Swapping Around

Chapter 11

Priscilla didn't fully realize what she was subjecting herself to until it was too late- until she was back at the Lynn home, where she was greeted by a less than enthusiastic Mooney with the words, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Rule change," Priscilla choked out. "It's part of the rules that-"

"You ain't lived by our rules for a week so you don't get to change nothin' either."

"Where are the children? I'd like to-"

"I'd like a lot of things too, woman. I'd like my own wife back."

"Then why didn't you ask her to come home?"

"I did," Mooney yelled. "She won't come. But I won't have you here." He stomped his foot. "I won't have you here, hear me? Now get!"

Priscilla lifted the crumpled sheet of paper clutched in her fist. The kids were peeking through doors and banisters by now. Priscilla could feel their eyes on her.

"The first rule-" Priscilla spoke in a loud voice. "- is that I won't do any more housework. You-"

"Where have you been doin' housework?" Mooney screamed, his face so close to hers that she was showered with spittle. Priscilla wiped her face on her sleeve by reflex. She was overcome with the need to wash her face and dress at this instant but before she could make another move, Mooney grabbed her by the wrist. "I said get outta my house. All you wanna do is come here and change things-"

"That's not what I want, that's what the rules are."

"And I done told you that you don't get to make any rules around here. Now get!" Mooney raised a hand and took a step forward, causing Priscilla to shrink back without meaning to.

"The second rule," Priscilla said, her voice shaking somewhat. "This house is in a terrible state so-"

"A terrible state?" Mooney repeated in outrage. "You got any idea how long we been here and how often Loretta ain't home? I don't got no time to be working on the house all day."

"I haven't seen you work on the house once."

Mooney snorted. "And that ain't the only thing you didn't do."

"About the house-" Priscilla tried again only to be cut off.

"I don't wanna hear anything you got to say. When are you gonna understand that? Are you a little dense?"

"I'm a high school graduate, Mooney. Now-"

"And what did they teach you at that fancy high school of yours? Not how to be anyone's wife."

"We have home economics," Betty Sue spoke up from the doorway.

Mooney scoffed. "She don't ever had no home economics."

"I don't need home economics," Priscilla said evenly. "And neither does your wife if you-"

"What do you know about my wife anyway? I'm only gonna tell you one more time..." Mooney paused then screamed at the top of his lungs, "Get outta my house!"

"Fine!" Priscilla screamed back without really considering. "If you think that I want to be here-"

"Why did you come back if you don't?" Mooney demanded. "What's it matter anyway? You ain't stayin'. I'll call the cops to have you removed if I have to."

"Maybe I'll tell them about your drunk driving."

"You don't know nothin'," Mooney seethed. "Now I'm gonna tell you one last time, get out!"

And she did. It wasn't worth it. Coming back hadn't given her the satisfaction she had been hoping for.

~*~