The National Secret

Chapter 43

Sunday 29th May 1966

6am

Jackie was lying sound asleep in Jack’s arms. It was the only time she felt safe and didn’t have to worry about how she would explain her relationship with Jack and her pregnancy.

Suddenly there was a loud pounding on the door. Jackie groaned and sat up. Jack was also sitting up. “What in the world?” He mumbled.

Jackie shrugged and got up. She unlocked the door. Tish and Kenny both burst in. “Mr. President.” Kenny yelled. “Miss Bouvier!” Tish yelled.

Jack and Jackie glanced at each other before looking at their chief of staff. Both Tish and Kenny looked furious.

“What?” Jack asked cautiously.

“THIS!” Kenny exclaimed holding up the daily paper. The front cover showed the President with his arm around the Prime Minister and her engagement ring was visible. The headline read, “The Biggest National Secret of all time? The President and Prime Minister an item?”

Jack swallowed hard and looked at Jackie. “Uh….”

“You have to break this off before it goes any further or anymore assumptions are made!” Kenny snapped with Tish nodding in agreement.

“Kenny you can’t tell me what to do and you can’t tell me not to see my fiancée!” Jack replied annoyed.

Jackie gasped. “Jack….”

Kenny’s eyes doubled in size. “Your… your fiancée?”

Jack froze and avoided his gaze. “Uh… yes…” He said blushing. Jackie took his hand.

“Since when?”

“April….”

Kenny paced angrily. “How are we going to keep this hidden?”

Jackie cleared her throat. “Why don’t we just say it’s true? We all knew this was coming.”

“No!” Tish exclaimed. “You and the President need to talk to the Queen, I’ll get a meeting arranged.”

“But what do we do in the meantime?” Jack asked rubbing his neck.

Tish sighed and looked at Kenny. “I don’t know.”

“Let’s just not say anything.” Kenny replied. “Hopefully that will give the impression that we aren’t treating it seriously.”

Jack nodded.

After both Tish and Kenny had left Jack sat on the bed stunned. What a lousy birthday this was going to be. Jackie sat behind him rubbing his back. “I love you, Jack.”

“I love you too.”