Cressie and Jack

New Years Eve

I had a divided schedule. From 6 to 10, I would be attending a high society party  with my parents and my friends, Barbara and Peggy. Peggy Hamilton was a roommate of mine at Miss Porter's, best friend of mine for years, and a future ambassador for England but that would be years- 40 to be exact. Peggy was a classically beautiful  although a little rounder than she would like, her red hair was wilder than she liked or wanted, but she was beautiful.  Peggy had a love/hate  with it but she was like every other girl in that way.

Remember the pager I talked about a couple of chapters back that I told you would be important but I seemingly forgot about it. Well, it back! Jack decided to use while in the car with his brothers and father, all of whom were prepared to do the same for their mistresses. Ted Kennedy, who had not started his legendary Lion of the Senate career yet, was the newest to the concept of marriage being only 2 years in. The pager message was simple: date, codenames, time, and phone number. The rules were simple too. I was to call, let it ring 3 times, then if someone answered, hang up, wait for 20 mins, do the first step over again, wait for 10 minutes, and call again. 

From there, We would discuss only things that would not tell others who we were talking too. No wife or Charlie. Marilyn or Frank were topics rarely discussed or provided. I was in almost daily contact with him, the pager helped me figure out when  he would skip or I would skip. It was a two way responsibility.

Jack often called later than anyone who would normally call. We talked for roughly an hour a night. Topics were ranged from day to day or news, mostly mockingly but sometimes seriously. I was a useful sounding board, a confident would wouldn't tell anything, and a mistress who knew her place.

Peggy was laying on my bed as I received the message for a call. Peggy had picked it up