Love Forever

Chapter 23

Friday 17th December 1965

Jack Kennedy’s Bedroom

The White House

Jack was lying asleep, he’d been up to take a phone call about Vietnam and Finn was also in his room, so Jack had to keep an eye on him.

It was just past 7am he was meant to be up but he couldn’t he needed sleep, the most sleep he’d got a night was four hours. He pulled a blindfold over his eyes and put earplugs in.

He could finally sleep for a while without being disturbed.

It wasn’t till he felt someone poking his arm that he began to wake up. He pulled the blindfold of his eyes and took the earplugs out before sitting up. Kenny was standing looking at him. Jack quickly glanced at the clock; it was 11:05am.

 “Jack.”

“What?” Jack asked rubbing his eyes.

“We need you downstairs.”

“Ok, I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

“Why are you and Finn through here? I thought you’d be with Jackie?”

Jack paused. “I needed my hard mattress for my back.”

“Oh.” Kenny said before leaving.

Jack got washed and dressed before giving Finn to Nanny Shaw, he then headed to work.

The Oval Office, the White House

3pm

Jack was standing at his desk he’d just had a meeting with Lyndon on Vietnam, he was rather angry.

He was about to sit down when Pierre walked in. “Afternoon sir.”

“Afternoon Pierre, can I help?”

“I really need you to get a date for the photo shoot the press are getting really annoyed, especially since Mrs Kennedy hasn’t been seen and they think your trying to hide Finn.”

Jack glared at him. “FOR FUCKS SAKE PIERRE! I’M NOT HIDING ANYTHING! YOU WANT JACKIE TO SHOW HERE GOD DAMN FACE IN PUBLIC YOU GO TALK TO HER!” Jack yelled.

“Sir…..”

“NO JUST DON’T PIERRE!” Jack exclaimed as he chucked his pen at him.

Pierre backed quietly and quickly out of the room.

Jack slumped back into his chair and sank down, he began to cry. He was sobbing audibly when he heard the door click shut. He looked up to see Bobby looking very concerned.

“Jack?” Bobby asked as he crouched down beside his brother.

“Oh Bobby, I can’t take this anymore.” Jack sobbed.

“What? Take what Jack?”

“The loneliness, the sleepless nights, the stress of Vietnam.”

Bobby didn’t have a clue what Jack was on about but he gently rubbed his arm. “What do you mean Jack? The loneliness? The sleepless nights? You have Jackie.”

“I have Jackie? She won’t talk to me, the last time I talked to her, she hit my arm and yelled at me, she hasn’t held Finn since we left the hospital. She’s so depressed and tired like she was with John.” Jack cried.

“I look after Finn at nights, resulting in little sleep. The only people she’ll talk to are Caroline and John; she spends most of her time in bed. Anytime I suggest getting help she shouts at me.” Jack continued.

Bobby hugged his brother tightly. “It’ll be okay Jack.”

Jack clung to his brother’s tie. Weeping.

“Jack, how about this weekend you take Jackie up to Camp David? Spend some time together, help her.”

“W…what about the kids?”

“I’ll look after them, please Jack she needs you and you need her.”

Jack nodded and composed himself. “Thank you.”

Bobby nodded.