Chapter 2
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I was super excited when Tuesday came rolling around. I made sure to dress up under the apron I was wearing at work that day. I did not want my mother to know I had a job interview coming up.

I was not sure if she would take the news well about me working some place other than this bakery. I wondered if I was going to get to meet Mr. Elvis Presley or just his father.

"Say, Jenna, want to head over to the hair dressers when we get out of work? I am going to get my hair trimmed up. I will pay for you to if you would like" offers momma as she dries the coffee mugs that she just washed up.

"Me?! No thanks, I have other plans after work" I tell her.

"What other plans?" she wants to know.

"Oh...I am meeting up with some high school chums" I lie.

"Mandy?" she wonders.

My longtime friend Amanda Lee was always getting together with me. We were always having adventures in this crazy thing called life. I have known Amanda since we were in grade school in fact! No truer friend than her.

"Mandy? No, not this time" I chuckle.

"Well to bad. I was kind of looking forward to some good old fashioned mother daughter time" mentions my mother. My heart sinks. "I know I have not had much time with you these days as we try to keep the bakery a float"

"I know momma. Maybe some other time later in the week we could do something" I promise her.

"Alright. I will hold you to that" she agrees. She smiles at me. The phone rings. Momma grabs the phone and answers it.

"Sweet Tooth Bakery, how may I help you? Oh...sure I can tell her...for what? Oh really? Alright thank you good-bye" mother says before hanging up. She had a confused look on her face.

"What is it? Who was on the phone?" I want to know as I help her dry the mugs.

"Funny thing...you will never believe who was calling here for you!" momma replies.

"Who?"

"Vernon Presley. Elvis father" she announces.

I was so startled he called here I drop the coffee mug to the floor. The mug shatters into a million pieces onto the floor. Why had Vernon called here? What had he wanted? Did he change his mind about our interview?

"What did he want? I am so so sorry about the mug" I mutter as I walk around the shattered glass. I grab the broom to sweep up the mess I created.

"He said he had a job interview with you this afternoon. He needed to do the interview a little earlier than four thirty. He needed you there at Graceland by four" she mentions.

So he did not want to cancel.
Whew.

"He did? Funny" I chuckle trying to change the subject.

My eyes quickly dart over to the clock that was hanging on the wall. It was already three thirty. I better hurry, clean up the place and head on over to Graceland as soon as I could get there.

"Why did he say you two have an interview?" momma wonders.

"Because we do" I sigh.

"For what?" momma demands to know.

"It is only temporary. Elvis chef Mary, will be out of town for a bit. He needed help over there. I wanted to work for the Presley's. I never have gotten to meet Elvis. This will not last long. Then I can be back at the bakery here helping you all when you need me. It will be extra income for us all" I explain.

"That is a very grown up thing of you to do hold two jobs. But I am sure they have had many people apply for that job. Not to mention you are still learning how to cook Jenna" momma chuckles. "Mr. Presley I am sure has high expectations on your cooking skills. We both know you do not have them yet. Now your sister Pyria would have been perfect for that job! She can whip up anything at any time" momma brags on my older sister once more.

I fume inside. How dare she make fun of me. Of my dreams! I could so cook! I needed extra practice. I would do just fine! I would be ten times better than my sister Pyria! Besides that Pyria did not care about this bakery! She left town! I stayed! Did that not count for anything?

"Sorry dear, but you know you must face the facts" momma warns me.

"Watch I will get that job! Soon all of Memphis will know I am the best chef in town!" I brag to her.

"Do not get your hopes up dear girl" sighs momma.

"I better go. I do not want to be late for this job interview" I snap as I place the last dry mug on the shelf. I take off my apron and then hang it on the hooks with the others. I wash my hands before getting ready to clock out.

"Jenna!" momma calls to me.

She knew she upset me.

I head to the back. I made a little secret weapon to help me in the interview with Vernon. I made a little dreamy cheesecake. Strawberry cheesecake. One of grams best known recipes around Memphis fair grounds. Once Vernon had a taste of what I could do, well that would speak for my interview for me!

"Jenna!"

"Sorry momma, gotta go get my dream job!" I call out to her as I head out of the place. I had my purse slung on my shoulder. I had the cheesecake in my hands.

I head on over to the bus stop. People were waiting there at it with me. Soon the bus stops in front of us. I get on with the others. The day was sure another hot muggy one that summer afternoon. Good thing I was wearing a dress. I had to stand with the others. All the seats were spoken for on that bus.

The bus takes me down to Elvis side of town. My heart hammers with a rush of excitement in it. I grab onto the handle hanging beside my face. The bus takes off.

I nearly drop the cheesecake. I sigh as I get a better grip on the thing. I was heading down to Graceland! Wait until I tell Mandy that I got to meet Elvis father later today!

I smile hoping Elvis was going to be home to meet. I always wanted to meet the man. Never got a chance to. The bus stops soon at another bus stop near Graceland. I wait as the others get off the bus along with me. People were pushing to get on the bus as I got off.

I head down the street. Graceland was soon in sight for me. My heart thumps so loudly I could hear it in my eardrums.

There were gates at the front of Graceland for Elvis protection. I wondered how I was supposed to get in for the interview? What did I do now? I soon spot a guard at the front of the gates.

"Excuse me sir...sir?" I call out to him. He had a paper in his hands as he read over it while he was sitting in the booth out front of Graceland.

"Sir..." I call out again.

His head snaps up. He looks curiously over at me now. I had his full attention. I smile brightly.

"Hi there, I have a job interview with Vernon Presley? He told me to meet him in his office? In the back of Graceland?" I inform the guard.

The guard grabs a clip board. He reads over it.

"Are you Miss Rogers? The four o clock interview?" he asks me. I nod shyly.

"Yes sir, I am she" I promise him.

"Can I see some form of id?" he wants to know.

"Oh sure, yes you can" I ramble on.

I hand the cheesecake for him to hold onto. I get my bus pass out of my purse. I did not drive so this was my only form of id I had on me at the moment.

"You are good to go in. Head to the back past the pool there will be a little office there. Vernon will be back there, I will call you in" he promises me as he hands me my id back along with my cheesecake. I nod.

"Thank you sir" I say.

The gate doors slide open. This was it! I had to get this dream job! I just had to! I walk down the long drive way. I soon spot another guard coming up the drive way. He was riding on a golf cart. He stops beside me. He waves and smiles. Everyone was so friendly here.

"Hello miss! Can I take you to the back office?" he asks me.

"Oh sure" I giggle.

"Hop on" he demands to me.

He pats the seat next to him. I get on scooting in on the golf cart.

"So here for the chef interview?" he asks me. I nod.

"Yes I am" I reply.

"We have a lot coming in. Some do not even know how to cook! They just wanted to meet Elvis!" laughs the guard.

"Well, that is wild" I agree.

"My name is Paul what is yours?" he wonders as he drives us to the back.

"Jenna. Jenna Rogers. My family owns the little bakery in town" I inform him.

"Sweet Tooth?" he asks me. I nod.

"That is the one" I say as I smile.

"I bet you know my older brother. Joe? He is a regular there" mentions Paul.

He was Joe Collins little brother? The cop who always was hitting on me. That Joe. I giggle. What a small world. I forgot Joe had a large family. Paul was one of the five brothers in Joe's family tree. I had not known him like I had Joe and Mark.

"Yes, I do know Joe" I laugh.

"He is always saying you have a crush on him" Paul tells me. I shake my head no.

"Other way around" I laugh.

"I figured. Well we are here now. Have a good interview" Paul says cheerfully as he stops in front of a smaller white building in the back of Graceland.

"Thanks Paul!" I say as I hop off the golf cart. Paul winks my way as he waves before driving off.

"This is it Jenna! You can do it! Do not listen to momma" I pep talk myself softly before walking up to the door.

I walk up the steps to the front door there at the office. A million butterflies scatter about in my tummy causing a case of nerves to hit me pretty hard.

I raise my hand up to the door. I knock on it. No answer. Maybe I did not knock loud enough. I raise my hand, after waiting a moment longer. Then I knock one more time.

"Come on in!" I hear him call out.

I let myself inside. There were two little tv's there in the office. A radio. All of them were going on all at once when I came in. I could not see Vernon's face. The chair was facing away from me. He seemed to be on the phone.

"Well I have to let you go. My four o clock just came in. We will find someone in time...yes. I am on it. Okay. Bye" he says before hanging up.

He turns around in his seat after hanging up his phone. Was face to face with Vernon. He smiles warmly my way. He points to the seat in front of the desk.

"Have a seat little lady. Let's begin shall we?" he asks as he winks.

"I brought you a little treat. To show my skills off" I mention as I set the cheesecake down on his desk.

"You did eh? Well that looks tempting" he chuckles looking pleased as I sit down in front of me. He grabs a paper plate off the little bar there in the office. There was drinks setting out. Snacks of all kinds laying about. He grabs a plastic knife and cuts two pieces of cake.

"Want to share one with me?" he offers.

"Oh...oh sure" I agree.

"Strawberry cheesecake is my all-time favorite" he mutters as he finally takes a first bite after handing me my cheesecake.

"Me to" I agree.

"Mmm...so good...mmmm" he mumbles as he closes his eyes savoring the first bite he takes in.

"Thank you" I manage to mutter after stuffing my face with cheesecake.

"I would know this cheesecake anywhere. Is this made by Cathy Dennis?" he demands to know. Cathy Dennis was my gram. This was her recipe. She passed it along to me as well as momma when she passed away last year.

"Yes sir. This was my gram's recipe" I explain.

"Dang...your gram is Cathy? I always went to the 4H fair just to get a taste of anything Cathy brought to the table that year. Gladys always was hankering to get her secret recipes. One year Cathy gave Gladys her chili recipe. It sure is a big hit around here" he mutters before taking another bite of cheesecake. "Mmm...heavenly. You know. I think you are hired" he chuckles.

Thank you grandma, I think to myself before shoving another bite of cheesecake into my mouth.