Swapping Around

Chapter 14

Two weeks ago, Loretta Lynn packed her bags, overcome with uncertainty and a sickening anticipation for what was going to come. She didn't feel much different now, as she once again packed her bags- this time to depart from the Presley home.

The bedroom door was pushed open, revealing the smiling face of Little Elvis. "What you doin'?" he asked. "Go way?"

"It's time for me to go home now, baby."

He tilted his head to the side. "No. Here. Live here." Little Elvis shuffled across the room, grabbing hold of the shirt Loretta was about to put in her bag. "No, pwease?"

Loretta swallowed hard when his face crumpled. Two weeks had been enough to convince him that she lived with them now. Elvis had been right- their children were the ones who would be hurting thanks to this crazy experiment they allowed themselves to take part in. She had spoken to Roxanne last night, gave her both her number and address and promised once again that there would be visits. There would be no way to make Little Elvis understand though.

"Me too?" Little Elvis asked, reaching his arms up toward Loretta. "Wif you?"

"You gotta stay here with your family, baby."

"You too."

"You can visit me at my house," Loretta told him, trying to sound enthusiastic. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"No."

It was like she was leaving her children when she was really returning to them. "But I want my little Elvis to visit me." She tugged down his shirt over his stomach as it had gotten bunched up. "Then we can have some more fun and you can play with my little girls."

He blinked, looking as if he could not fathom the concept of her having any children of her own. "Wif you?"

"You'll get to play with me there too."

"Stay?"

Elvis Presley's form pushed through the still open door. "We just about ready to go?"

"Almost," Loretta said. Elvis swung his pouting son up in his arms. They would be meeting up with Doolittle and Priscilla in Jackson, Tennessee, which was located roughly in between Memphis and Nashville.

"Me too," Little Elvis moaned, sounding on the verge of tears.

"But you're gonna have fun with your grandpa today," Elvis told him. "And Mary and Alberta are makin' you cookies."

Little Elvis perked up somewhat. "Yeah?"

"Oh yeah." Elvis placed his son back on his own feet. "You wanna check?"

Little Elvis hesitated. Stuffing his fingers in his mouth, he looked from Elvis to Loretta to the door before walking slowly toward the threshold.

"Roxy say goodbye yet?" Elvis questioned once his son was out of the room.

"No," Loretta said. "I ain't seen her all day. I got the feelin' that I'm gonna cry today."

"Well, don't you cry." Elvis added a smile to his statement, but it didn't make the occasion any more joyous.

Loretta zipped up her suitcase. She was just about to haul it off the bed when Elvis placed a hand on her arm. "You leave that be. The guys are gonna get it. You're too tiny to be carrying that thing."

"Why thank you."

"I wouldn't want you any other way Miss Loretta." Elvis turned on his heel. "I'm gonna get the guys to carry that down to the car." He waited for Loretta to say 'Okay' before going downstairs to do so. Once the task was done, he went to Roxanne's bedroom.