CHAPTER 27

CHAPTER 27

JENNIE H WILKINSON

EVERYONE WAS frantically clapping Jennie Heringer Wilkinson on her feet, screaming and clapping dizzily for one of the best Harvard Law students of all time, especially for the best graduation speech ever given — as many professors claimed — at her graduation on the university football field.

— Congratulations, daughter — Oscar Heringer said in his daughter's ear as he hugged her fully proud.

— We're so happy for you... — Esther said, happy that Jennie was the first child to graduate from college.

On the outside, Jennie was the happiest person in the world, she had wonderful parents, she had been the brightest law student in the last fifty years at Harvard, and everyone wanted her to work in their offices. Inside she was crying desperately, her biological father had finally appeared in her life after so many years — and sadly at the end of it, not even giving her a dignified farewell.

As the daughter of pastors, Jennie had already seen countless people in her last moments of life, but when the tables were turned — her being the daughter losing the very father she had dreamed of meeting — she began to feel that emptiness that everyone feels when someone very special is lost.

JENNIE GROW UP IN A WORLD parallel to everything that existed in her day. From her childhood, properly speaking, she remembers almost nothing, just being on Oscar Heringer's lap and his wife, picking up some changes of clothes, her doll and leaving that dark and cold room where two men freed her.

Jennie grew up and got even more beautiful every year. She was considered the most beautiful girl in high school and even competed in the Miss New York pageant and came in third, not that she cared for that, but she felt good walking around and winning some literary contests.

When Jennie met her husband, John Wilkinson, she had lost the contest and was the only one who wasn't crying, on the contrary, she had the most beautiful smile in the world — according to John told her on their first date.

Unlike Jennie, John wasn't that handsome anymore, he was at best a heartthrob — when he was well dressed, which was rare in that redneck — but he had an intelligent and outgoing conversation, which was why Jennie fell in love with him., after all, when he was fifty years old or more, he wouldn't be so handsome anymore, and neither would she, so what would be left would be the conversations and the good times they would spend together.

Jennie and John were married in the church where her parents were pastors, the ceremony was simple, and only for the families of the bride and groom and very few friends of the couple were there.

The beginning of a marriage is the same for almost everyone, the two were discovering the wonders and nightmares of living a life together.

John — like most men — left his wet towel on the bed, peed sometimes out of the toilet, farted and burped at the worst possible times, left his clothes lying around the house and worst of all for Jennie, her underwear. they were always — braked —, which made her even crazier with him.

But Jennie had her faults, too, she cooked poorly, was overly sentimental in some ways, and was always too busy at the office, especially in her recent times when she was closely tied to politics.

John worked as a physical education teacher and was always by his wife's side in every situation. He was the one who took care of her three children during her master's and doctorate, he cooked, washed dishes, ironed clothes, even after the money started to pour in, they lived a simple life and without much frills.

***

JOHN WILKINSON HAD BEEN raised in Texas on his paternal grandfather's farm and had a peaceful childhood filled with love and joy. Not because he was rich, but because of the simplicity of his family who loved family moments, and that was a key factor in John never being a young man frustrated because of his lack of beauty, on the contrary, he grew up knowing what beauty was. something superfluous in a relationship, because he loved his parents not for their beauty, but for the extraordinary people they were, and that was reciprocal.

Many boys made fun of him saying he would never get a girlfriend in his life, but when they saw that he was dating Jennie, years later, they all had to swallow hard what they said about him. When John was in Texas, he didn't hang out with Jennie, he paraded beside her was his silent revenge on all those troublemakers.

Their parents were extremely in love with each other and this was reflected in their children. There were nine siblings in all, three were adopted and they all followed different paths, John, for example, wanted to be a volleyball player, but in his third year of college he got injured and had to abandon his dream of playing in an Olympics, but life gave another even more special gift...

Jennie...

The beginning of their relationship was strange, and to this day they can't explain how it all really happened... when they saw each other, they were already completely in love with each other.

Jennie was the prettiest girl in college and he was the rich redneck, but their chemistry worked so well between them that nothing and no one would tear them apart while they were alive.

Jennie had shown a keen interest in politics since college. She proved to everyone that she wasn't just a pretty face, and after she started dating John Wilkinson, her fame grew as far as it could go.

JENNIE ARRIVED AT HER HOME and everyone was sleeping. She sat in her library resting for a few minutes before plucking up the courage to go upstairs to her room.

— So — said John, — how was the party?

— It was good, I discovered some very interesting things...

***

CATHERINE WAS CHATTING in a circle of friends and drinking martinis, apparently having a great time, even after all this time out of the spotlight.

— What do you think of Senator Wilkinson's presidential candidacy? — Said one of the guests.

— Honestly... — replied Catherine — I think it's pure marketing phony.

— You mean — Jennie said in a casual tone behind her — I'm just plain marketing gimmicks?

Catherine stared at Jennie as if she were a ghost, her uncreative mind trying to work for the first time in years, but as always, it was William who saved her.

— Senator Wilkinson, I'm so glad you came...

William gave Jennie two kisses on the cheek and a light hug.

— I wouldn't miss this wonderful party for the world, Mr. Johnson.

— William, please.

— Of course, William …

— Come with me, please — he said — I'll introduce you to my guests.

Jennie accompanied William.

CATHERINE WAS LOOKING at that scene feeling humiliated, Jennie looked like a queen next to her king, suddenly, an envy she had never felt took over her.

After the story of having stolen her own daughter's book, Catherine decided to abandon her writing career — before it was discovered that the other books had not been written by her either.

— Cat... Cat...

Catherine woke up from her trance and thought she was facing Jennie.

— Are you okay? — asked one of the guests.

— Of course… — she replied — I was just having an idea for a new book, it happens sometimes, you know… I haven't gotten used to retirement until today.

— I should enjoy retirement more then...

— You make me feel old like that, Harold, everyone knows there's no age to write a book.

WILLIAN WAS ON THE BALCONY with Jennie.

— So, senator, what are your initial projects, since the first battle towards the presidency has already been won.

— To be honest, Willian... I'm not sure, I'd like to improve our relationship with Middle Eastern countries, perhaps Russia.

— Senator... daydreaming a little more won't hurt you, these countries will never be peaceful, history alone has proved that many times, don't make that mistake either.

— Times are different, William...

— Senator... a thousand years from now they'll be exactly the same, chucros, ignorant and thirsty for Western blood...

— Maybe so... but as long as everyone thinks the same way, we will never change anything... there is a Chinese proverb that says:

A long journey starts with a first step...

— Life isn't made of pretty words, Senator Wilkinson, if you want catchphrases...

Your actions speak a thousand words...

— Changing the subject — Jennie said strategically — what's it like being married to a great writer and the father of one of the greatest writers in history?

William noticed Jennie's strategy.

— To be honest, Madam Senator...

— Jennie...

— Jennie, they live on dreams... Ivy apparently wrote very good and consistent stories, but...

— Hello dear — Catherine said, smiling falsely.

William glared at his wife with insane fury.

— I'm glad you're here — Jennie said — we were talking...

— Speaking of the fraud that you are...

Jennie was caught in the crossfire.

— So there are two of us talking about fraud.

IN SEVENTEEN YEARS, that was the first time they had uttered any sound to each other.

William felt in complete control of the situation, while Catherine had never been so humiliated in her entire life.

— I held back not to tell her that you were responsible for ending her father's life...

— What would you gain by doing that? — You never acted without having to gain something in return...

— I don't need anything else from this life — Catherine said, trying to maintain what little pride she had left — I have everything I need...

— I still have some things I haven't accomplished, but my only fun left to accomplish is to destroy you...

Catherine felt a guttural chill inside her stomach, she had already seen William destroy many careers and people, and suddenly, she was the one who headed the list.

One of the few pleasures William Johnson had was to completely annihilate his enemies, but he did so little by little, enjoying the pleasure of seeing the pain on their faces. He'd abandoned everything and everyone for her, and Catherine had left him for some skinny little doctor, she'd humiliated him, he'd given her the world and gotten a spit in the face as thanks.

Deep down, William was extremely in love with Catherine, she has always been and will always be the only woman he loved in his life, the woman of his dreams, but betrayal was something unforgivable for him, it took him years to find a suitable punishment. for her.

Catherine spent three nights without sleep after that party, and on a doctor's recommendation, began taking sleeping pills.

Within a year, she was completely dependent on the drug.

Catherine had become a very pretty sixty-year-old lady, but after that party, everything changed.

Because of the drugs she was taking, she would sometimes be completely out for two days, and when she woke up she looked like a zombie. Catherine had aged twenty years or more, and had lost what little charm she still proudly held, not even Victor — her favorite son paid any attention to her.