I looked at Jack, shocked, and embarrassed, how didn't we hear him.
"Look- what you saw-" I began, but he shushed me. "It's not like I'm going to tell people, why would I want to ruin his reputation? Just be more careful." He spoke with a warning tone "What if it was Jackie that walked in- or better yet your children?"
Jack was silent, he just looked at me, and looked at bobby, nodding as he did so. I smelled his cigars on his breath. And finally, I realised the situation- maybe we should be more careful...
~Thanksgiving, 1962~
As I woke up, I smelled turkey and pumpkins, looking at the clock, I realised it was 10am already, and we were having dinner at 2. I'd told Jackie that I'd help, so I quickly put on some trousers, and a simple shirt, pulled my hair back, and ran downstairs. I walked into the kitchen to find Jackie stood talking to a chef, already fully dressed for dinner.
"You're awake,finally!" she laughed, offering me a granola bar, which I took. "You helping with getting set up?" She asked, and I nodded, while she handed me a bunch of place cards- The first ones were Jack, Jackie, John, Caroline and Me. "Jackie?" I shouted.
"Yeah?" She replied, from the next room. "Do you want the kids at one end and the adults at the other?" I asked, hoping she'd say yes. "Yes, Jack and his brothers can go on one side and us women at the other." She answered me, as I got to setting the table. At the top, was Jack and Jackie, then I was next to Jackie, followed by Jack's sisters, and Jackie's sisters, and then my mother. On the other side, were Jack's brothers, and husbands of Jackie's sisters. At the end were all of the children, it amazed me how big this family was.
Once I'd set the table, and put the place cards out, I ran upstairs to dress. I chose a nautical style tea dress, and my string of pearls. When I returned downstairs, I found Jack talking to Ted and Joan, when I heard the doorbell ring, and rushed to answer it. Nothing ever prepared me for what I saw next- My mother, drenched in alcohol....