The Kennedys

Chapter 5: Roses 🌹

•[Third person]•

After hours of conversation, the duo gracefully retraced their steps to the house, just as the sun began its descent. Arriving back at the dock, they meticulously secured the boat before disappearing into the boat house to stow away their life jackets and retrieve the accoutrements deemed unnecessary for their aquatic excursion.

As they entered the main house, the echoes of Rose's enraged voice filled the air, directed squarely at Joseph Sr. "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU, JOSEPH!" The force of her words caused Joanna to flinch instinctively, seeking solace behind Jack's protective stance. Navigating through the tense atmosphere, they entered the kitchen where the confrontation raged on. Despite Jack's attempt to diffuse the situation with a simple request for water, Joanna's efforts to retreat were futile against his firm grasp, pulling her closer to the epicenter of the commotion.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DID THIS BEHIND MY BACK, SHE IS MY DAUGHTER TOO, JOSEPH!!" Rose's voice thundered, oblivious to the presence of the younger pair. Joanna's legs quivered, betraying her inner turmoil, prompting Jack's concern for her well-being. Despite her efforts to regain composure, Joanna's trembling persisted, a visible manifestation of her unease. Although Jack empathized with her fear, the intensity of Rose's anger was unsettling.

Feeling a pang of embarrassment at the spectacle unfolding in the house, Jack gently lifted Joanna into his arms, swiftly whisking her away from the heated confrontation. With determined strides, he guided them out of the house and back towards the serenity of the boat house. Making their way upstairs to a secluded spot overlooking the tranquil waters, the two found solace amidst the array of canoes and kayaks. Here, away from the chaos, they shared a quiet refuge, engaging in heartfelt conversation until Jack sensed the tension had dissipated, signaling it was time to return.

*Rose's pov*

While I was preparing dinner, Joseph's sudden presence in the kitchen signaled an unusual shift in the atmosphere. He approached me from behind, pulling me closer, and in a tone that deviated from his usual demeanor, he uttered, "Rose, honey, I have something to tell you." An undercurrent of worry seized me as he dismissed the maid from the room, intensifying the sense of foreboding. The familiar comfort of the kitchen transformed into an uneasy setting, setting the stage for the impending revelation that would alter the course of our evening.

"I was done with Rosemary's behavior; she could ruin the family legacy. So, I packed her stuff and drove her to the doctors. I administered a lobotomy for our eldest daughter." he stated matter-of-factly. I was speechless, unsure of what to say. "Leave, please just leave." I pleaded, but he didn't listen, standing firm in the kitchen.

"No, Rose, you need to talk to me." He responded. "I have nothing to say to you." I stated, turning away, refusing to look at him. "That's not what your white knuckles are saying." I glanced at my hands, realizing their tense grip on the serving spoon. Loosening it, I walked to the fridge without uttering a word. "Please, Rose, just say something." He pleaded with eyes that seldom displayed vulnerability, a stark contrast to his usual ego.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DID THIS BEHIND MY BACK, THAT IS MY DAUGHTER TOO, JOSEPH!" I erupted, yelling at him for the first time in years. At that moment, John and Joanna walked into the kitchen, John got himself a glass of water but left without it as he lifted Joanna out of the room.

I heard the backdoor shut eluding to their departure from the house. I took a deep breath before I turned back to Joseph, "Please leave me be." I said, refusing to look at the man I love. Quietly, Joseph nodded his head before he left the room, probably going to his office.

Left alone in the kitchen after the departure of the young adults and Joseph, I grappled with a whirlwind of emotions. The revelation of Joseph administering a lobotomy on Rosemary left me shocked, angry, sad, and embarrassed.

I was shocked and angry because he hadn't confided in me about such a significant decision regarding our daughter. The sadness stemmed from the realization that Rosemary, my oldest daughter, was subjected to such a procedure. And slight embarrassment came from the concern that her situation could cast a negative light on our family.

•[Third person]•

Many assumed Rose had distanced herself from her daughter out of fear, an emotion she hadn't grappled with in such intensity before. Watching her first daughter's mentality decline due to her husband's carelessness had left her furious at the world, bewildered by the lack of answers, and convinced that this was the worst tragedy a family could endure.

Unbeknownst to Rose, in the office down the hall from the kitchen, Joseph was on the phone with Saint Coletta's, a Catholic facility in Wisconsin specializing in caring for the mentally incapacitated. Little did she know that, in the years to come, Rosemary would return to Hyannis Port, forever changed by her experiences.

|In the boat house|

"I'm so sorry you had to witness that, they don't usually behave that way." The man apologized for his parents' behavior. "It's okay, I understand." The girl answered with a slight frown. The young man continued to express regret to the girl beside him. "I'm so sorry." He apologized again, looking at her with apologetic eyes. "Honestly, Jack, you're fine; stop apologizing." The brunette girl replied, leaning her head on his shoulder.

After a few minutes of silence, he began again. "Honestly Jo, I really am so-" the girl cut him off by moving so that she was cradling him, their faces close, preventing him from saying anything else unnecessary. He took a small gasp but regulated his breathing rather quickly, just staring into her eyes. He glanced down at her lips for a split second, hoping she didn't notice, but she did.

Neither of them could move; neither of them knew how to move. Only once in their time together has something like this happened between them.