Love for a Lifetime

Chapter 72

"You went to visit Rosemary; didn't you?" Joe yelled.

"What's the problem with that?" Jack yelled back.

"She doesn't need visiting. She's well taken care of. She'll ruin any chance you three have with politics."

"I don't give a damn. If people can't pull their god damn heads out of their asses and see that it's the twentieth century, then too bad for them. There's no shame in people needing a little help or being different."

"No one else sees that!" Joe replied yelling.

"How sad for you!" Bobby said shaking his head, "You can't even see it."

"Dad, I don't give a damn what people think of me, but I do give a damn about my sister and how you hid her away like some sort of monster."

"I didn't-"

"To hell with the excuses. She's living in the middle of nowhere in Wisconsin. What do you call that?"

"It was for privacy and protection."

"Whose privacy and protection? Hers? Or yours?" Teddy commented jumping into the fight.

"It was for all of ours!"

Jackie finally spoke up, "I don't know who you thought needed protecting, but you screwed up, Joe."

    "Stay out of this, Jacqueline!" Joe yelled.

    "You don't get to yell at Jackie!" Jack returned and then though the others didn't realize it, he quickly leaned against the wall.

    "God damn it," Jackie thought to herself, "It's his Addison's disease." Then she spoke up, "Leave, Joe. Anyone that can't care for another person is not welcome in my home."

    Joe looked at Jackie and then turned and slammed the door behind him. "Ethel, you can get out too because I know you were the pot stirrer here."

    "Well, he's the patriarch. He deserved to know."

    "Just leave."

    After Ethel was gone, Jackie immediately went to Jack's side, "Hey, are you having an Addison's attack?"

    "I think so," Jack taking a deep breath.

    "Son of a bitch," Teddy muttered as he put his hand on his forehead.

    "Jack, do you need to go to the hospital?" Bobby asked.

    "Yes," Jackie said quickly before he had time to reply.

      Teddy took Jack to the hospital and Bobby stayed with Jackie. "I can't believe Ethel blabbed."
 
      "I can," Jackie muttered, "I'm sorry, but that woman and I will never see eye to eye."
  
      "I know," Bobby said, "It's hard for me to my ache inside when I see Michael and now that he's not my baby. I mean I still love him the same, but it just reminds me that she cheated. You know?"

       "I know, every time I hear about the bitch in the news, I remember that night, but I've gotten through it. You will too."

       Jackie put her arm around Bobby's shoulders and quietly asked, "How was Rosie?"

       "She's beautiful and happy."

       "That's wonderful news."

       "It's just hard to know that she's been alone there for the better part of a decade because Dad lied."

        "Now that's something we all might never get over."