thoughts came to me. All at night. And I tossed and turned at night. I tried the pills. They helped me sleep. Take the edge off. And I became more and more depend on the drugs. I needed to have someone in my bed to help me sleep at night. And not feel so alone" he admits.

"See the first steps are admitting your wrong doings. And seeing why you did them. Now you know how to conquer them all. It will not be easy though. Maybe this little break from Ginger will help. And you can try to learn to sleep without the pills and without the drugs in your system. Focus on you" I explain to him.

"You are very smart. I did not realize how much went into how I became getting into these drugs. And why I needed them" he sighs. He runs his fingers in his hair. "Be right back. I am going to have some lunch. Then maybe if you want to come with me we could go for a jog around here?" he offers. "I noticed that you jog early" he admits to me.

I grin. "I do. Thanks. I would love a jogging partner" I agree.

I finish up my lunch. Elvis was getting started on his. I get up and head up to my room. I change into jogging clothing. Then head back down stairs. I stretch in the living room. Getting myself warmed up for the run. Mary the cook comes in the living room.

"You have a call Miss McCall" she informs me. I nod.

I follow her to the phone. "Hello?" I answer.

"Hi Sandra, this is Ginger" I hear her say on the other end.

"Ginger hey want me to get Elvis?" I wonder.

"Oh no. I wanted to talk with you. I do miss him. Terribly. But how is he doing? Since my little out burst the other day?" she asks me. "I am worried about him. Do you see why I worry?"

"Mr. Presley and I managed to make progress. He is talking to me. He is trying to get on a normal sleep pattern. It has not worked for him. But he is trying. Hard. And right now, we are getting ready to take a jog outside" I explain to her.

"Oh, that is wonderful! He is really trying! For me" she gushes joyfully.

I sigh. "Yes, he is. But can I say something without it offending you?"

"Okay?"

"He needs to focus on himself. The only way to get him motivated to do anything you want him to is he has to want to do it for himself" I point out. "I bet he can do this. He is trying that is a big step"

"I get that. I agree. He does need to do this for himself. I hope he follows through. I will be in touch Sandra" she says. We hang up.

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I smile. I hoped she was right, and Elvis would continue to keep this up. After he is done eating, we go and start running in the back of Graceland. So much area to run in.

It was so pretty. We did a jog around a few times. Elvis grew tired. He stops, and I wait with him. Then he would start up again. He stops soon half way around the track. He pants heavily. He is sweating bullets.

"Hold on. Let me check something" I demand to him. I grab his wrist. I feel his heart beat and the time. His pulse was raising like crazy. "How about we call it a day? This is a great start" I offer.

He shakes his head. "No, I can keep going" he argues.

"Elvis no. Come on. Listen to me. You promised! Let's call it a day" I warn him as sternly as I can.

He looks annoyed with me. "Alright. We are done"

I win. I nod. He smiles at me. We jog back in. This was going well. I hoped he would be back to his normal self. But time would tell. I had a feeling this struggle was not yet over for him. I would keep watch over him. And keep strong to my word to Miss Alden.

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