Good Evening, Mr President

Chapter 40

I felt so sorry for Marina Oswald. I felt so sorry for Robert Oswald. I felt so sorry for everybody involved in this goddamned string of grief. Lyndon didn't want me to, but I sat at the desk in the Oval Office, and wrote my eulogy for Jack, which I would give tomorrow, at the US capitol. The radio was a faint murmur in the flood of memories that pushed waterfalls of tears from me. In the space of a few hours, I relived our entire relationship. From the first words that I said to him, to the last, every moment flashed before my eyes. It was bittersweet that the last thing I ever said to him was "I love you, don't ever leave me." Because, that love slipped from under me in the space of an hour.

At 12.19, I stopped for a minute, to take a breath, to give my emotions a break. When I heard something that I was happy yet saddened to hear.
"The man has been shot!" The radio reporter said "Lee Harvey Oswald has been shot!" All I could do was drop my jaw in shock- it was such a fitting coincidence that the man that shot Jack was shot himself just 10 minutes sooner than he was the previous day.

A day later, a group of us assembled in the Rotunda of the US Capitol, to give eulogies for Jack. I walked to the podium, when it was my turn to speak, and I folded the paper that I'd spent so long writing, I wanted it to come from the heart.

"It's funny, Mr Kennedy would usually be the one up here and I'd be the one watching." I smiled, remembering the state of the union address. "Well, where do I start? Mr John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the best thing that ever happened to me. I'm not saying this as a figure of speech, or to be nice. I'm telling the truth, the full truth. It is that without this man, I wouldn't be where I am today.

A little over a year ago, my mother received an invitation to attend a party at the white house, and that's where it all started. We talked all night, and instantly 'clicked' as you might say. This was the beginning of the best friendship I've ever had. I've never, in my whole life been able to talk to someone as freely and easily as with Mr Kennedy. We had an amazing relationship in and out of work, and I can't remember ever arguing with him at any point- because he was that type of person that you couldn't disagree with. He was so smart, so kind, and he never deserved to die.

Through everything, he stood by me. Through the missile crisis, even though it was him that needed someone, he helped me through the overwhelming workload, and worrying that came with it. He stood by me during my mothers alcoholism, when I was hospitalised with concussion, he stayed in that room for three days until I woke up. I can't think of anyone else that would even think of doing that for me.

He was such a caring, wonderful, hard working man, and whoever killed him was out of their mind because I can't see what would make anyone want to deprive the world of such a good person. When we were in Dallas,the last thing I ever said to him was that I loved him, and I told him not to leave me, and that was the most ironic yet true thing I've ever said in my life.Because I loved him, I really did- but just ninety minutes later, he left me, he left us all. If he'd have had just a few more days to live, just another week- he would have lived to join his son on his birthday, he would have given me just a few more days of happiness . And, I wish that he'd had more goddamn days. I loved him with all of my heart, I probably loved him just as much as his wife did, as love isn't always romantic- sometimes it's just having a shoulder to cry on when you need it.

What we had is hard to describe- and if a genie came tomorrow, and asked if I wanted anything in the world, I wouldn't ask for diamonds, or to win the lottery, I would simply ask for god to bring back John Kennedy. Because diamonds are nothing when you don't have someone to share them with.

In this time of mourning, and sadness, I feel like it is a good time to quote a very brave man. So, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country! So, Rest in peace Jack, I'll see you on the other side." As Clint helped me down, I broke down into tears, placing my head on his shoulder, he wrapped his arms around me.
I stood next to Jackie when Bobby Gave his eulogy, and was completely oblivious to any noise that surrounded me, I just cried. She tapped on my shoulder, and I turned to her, wiping my eyes.
"That was beautiful." She strained a smile.
"It was true." I replied, and I didn't lie in any part of that, not even a little...