The Kennedys

Chapter Thirty-Three: London Town

June 1961
London, England

Jackie looked into the mirror, examining her appearance. She think she looked nice, but she wasn't sure.

She kept playing the designer's words over in her head, or, more specifically, what he had been implying. That she was more admired than Queen Elizabeth.

It was vanity, to fall for the flattery, to be sure, but she kept remembering what Jack said: that it was alright to bask in the spotlight sometimes. And she wanted to bask in the spotlight.

Tonight Jackie would eat with the Queen of England. She remembered the glimpse of her she had managed to get at the coronation. Elizabeth had been the most revered woman in the world.

Now, Jackie was.

"Are you alright?"

Jackie turned to see Jack standing in the doorway, a smile on his face.

"You seemed caught up in your thoughts."

"Just reflecting," Jackie replied, trying to present herself as the perky wife, not the attention-seeking fraud she felt like.

"On what?" Jack asked.

"Everything," replied Jackie, "The fact that just seven years ago I was here covering her coronation and now I'm her guest."

Jack smiled, "I understand. I would feel the same, I'm sure."

Jackie sighed, "I don't want to go back home."

Jack frowned. "Why?"

"I don't know," she grimaced, "Just the thought of facing all of those duties and responsibilities. And I know it sounds lazy or even selfish, but I know I'll feel overwhelmed and want to do better and-"

She was nearly crying now, and Jack embraced her.

"It's alright," said Jack, "It's fine to feel overwhelmed. I think we've all felt a bit overwhelmed. Of course, I think it's been much harder for you, because of the baby."

Jackie nodded, crying into his sleeve.

"It's alright, it's alright." whispered Jack, laying his head on top of hers. "I'm here."

Hickory Hills, Virginia

Bobby watched his children play in the distance. He could hear their laughs and cheers as they played tag. He feared that perhaps they had inherited his competitiveness. Hopefully it wasn't as extreme as his own.

"Inside your head?"

Bobby turned to see Ethel standing behind him. She had her arms crossed, but in a playful way, not an angry way. Something of a smirk was lingering in the corner of her mouth.

He smiled. "Yeah, I guess so."

She sat down next to him, crossing her legs as if they were in elementary school.

"What's wrong?" she asked, "You've been so in your head lately."

Bobby sighed, "I learned something..."

Ethel inclined her head, silently asking for more.

"About Dad."

Ethel completely understood, it was Joe for God's sake. He was always up to something. Still, what was it?

"What happened? Did he say something to you? Do something to you?"

She put her hand in his hair, ruffling it.

Bobby took a deep breath. "He may have tampered with the results in Chicago."

Ethel's heart dropped. "What?"

"No," said Bobby, "He definitely tampered with the results in Chicago through his connections with the mob."

"How do you know?" she inquired, shocked. This was low, even for Joe. And that was saying something.

"Khrushchev told Jack when he was in Austria. And I know it could be manipulation, but it's Dad. Of course he would do that. That's just who he is."

"Oh, Bobby." sighed Ethel, "I'm so sorry."

Bobby clenched his fists, "I don't know what to do, Ethel. He's my father, but he's a bastard and do you know how this will affect Jack, how it's already affected him? He thinks he's illegitimate, that he shouldn't be in the Oval Office."

"He has to know that the people chose him, they did. He won the majority, the mob connections couldn't have been all of that."

"It was close enough to call that he could-he will-doubt."

"Bobby, look at me," she said as she grabbed his face in her hands, "You will face this, and you will overcome it because you're Bobby Kennedy. Not just a Kennedy, but Bobby Kennedy. You are your own person and you are far better than your father. I promise you that."

He nodded, and they sat there in silence, watching their children play as the sun began to set. Suddenly more confident in what the future had in store.