Chapter Thirty Six

Sunday 3rd March

Please don't ask me what's on my mind, I'm a little mixed up, but I'm feelin fine.

"So you did win best newcomer!"

"Yes we did!"

"Congratulations! What a weekend!"

"Thanks."

"Hello, by the way."

"Hi Nikki."

"So tell me all about it…" Nikki insisted. "Your email really didn't do it justice."

"We sang, the judges scored. It was very close, but apparently Jorge won through because of his stunning vocal technique!"

"So all those hours trapped in the lift with Elvis paid off!"

"Apparently so."

"I love the photo's Jorge sent me, did you see them?"

"No…" Harry replied nervously.

"The three of you look good, you look great; really great. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks," Harry said almost as nervously as before.

"And you got back ok."

"Yes, I would have drifted off on Route 81 but Beto and Jorge started singing Colombian celebration songs and trying to dance in the car so I had no choice but to stay awake! It was slightly harder to keep my eyes open in class that afternoon but every time I felt them close I imagined Beto and Jorge doing their Cumbia dancing and singing in Spanish and I made it through until six."

"You part timer! That desk job is making you soft. Time was you could go for more than 48 hours with just a quick nap in the locker room on that dodgy bench!"

"Ah yes, but I'm getting old now."

"Alright Grandad!" she teased but then stopped. It wasn't funny and she saw that hint of sadness pass across his face.

"Sorry."

"Are you and Jack still disagreeing on everything?" Harry asked obviously changing the subject.

Nikki paused for a bit.

"No, come to think of it; we're not."

"Ah, the honeymoon must be over."

"Well that analogy doesn't work does it? Surely the honeymoon is when we're supposed to get along!"

"What would I know?" Harry said bitterly.

"It's only a couple of weeks until your mother comes out isn't it?"

"Yes, we'll probably not be able to talk that weekend."

"That's ok, I'll catch up the week after and I'm sure I'll go over to your mum's and she can show me all her photos.

"Thanks for looking out for her, Nikki."

"Are you alright? You seem a bit morbid this morning?"

"Oh, I don't know, last week was so amazing, just the whole craziness of it all and then winning as well. It was such a relief after all the tension before we went, and during the heats. I guess last weekend isn't easily repeated and so this one just seems a bit flat."

"It was your 40th birthday; it was supposed to be special."

"It was Nikki, don't get me wrong I loved every minute of it and I can't thank you enough for making it happen, but real life is just a bit bland."

"You've not got the showbiz bug have you?"

"Me?" Harry scoffed. "Nah…"

"Well open up the guide book randomly and go and visit somewhere this afternoon."

"Yes, m'am," Harry replied in his best American style.

"Well go on then she commanded!"

"But then you'll go."

"So?"

Harry opened his mouth, he didn't want her to go, he didn't want to spend another weekend on his own but the look on her face told him she wasn't in the mood to hear any more of his thoughts about his new life.

"You do still have it?" she asked.

"I still have it," he answered.

"I'll talk to you soon," Nikki waved at him and got ready to disconnect.

"OK, have a good day."

Harry disconnected and fished the guide book down from the shelf. He knew if he just let the book fall open which page it would fall open too. He placed the spine in his hand and waited.

'I love you too'

He should have been over her by now. He'd been gone over six months. What had he got to show for it? Two great friends who were in a relationship with each other, a fairly decent job, a nice apartment and now thanks to Nikki a vintage jacket and trousers suitable for winning best newcomer in a North Eastern States Elvis competition. Maybe he'd go down to Ellis Island, he'd not done that yet and it was supposed to be fascinating. Stories of other people's hardships settling down to a new life in America would have to make his life look rosy. Wouldn't it?

He looked up the opening times on his tablet only to find that the Museum and Island were shut until further notice due to the aftereffects of Hurricane Sandy. He picked up the guide book again in search of inspiration but stopped at the first page and read the other words she had written there.

'It's up to you.'

But what could he do?

All Shook Up: Otis Blackwell (Elvis)