The end of Camelot

Chapter 6

The rest of the evening goes perfectly and soon, Uncle Jack and Aunt Jackie leave for their house. After they do, Momma and Daddy clean up the kitchen, then we all go to bed.

Thursday comes and goes and Friday comes quickly, already starting off differently. It was a Friday, normally I would wake up and Daddy would already be off at work, Momma would be in the kitchen, Kathleen, Joe, Bobby, David, Courtney and Michael would be at school and for the whole day, it would be Momma, me and baby Chris. However, with school being out for Thanksgiving break and Uncle Jack being gone, the whole family was there when I made my way down the stairs.

Daddy looks over at me as I make it to the ground and moves Courtney over to his right leg. "Ker Bear, there you are!" Daddy says happily. I smile as I walk up to him as he pulls me into his lap, kissing my head repeatedly. I laugh and look up at Daddy as he pulls my hair back with one hand. "How did you sleep, Princess?" I smile and yawn. "Good. Why are you home? I thought you would be working."

Daddy shakes his head as he bounces me up on his knee. "Nope baby girl, Uncle Jack is out of town and now I get to spend the whole day with my wonderful kids and my beautiful wife." I giggle as Daddy squeezes me and Courtney close to him. Courtney laughs as she looks at me with a smile. "It's been like this all morning! I think he's very excited to be home!

I nod with a grin as Daddy smiles. "I am very excited to be home! Now, we are all going to spend the whole day together, finish watching Looney Tunes, finish just in time for Momma's wonderful lunch and then go play a family football game." Michael gasps as he stands up from his spot in the chair beside Davd. "Do you really mean that, Daddy?"

Daddy nods with a smile. "One hundred percent, Bud. Now, come here, all of you. I need a group hug!" I instantly wrap my arms around his neck as Courtney follows and my other siblings hurry over to us, sitting on Daddy's lap, some sitting on me. "Ouch!" Kathleen cries. "Someone is sitting on my foot!" "And my arm!" David inserts. Daddy laughs as he wraps his arms around all of us, squeezing us tightly, causing a loud groan and some giggles.

I look up at Daddy as he looks back at me with a wide smiles, his blue eyes shining brightly. "Oh kids, I love you all so much!" Kathleen smiles as she sits up and moves her short, dark hair behind her ear. "We love you too, Daddy. But can we please get up now? My foot is starting to fall asleep." Joe looks down and grabs a leg, pulling it until a foot appear. "Here," he says as he looks at Kathleen. "I believe this is yours. Please, keep it from my butt."Kathleen rolls her eyes as she gives Joe a shove. Daddy laughs. "Okay, you two, cut it out."

Momma walks down the stairs with Chris in her arms. "Oh, I know," she says in a high pitched voice. "Getting dressed is no fun at all! If you could just run around in your diaper all day, you would, wouldn't you?" Daddy smiles as Momma makes it to the ground and looks at us as Chris' big eyes seem to follow hers. Momma instantly smiles. "Hello everyone!" Daddy smiles widely. "Hello, my beautiful wife!" I look at Courtney as she scrunches up her face. "Eww!" We say at the same time and I cover my eyes.

Momma laughs. "Oh my goodness, you two. This is the first time that I've gotten to walk downstairs and see Daddy. Most of the time, all I get is a kiss when I'm still in bed and he's off." I slowly uncover my eyes and Daddy smiles. "I was just telling them about our plan for the day." Momma nods with a smile as she sits down in her chair and gently rocks Chris. "Oh, yeah? It's going to be a great day! Jack is going to go win Texas over, he'll win again for 1964 and I get to spend the entire day with my beautiful family!"

Momma smiles warmly. "Have you heard from Jack at all?" Daddy nods as Kathleen gets up from his lap. "I have. He called me last night when they landed, he said he had a good feeling about it and I believe that he can do it. But, I am going to spend the entire day with my family!" I giggle and cuddle close to Daddy, very excited for the day.

I sit with Daddy and my siblings, watching Looney Tunes until eleven when one of the 'adult' shows as Daddy calls them, comes on. Momma peeks her head in the living room and smiles at me. "Are your tunes over, Looneys?" Daddy rolls his eyes with a smile. "Ha ha funny. But yes ma'am, they are. Thankfully, Tweety Bird will live to see another day." I look up at him with a grin. "I think I saw a Putty Cat!" Daddy gasps with a smile. "Ohh, I did! I did see a Putty Cat!"

Momma laughs and shakes her head. "Okay my Tweetys and Looneys, it's time for lunch. I made BLTs so it'll be light on your stomachs for the game." I smile as Daddy picks me up and puts me on the ground and I follow him into the kitchen. "Are you playing with us, Momma?" She shakes her head as she hands Daddy a plate and then me one with a sandwich on it. "I don't think so, Ker Bear. I'll probably stay with Chris this time. But I'll still watch you, don't you worry."

I nod and follow Daddy over to the table as more siblings come over with us. We eat our lunch with a lot of talk of the upcoming game and teams. I can hardly finish my sandwich by the time we finish talking because I'm so excited. Thankfully, we all finish quickly and head out to the backyard.

"Alright," Daddy says as he grabs the football from a lawn chair. "I'm one team captain, Kathleen you be the other captain. You pick first, Kath." Kathleen nods and looks to the cluster of siblings before her. "Courtney." Courtney walks over to Kathleen as Daddy looks. "Kerry." I run over to Daddy's side.

"Joe."
"Bobby."
"Michael."
"David."

Daddy smiles as David runs over to us. Daddy smiles to Kathleen. "Okay Kath, you walk 'em. Good luck!" Kathleen smiles as Michael begins to run to the other end of the yard. "You're the one who needs the luck! I have a good team!" Daddy laughs and shakes his head as he gathers us. "Alright team, our number one goal here is to have fun. We're going to be nice and kick so what does that make us on?" "Defense," David replies. "Our goal is to stop the ball from moving far." Daddy nods with a smile and points to David. "Right on. Okay team, lets go get them!"

Our huddle breaks up and I walk beside Daddy as we make it to our line. "Ready?" Daddy calls. Kathleen nods. "Ready!" she calls back. Daddy raises up one arm, takes a couple of steps, drops the ball and kicks it. The ball flies in the air and over to my siblings. "I got it!" Joe calls loudly. The ball lands in his arms gently and he starts to race towards us.

"It's with Joe!" David clarifies. I find Joe in the cluster of siblings and start to run to him. I almost make it when Courtney steps out of no where and begins to shove my shoulders back. I struggle against her, but just can't make it and Joe continues to run by. Daddy races past Kathleen's defense and touches Joe. "And, down right here! Nice run, bud. That was nice." Joe smiles widely. "Thanks, Dad."

"Hey, Daddy." I look up at Daddy and reflect his same confused face at Momma's tone. It sounded worried. I watch as Daddy looks over to Momma and I copy him. Momma stands on the back porch with Chris on her hip. It wasn't hard to tell, something was going on. "What is it, honey?" Daddy asks. Momma swallows. "Hoover called. He says he needs to talk to you right now. I left the phone face down on the table." Daddy nods and looks down at me. He smiles weakly. "Don't worry, I'm sure he wants to start some other crazy drama for me about Uncle Jack. I'll be right back though, okay? You guys, don't start anything without me." I nod as Daddy hurries to the back porch and disappears into the house.

I leave my siblings and walk over to the porch where Momma still stands, bouncing Chris on her hip and eyeing inside the house. She looks at me as I step up on the porch and she smiles softly. "Hey Ker." I smile back softly. "Hi Momma. Is everything okay?" Momma nods and gently ruffles my hair with her free hand. "Yes baby girl, don't you worry. I'm sure Mr. Hoover just wants to talk business with Daddy, that's all."

I nod as Momma pulls me into a hug. I hear the phone being placed back on the receiver and soon after, Daddy appears back on the porch. His eyes are wide, his smile is gone. It looked like someone had just wiped his face clean of the Daddy that I knew so well. "Honey," Momma says as she gently reaches her hand over and rests it on his shoulder. "What's going on? What did he say?" I hear the rest of my siblings come up behind me as I watch Daddy swallow. "It's Jack. Someone shot him."