The Kennedys

Chapter Seventeen - Old Curses

December 1954

Bobby watched, grief-stricken, as the priest gave his brother the last rites.

It wasn't the first time that Jack had been on his deathbed, but Bobby was especially frightened. All he could think of was:

This can't be happening. I'm going to close my eyes and wake up from this. It's just a nightmare. I'm not really watching this.

He had his arm around Jackie, who was wiping at her eyes with a handkerchief. "This isn't the end." said Bobby, making his best attempt to comfort her, "He's not dead, not yet, and Jack's a fighter, he won't give up."

Jackie nodded, somewhat solemnly, and Bobby felt an overwhelming sense of combined grief and pity overflow his heart. Jackie was far to young to be a widow, they were supposed to spend the rest of their lives together, not five measly months.

The priest finished administering that last rites, and turned to Bobby and his family, "That's all I can do, now it's all up to God." He left without another word of comfort or solace.

Rose and Joe stood in the corner, and Joe felt almost depleted of all energy. He couldn't lose another son, another dream. He was so tired of the heartbreak that Kick and Joe Jr.'s deaths had brought. He just wanted his family to be happy.

Suddenly, the room began to close in. Joe felt out of breath, like he had just been whacked in the stomach with a baseball bat. He began to struggle to breath, it was a panic attack.

Joe left the room hurriedly, and Rose followed him out at a fast pace. She found her husband leaning against the wall, catching his breath. "Joe, please. You have to be strong, for the children."

"We're cursed." said Joe, who, in the midst of his panic attack, has somehow been hit by an over-whelming sense of clarity.

"What?" implored Rose, who was sure that she had misheard her husband.

"This family," said Joe, his voice bitter and shrewd, "is cursed. We will never be happy."

"Joe, please!" said Rose, tears brimming in her eyes, "Nobody needs this now."

Joe turned to his wife, tears flooding down his face, "We will never be happy! And it's all my fault! I've cursed us!"

Rose left and returned to Jack's bedside, intent on keeping herself away from her husband's vicious words, but Joe remained outside, steadying his breathing, with one sole thought running through his head.

My family is destined to never be happy again.

1955

Jack walked into the doorway, exhausted. His near fatal brush with death had turned him off of any further spinal surgery, which has its setbacks.

He made his way to the dining room, where he found Jack standing by a candlelit table, a smile on her face, and a beautiful meal laid out.

"Oh, Jackie." Jack was thankful, he really was. He knew that most men like him came home to an unforgiving and hot-tempered wife. But not him.

"I thought it would be nice to spend a romantic evening at home." Jackie made her way across the room to Jack, and put her hands on his chest, "You've been working so much lately. I want to reward you."