1956: A Kennedy Story

Chapter 128: Christmas

December 25, 1956 Christmas

Jackie woke with a start.

Christmas!

She jumped out of bed and ran down the stairs, feeling like a little girl again. She had put all of the Christmas presents out of Christmas Eve night when even Jack who, had insisted he'd stay up, had fallen asleep.

She noticed a few new presents under the tree and glanced at them curiously, they were all labled From: Jack or From: Daddy.

She smiled and suddenly she felt something claspe down on either shoulder she gasped and looked behind her.

"Jack! It's not halloween!" she cried.

Her husband laughed,"I'm still in spirit."

Jackie laughed and elbowed him.

"Should we wake the girls?" she asked.

"Heck ya we should wake the girls!" Jack yelled.

Jack was up the stairs before her head tilted toward them.

A moment later Jack came down with his two daughter's. Both looked sleepy and Bella's head rested on his shoulder while Kick glared at her father and was pulling his hair.

"Ouch Kick stop that!" Jack complained.

Jackie laughed and took Kick from her father.

Kick smiled innocently up at her,"You are going to be the trouble child arn't you?" Jackie asked.

Kick giggled in return.

Jackie sat down next to the tree and saw Jak glaring at a strand of stars on the tree, she stifled a laugh, Kick had managed to somehow get the lights around his throat so he nearly choked.

Jackie rolled her eyes at the memory before picking up the first box, Kick reached for it and she pulled it away shaking her head,"This is for Bella Kick."

Bella's head popped up when she heard her name,"Mama?" she asked.

Jackie smiled at her daughter and handed her a the small present in her hand, wrapped in reindeer wrapping paper with a red bow on top it was a christmas-y as it could get.

Bella frowned at it so Jack adjusted her in his arms and pulled a bit of the wrapping paper off and had Bella watch.

Catching on, Bella started to tear away the wrapping paper and she giggled madly when she saw what was inside the shoe box.

A stuffed tiger.

Bella grinned and pulled out the tiger and hugged it tightly.

Kick, from Jackie's arms looked sad.

Jackie took another present out from under the tree and read the tag,"To Kick from Daddy."

Kick smiled at her name and cautiously reached for the box Jackie held, Jackie laughed and gave the box to Kick, Kick pulled the wrapping paper off, though she had some problems with the string, Jackie had to help. But she smiled at the thing that was inside the box, a nightlight except a fairy, Kick seemed to be curious and liked the fairy.

Jackie pulled out the fairy light for Kick and plugged it into an outlet and both daughter's stared with awe at the glowing fairy.

Jack pulled the next present out from under the tree,"To Jackie." he read.
"From Jack."

Jackie smiled at him and graciously took the gift and after carefully unwrapping it gasped at what was inside.

A beautiful silver necklace with saphires in it and in the center, a heart, Jackie opened it and gasped, a photo of Jack was on one side and on the other Bella and Kick.
"Oh Jack." she said and lay her head on his shoulder.

He kissed her hair and smiled down at her,"I love you."

"I love you too." she said.