Through It All

BOOM!

       Jackie knocked on Irene's door, "We need to talk. Please let me in."
       Irene opened the door. Her eyes were red and her makeup was smeared everywhere. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said what I did. You're not a bitch; I am."
       "I was being bitchy," Jackie laughed, "But I can't guarantee anything about your father and I. I know he loves me, but..."
       "I understand, but if you don't mind, I'd like to be alone for a little while."
      Jackie hugged Irene and then left the room. When Tom entered, Irene crumbled. "Tom..."
      "I know," he said sitting down next to her on their bed, "It'll be alright."
      "It'll kill my dad if she divorces him."
      Tom sighed as he wrapped his arms around her, "Irene," he said sucking in his breath, "I got a phone call this morning."
      "Tom, what is it?"
      "The call wasn't meant for me. It was meant for your father."
      "What'd they say?"
      "It was a doctor. He must've thought I was your father because he told me something I shouldn't know."
     "What's that?"
      "Irene, your father's Addison's has gotten a lot worse and they were talking about putting a cortisol pump in."
      Irene looked at Tom, "That's kind of new and kind of dangerous. Why wouldn't he tell me something like that?"
      Just then Jack knocked on their door, "Kiddo, I'm home."
      Irene flung open the door, "What the hell, Dad?"
      "Jesus Christ," Tom muttered under his breath.
       "I'm not sure what's happening?"
       "Neither am I!" Irene yelled.
       "You need to relax and explain what the hell you're yelling about," Jack responded calmly, however matching the volume of Irene's voice,
       "You're thinking of getting a cortisol pump put in your body and you don't tell anyone! You and mom might be having trouble, but Dad, it's me! I tell you everything and you tell me everything. That's why this works!"
       "Irene, they can't do it anyways. They think with my age and health conditions it's too risky. I just talked to my doctor. There's nothing they can do."
       "I'm sorry, Dad," Irene said hugging him, "It's just if anything happened to you-"
       "I'm right here, kiddo."
      The door was opened, "Jack Kennedy."
       Jackie stood in the doorway. "Hi, kid."
       "We have some talking to do."
       Jack groaned, "I haven't cheated on you, Jackie. I love you, God damn it!" he burst out running a hand through his hair.
       "Then what is this tube of lipstick I found in our bedroom! Huh, Kennedy? Want to explain?"
       "Ravishingly Red?" Irene asked.
        "Yes. Is it that damned Marilyn Monroe?"
        "Jackie! It's Irene's! She was asking me if she should wear red or a more natural color lipstick! I said, 'how the hell am I supposed to know?' and then she laughed and decided on red! You've got to start trusting me because otherwise we'd be better off divorced."
       Jackie stormed out of the room in tears as Jack stood there not believing that he had said that out loud. "Please, tell me I didn't-"
       "You did," Irene whispered quietly.