the kennedy's daughter

red

July 28, 1973

Arlington National Cemetery

"I love you mommy"

"je t'aime maman"

Kate turned around and sobbed into Janet's chest

"It's alright Kate, please don't get yourself worked up, we don't need you to get sick"

•

At age 10, Kate still loved soccer. But she had started to become a little more mature, now knowing French and a little bit of Spanish. She had watched and watched her mothers translations of her fathers speeches, and now knew every word and what they meant.

Kate coughed and coughed as Jack ran up from behind her.

Over the past few years, Kate had become sicker and sicker. Jack had become a "medical Dad", who was definitely a helicopter parent. There was a monitor in Kate's room, oxygen tanks and masks in the hall closet, multiple pairs of sheets for her bed in the laundry room, and any medication that you could think of in Jack's room for emergency nights when there wasn't time to get to the kitchen.

Yet there where oh so many vases and picture frames that where missing all over the house from her soccer ball, a goal in there backyard, and all of her gear in the garage.

On top of the fact that it was Jackie's 46th birthday, Kate was having an off day. Often an off day could start with vomit, fevers, endless coughing, chest pain, any type of symptom that Kate has ever had could be shown.

Now this morning Jack was watching Kate from the screen that was connected to the monitor in her room, while drinking his coffee, often something he did every morning. He just wanted a good smooth day, today was hard for all parties involved. He went to put his cup in the sink, all the while he could hear Kate hacking and hacking. He grabbed the monitor just in time to see something he didn't want to see. Quickly he ran up to the laundry room, grabbed another pair of grey sheets and walked down to Kate's room, where he found his daughter sobbing.

"Daddy, I'm sorry, I- I know today is hard" Jack walked over to his daughter who was covered in her own vomit and picked her up to comfort her

"Stomach hurt again?" Jack asked rocking her

"Yea"

"Do you think you can go see mommy?"

Kate shook her head as Jack took her vomit covered pajamas so he could wash them, and leave her to take a shower.

Once her sheets where stripped and her pajamas where in the wash, Jack walked down to his room to change and get ready.

Just as he closed the door to his room, he heard knocking coming from downstairs.

"Coming!" Jack shouted scaling the stairs to the front door

He opening the door to reveal Janet

"Oh, no John"

Jack looked down onto his plaid pants and white t-shirt, that where still covered in Kate's vomit.

"Is she sick again?"

"Oh, Lord I hope not, she has days like this, that is why we have 20 pairs of extra sheets"

"John, did she eat last night?"

"Umm..."

"Come on John! DID SHE?"

"no...."

"Why in the hell?"

"Everything she put in came back out, I tried so damn hard!" he said slamming the vomit covered rag into the counter

"John, how long has this been going on?!"

"2 weeks"

"This can't go on any longer, we can go to Arlington some other d-"

"Gramma!" Kate yelled starting to run down the stairs but stoping half way, to hold onto the railing, and coughed

"Hey Kate" the two collided into a hug

"We're going to see mommy!"

"Actually Ka-" Jack was cut off

"Let's go Kate, I'll buckle you in" Janet said grabbing her hand

Because of the fact Kate was extremely tiny for her age she still sat in a booster seat.

Once they arrived Kate knew just where to go, she jumped out the car and ran, stoping a couple of times to cough. She ran right up to her mothers grave, and began to talk

"Mommy, I wish you where here, I'm really not feeling that great most days, I can tell it's taking a toll on daddy. You could comfort him, and be here to help me, hold me and daddy, I never even meet you but I miss you mommy"

She just burst into tears right there, and looked to one of her grandmas for comfort. Once she started to cough and wheeze, Jack ran up from behind her.

"Kate, hey, hey calm down, breathe" Jack pulled his daughter towards his chest to comfort her, and to keep her from the possibility of throwing up all over Jackie's grave.

"Daddy I wanna go home"

"I know, we will"

Kate broke from Jack's arms and ran

"Jacqueline Kate Kennedy, What the hell?!" Jack's yelling caused Janet to turn away from her oldest daughter's grave

She didn't get far before she stopped at the grass, and threw up everywhere.

"Oh no" Jack whispered under his breath running to his daughter

He quickly rushed to her side holding her hair back

"Daddy I really don't feel good at all" Kate slightly talked as Jack tried to clean her up

As Jack scooped her up, Janet got Jack's attention, as Kate continued to vomit on Jack's shoulder. Kate's vomit was a crimson color, and as he looked down at the handkerchief he saw the lighter red all over it. Janet's eyes said it all,

"John, we have too" she said trying not to alarm Kate

"Why today?" Jack cried getting into the car with his little girl in his arms

Jack wrapped Kate in one of her blankets that was in the back of his car, by this time she was out.

Once they got to Georgetown, Kate was immediately ripped from Jack and rushed out of his sight.