End of Innocence- November 1963

At Long Last

***NOTE*** I manipulated this image to make it look like Jack had a head injury and was in the hospital. The original picture is from after his back surgery in '55, I think, and he and Jackie were returning home where he would recover. Just needed something to go with this chapter. Sorry for the long wait, I hope you all enjoy it and thanks for sticking with me :)

***********************************************************************************************

A loud roar of thunder burst through the building as a bright flash of light lit up the dark room. It was as if the heavens were screaming along with Jackie for Jack to wake up.

Jackie jumped as the thunder penetrated through the walls, nearly shaking the room. She stared at Jack's hand, not fully accepting that his fingers had moved in her hand, thinking instead that her startle from the thunder had somehow caused her to move them. She sat frozen, unable to speak or think, just staring at him for what seemed an eternity.

The rumbles of thunder continued as back to back lightning bolts lit the room. It was so bright at times; she could clearly see Jack lying there. The machine's constant, steady and fast beep...beep...beep...beep. Was she imagining this again, was it her that caused his fingers to move as she jumped from the startle of the thunder, was she just willing it to be so?

Her mind was racing and her heart beating out of her chest as sat in silence for those few seconds of uncertainty until suddenly it happened again. This time there was no thunder that startled her, no movement by her hand, no dilutional imagination running ramped, Jack's fingers slowly but steadily moved one-by-one as if they were counting.....thumb, index, middle, ring, pinky, thumb, index, middle, ring, pinky. Then the reverse. Jackie stared in awe as she gasped a deep breath and held it watching the movement. She didn't breathe, she didn't blink, she was frozen in that moment, unable to believe what she was actually seeing.

Finally, she whispered, as if anything louder than a whisper would interrupt the counting, "Jack, darling, can you hear me?"

The machine began a fast rhythm of beeping....beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, the lines on the monitor rapidly moving up and down.

She felt herself wanting to jump up and run out to grab a nurse, but the weight of her body wouldn't allow her to move. The thought of leaving Jack at this moment, for even just one second was deemed impossible to her. So, she sat, holding his hand loosely in her palm, her eyes jumped quickly between his hand, the monitor and his face. She studied each for any additional sign of movement. She was in agony and ecstasy. Every emotion ran through her body as if they were on fire.

Suddenly, she heard a faint whisper, "Mrs. Kennedy, are you okay? Mrs. Kennedy, what's going on? Mrs. Kennedy, can you hear me." The voice became louder and stern.

"Mrs. Kennedy!"

"Yes, Yes, I can, I can hear you, I'm, I'm okay," she stumbled through her lips. "Jack, ah, Jack's fingers. They, umm, they moved. The machine, it beeped. It beeped so loud and so quick, I, I didn't know what to do, I, I...."

"Mrs. Kennedy, it's okay," the night nurse tried to calm her. "I heard the machine, that's why I came in. Can you tell me what exactly happened," she questioned?

"His fingers, they moved. They moved, I don't know, four or five times. They just kept moving like he was counting on them and the machine just started blaring. I didn't want to leave him, but I just couldn't move. Does this mean he's waking up?" Jackie questioned.

"I'm not exactly sure, Mrs. Kennedy but, I would have to guess it's definitely a hopeful sign. May I do a quick examination and I'll call Dr. Burkley. I just want to make sure all his vitals are okay."

"Yes, yes of course," Jackie replied.

Upon completion of taking the President's vitals, Nurse Eugenia reported that all looked good and stable. She too witnessed the finger moment that Jackie described and tried to hide her optimism, but Jackie could clearly see the smile that crossed her face as she held his hand and felt his fingers move as well. Excusing herself from the room to go call Dr. Burkley, Jackie resumed her position next to Jack with his hand once again in hers.

Gently stroking his cheek with her free hand, Jackie felt her eyes swell with tears as she spoke to him softly.

"Jack my darling, keep fighting honey, I'm right here with you and I promise I'm not going to leave your side. Feel my strength Bunny, feel my love, come out of the darkness back to me. I know you can do this honey, keep fighting my love."

Nurse Eugenia reported back that Dr. Burkley had been reached and would be contacting the team for further guidance and to keep him posted of any and all significant changes immediately.

The monitors had settled some from their earlier rapid beeping, returning to a normal more rhythmic beep......beep.....beep....beep. Jack's fingers hadn't moved much more since his vitals were checked but, they did periodically continue their counting motion.

Minutes felt like hours as Jackie sat next to Jack, talking to him, waiting for another sign, anything.

"How about a story, darling, do you remember the first time we met? No, not the train ride which you never actually remembered but tried to pass it off as if you had remembered meeting me before that night at the Bartlett's. That night at the Bartlett's," her eyes drifted towards the ceiling. "It feels like a million years ago, doesn't it darling? Who would have ever thought then, we would ever have ended up here? But this isn't an end my darling, this is a new beginning." She gazed back down towards Jack. "I remember how annoyed I was with you yet so incredibly charmed. You were so full of yourself, Congressman Jack Kennedy. You told me that night you would be President one day and funny enough, I believed you. Then you, you with your asparagus between your fingers, chomping away with no regard to proper table manners, leaned over and asked me to dinner, like I was supposed to melt at your feet and fall into your arms, the dashing young Congressman." She laughed. "I can't deny it, I fell in love you right there as the butter dripped down your fingers. That night was magical Jack. Yes, yes, I know I turned you down and crushed your ego, but I was engaged, what was I supposed to do? And what about you, your reputation alone scared the hell out of me, not to mention your obsession with your career and the Senate campaign. I knew I would get lost in the abyss of the Kennedy world of politics. It scared me! How I felt about you scared me, the thought of a future with you scared me, your ambition scared me, it was all so overwhelming back then but, now the only thing that scares me is a life without you Jack. We've made it through so much my darling. It's not been easy though, has it? But, we did it, we beat the odds my love, we overcame the obstacles and pain and the sorrow and hurt, and we found each other. We've lived a lifetime in these last eleven years, and we have a lifetime still ahead of us Jack. Open your eyes Jack, show me that beautiful, charming, irresistible smile of yours that melts everyone's heart, even those I would care to forget," she mumbled softly. "I want to look into those beautiful eyes and show you and tell you how much I love you and need you and want you my love. Let's explore the world together again Jack, just come back to me."

As Jackie laid her head down upon his chest, her eyes filled with tears, his right hand still cradled in her hand, she suddenly felt a slow, soft, caress upon her head. Turning slowly to face Jack, startled by the sensation she was feeling, she turned to see Jack's left hand gentle descending back down towards the brown, wool covers that lay upon him, his mouth moving in a slow and forced manner, whispering......."Jackie!"