a chuisle mo chroí ♡ JFK ✔️

𝐄.#𝟏 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞: 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞'𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐡

As I sat on the comfiest, yet most intimidating chair known to only a few select people in the world, I felt the need to pat myself on the back.

It was done, accomplished. Though far from over. It was really only the beginning.

I did not need to get accustomed to my surroundings, unlike others before me. This had already been my home long ago.

The door on the right made a shy gap as someone on the other side opened it without remembering to knock first.

I would let it pass, remembering that others needed time to adjust, even if I didn't.

"Come in," I called out before the door could shut regretfully and with shame.

"I'm sorry, Madam President." With an undone button on the sleeve of his jacket, the young man approached trying not to hunch over like a fearful pup.

"Not a big deal, Mr. Pérez. But only for today." I raised my eyebrows at him, a kind heads-up to prevent future mishaps. "What do you have for me?"

"Schedule, projections for the Mars program, like you wanted." I nodded. "Yet more congratulatory letters... I can answer them or rid of them for you, whatever you wish." I found his Mexican accent endearing, and quite reminiscent of my own when I was little and spoke more Spanish than English.

"No, it's quite all right. I'll take a look at them myself."

He leaned down at my side, at a respectful distance, to leave everything on the Resolute.

"Thank you."

The White House

Presidential schedule
January-February 1985

Pérez, whose sight was usually directed down to the ground, lifted it up just for a second, witnessing the few objects I had chosen worthy of the magnificent desk for the time being.

Among them was a dried rose in a resin cast. There was also a coconut shell. And a portrait in a beautiful golden frame.

He backed away, and I could tell something was eating at him. He would turn around at any moment to confront me, something I would've never expected from him. But, then again, he was still fairly a stranger to me.

"How well did you know him?" His lips finally spoke, trailing off at the end as though regret overtook him at the last second.

"Excuse me?"

He gulped down that regret once he accepted it was too late to back down.

"President Kennedy. Did you actually know everything about him?"

"Of course I did, I was his biographer, and personal assistant beforehand."

Same as Óscar Pérez was to me, and he too would perhaps one day know every detail about me and use it in a biography. If I proved worthy of interest.

"Just that?"

I crossed all my fingers together, resting my hands on the desk. This gesture apparently conveyed a whole lot of intimidation for Pérez again, who recoiled.

"What do you mean?" I asked him with a quirked eyebrow.

"Nevermind, President Olivares. I was thinking out loud, my apologies."

I could only grunt at his rare display of audacity. "Siga trabajando, señor Pérez."

"Sí, ma'am."

Young Óscar disappeared behind the door of the Oval Office again.