Endurance - Jack Kilborn [31]
“This just went from quirk to fetish,” she whispered to Letti.
“She’s way past fetish. This is full-blown psychosis.”
Florence also noted a strange odor in the house. Beneath the strong scent of incense were notes of body odor, and something else. A rotting smell, like carnations gone bad.
“I see you admiring the decorations,” Eleanor said, her arms making grand, sweeping gestures.
“It’s very presidential.” Letti barely containing her smirk.
“Indeed.” Eleanor’s face took on a solemn cast. “Presidents are the most important people in the world. They’re like royalty. After all, what could be more important than running a country? All that power. All that responsibility. As Americans, we should proudly revere our Presidents, for they’re so much better than we are.”
“Didn’t Jefferson say all men are created equal?” Florence asked.
“Presidents are more than mere men. They’re born to lead. Did you know all forty-three Presidents have carried European royal bloodlines? Thirty-four of them are genetic descendants of the French ruler, Charlemagne. Nineteen are related to England’s Edward the Third.”
Eleanor produced a handkerchief from the cuff of her long-sleeved dress and mopped at the sweat on her neck.
“If you go back far enough, everyone is descended from the same people,” Letti said.
“Of course they are, dear. Adam and Eve. But only a small minority of these descendants have carried the royal bloodline and were fit enough to lead nations. I have to ask… is Letti short for Leticia?”
“Loretta.”
“Too bad. Leticia Tyler was married to our tenth President, John Tyler. Not a very dynamic first lady, and a cripple at the end of her years. But she had eight children. Only seven survived. How many have you had?”
“Just Kelly.”
Eleanor fanned her face with the handkerchief, a dainty movement incongruous with her massive frame. “Only one child? Such a shame. God told us to be fruitful and multiply. Did you know there was a woman in the eighteenth century who had sixty-nine children? She gave birth to sixteen pairs of twins, seven sets of triplets and four sets of quadruplets. How blessed her family must have been.”
“I’m surprised her uterus didn’t run off and hide,” Letti said.
Eleanor turned to Florence. “How sad that both of us are past our child bearing years, isn’t it Florence? It would be so lovely to have a few more.”
“I only needed one because I did it right the first time,” Florence said. Out of the corner of her eye she caught her daughter smiling.
Eleanor turned her attention to Kelly.
“But this young lady here. She has many children in her future. Her breasts are just coming in. I can picture them, swollen with milk. ready to suckle her young.”
“Yuck,” Kelly said. “If I have kids, they’re getting formula.”
Florence didn’t like the woman talking to her granddaughter. Letti didn’t seem to like it either, and put a protective hand on Kelly’s shoulder. Eleanor apparently didn’t notice, and moved closer to the girl.
“And what’s your name, precious one?”
“I’m Kelly. This is JD.”
JD was staring at Eleanor like she was a rabbit he was ready to chase.
“And what does JD stand for?”
“Jack Daniels. Mom named him. We got him when my dad died.”
“He looks very protective of you. How old is he?”
“Eleven.”
“Our thirty-fifth President, John F. Kennedy, had a German Shepherd named Clipper. Such a good-looking animal.” Eleanor tucked her handkerchief away and went tsk tsk tsk. “Too bad JD is near the end of his life. Shepherds don’t live much