Good Evening, Mr President

Chapter 22

White lights. Shouting. Needles. The last few hours were a blur of single images placed into a minute. All I remembered was Jack telling me to 'hang in there' and then I blacked out once again. As I blinked, my surroundings became more clear, white walls, people in doctors uniforms. I was in a hospital. Seeing the iv line in my arm, I tried to sit up, in reaction, Jack ran to my side from the seat across the room. I could barely make out what he said to me, my vision blurring his face, my ears blocking his voice. It was almost like his body was rejecting his efforts to save me, he shook me as my eyes began to shut again. "MARIANNE! DONT GO!" he yelled, as my eyes shut once again...

Again, I saw light, and my eyes began to open, the blurring stopped, my hearing began to return to me. Jack was still in the corner, sleeping. "Mr President?" I wheezed. "Mr President!" my voice cracked, as he began to open his eyes. Suddenly, he shot up when he realised that I was awake, and again, ran to my side. "Marianne, oh god Marianne thank god you're okay." He was almost crying, kissing my hand. He then kissed my lips, and thanking me for being alive. All I could do was nod, and hug him. "I have to call Jackie, she went home with the kids a few hours ago." He said, obviously excited, and then ran out of the door.

In a commotion, the doctor entered my room, along with Jack. He slammed a glass of water down by my bed, and hugged me once again, I was still weak, and I couldn't return it. "What was wrong with her?" He asked the doctor, that made two of us that wanted to know. "Well, she originally passed out from alcohol, but she had a concussion as well, which is what kept her out." He showed a sheet, and jack nodded, as the doctor walked out of the room. "I thought you weren't coming back." He cried "You hit your head pretty hard on that cabinet". I began to cry too, the fact that he was crying showed how much he cared. "I'm so sorry, I really am. I acted like such an idiot and drank way too much, I'm so sorry, really." He shook his head, as Jackie and the children ran in.

"Oh thank god you're okay, we were worried sick about you." she gasped, as John and Caroline hugged me. I nodded, weakly, and hugged the kids back, it felt nice to be cared about. Jack explained to his wife why I was here, and I apologised, repeatedly. I didn't mean to put them in this situation, I didn't realise how much I had drunk until now. It was all down to that even if I did have concussion. I could describe how stupid I felt, I just wanted to run away.

"Are you okay now?" Jackie asked, sat on my bed.

"Yeah, feel a little woozy, but I'll get better." I tried to reassure myself.

"Do it quick, the house is mayhem without you two around, I have myself and the kids now everyone's gone home- Jack's been here for the past three days with you." She laughed, as the doctor walked in. I'd been here for three days? I couldn't believe he'd stayed here all this time with me. Jackie slipped out.

"Hello doctor." I said, hoping he'd let me home, I couldn't bear this hospital for another minute.

"Well, you should be okay now, but keep resting for another day or two, then you can carry on helping the president here to run the country." he smiled, he was apparently acquainted with mr Kennedy. "You're free to go."

"Thank you doctor." I replied, as Jack helped me out of the bed, and handed me some clothes. When I'd put them on, we headed out to the presidential limousine, and got in amidst all of the paparazzi. Jackie welcomed us, and finally, things would be back to normal...