Love for a Lifetime

Chapter 80

"Jackie? Jackie?" Bobby's voice said.

It was all dark to Jackie, "What happened?"

"You got yourself so wound up that you passed out. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she said weakly standing up from the floor, "Where's Jack?"

"Still in surgery."

"We are one damn month into this presidency and he's nearly killed. He could still die! Why the hell is your family cursed!"

"What do you mean?"

"Joe died in the war, Kick died in a plane crash, Rosie's lobotomy, my miscarriage, Ethel's miscarriage, now Jack gets shot!"

"Jackie, I don't need to hear about all of the tragedies in my family. I've lived through the damn things," he said clearly upset by what Jackie had said.

"I'm sorry, Bobby. It's just... I'm just..."

"You don't get to do this. You don't get to give up on this family or Jack. I know we have the worst luck on the planet-correction-in the universe, but you don't get to give up. You need to keep hope. You are the only one that usually has it. You don't get to do this to me. Now sit down, shut up and pray with me."

      "I'm sorry, Bobby. I just couldn't live with myself if anything-"

      "I know, Jackie," he whispered pulling her in for a hug, "Our Father who art in heaven..." they began praying together.

"Mrs. Kennedy?"

Jackie sprang to her feet, "Yes?"

"The president is out of surgery. These next few hours will be crucial. We will have to monitor him closely."

Jackie and Bobby went back to see Jack. He was a gruesome sight. Oxygen, IVs, and different sorts of tubes polluted his body. Jackie went to his side and ran her fingers through his hair, "Oh, honey," she mumbled. He had been hit three times. His stomach, chest, and left thigh had been injured by the bullets. "Who the hell did this?" Jackie asked biting back her tears.

"We don't know."

"Bobby, I need him. He can't die. He just can't do that to me."

Early the next morning, as Jackie was uncomfortably tossing and turning in a cold beside Jack. Monitors in the room began to beep and buzz. Soon, she had been shuffled away and watched as her husband began to convulse. "He's having a stroke!" a doctor yelled, "All hands on deck!"

Jackie screamed and kicked and cried as Clint pulled her away from the room. "My husband is not going to die without having someone with him."

"He's not going to die, Jackie! He's one hell of a man and it's going to take more than this to kill him."

"Call, Bobby, please."

    "I will."

    "Call Teddy."

    "I will."

    "Call Joe."

    "I will, Jackie. Go get yourself a cup of coffee and try to relax for a bit."

    "And, Clint?"

    "Yes?"

    "Thank you for everything."

    Jackie got a cup of coffee and sat quietly waiting for Jack. "Mrs. Kennedy?"

    "Yes?" Jackie asked standing up.

    "Mr. Kennedy will be back in his room. We still aren't exactly sure what's going to happen, but he is alive and it appears that he is doing alright."

       Jackie returned to Jack's room and sat next to him holding his hand. She waited for something. A sigh, a word, maybe even a slight cough would tell her that he was alright. She waited for what seemed like forever until Bobby burst in the room, "I'm sorry. I was... And then Clint... And I got here," he was gasping for air.

        "It's okay, Bobby," Jackie said breathily. It was very apparent that she'd been crying for countless hours.

        "Teddy's on his way."

        Jackie nodded and continued stroking Jack's hand, being careful of the needles, wires, and tubes that were sticking out of him everywhere.

        He moaned, "Jack, it's me. Talk to me. Please, Bunny. I need to hear your voice."

        His eyes flickered open and he looked at Jackie, "Who the hell are you?"