When José got home that night he told the family how baffled he was at the president's behavior. He said of him that he looked skittish, and was not talkative at all. Alice wished she could have disappeared and was unable to look at her father in the eye when he questioned if she knew anything about it. Alice only shook her head and went to her room as soon as she could.

Only after battling with extreme sheepishness and a night of no sleep, was Alice able to confront the day ahead. When she opened the curtains to watch the snow fall from the smokey grey sky, Alice sighed.

The touch of her fingertips against her lips brought back the memory of the previous day. Despite how it all came down and her conflicting thoughts on the matter, Alice still felt a special sort of way. Somewhat like a princess, even if it sounded silly and corny.

With a fluttering heart, the girl went downstairs. She doubted the feeling would go away, but as soon as she saw the Christmas tree and all the decorations around the house, Alice remembered what day it was.

A smile was immediately plastered over her face, and Alice skipped over to the kitchen while she sang a Christmas carol.

"What has gotten you in such a swell mood?" Beto was there having his breakfast while he observed his sister's little musical moment.

"Oh, Beto. I'm just excited because it's Christmas Eve! Aren't you?"

"No, I'm not nine anymore. Neither are you."

"You're such a party pooper." Alice stuck her tongue out, angry at Beto's lack of Christmas spirit.

"Sean cuales sean tus sentimientos acerca de Navidad, recuerda llegar pronto a casa para ponerte el traje y prepararte para la cena." [Whatever your sentiments are about Christmas Eve, remember to get home early to change into a suit and get ready for dinner.]
Teresa was happy about Beto finally accepting that, instead of being a thug, he needed to find a part-time job. And he did, as a mechanic. But Beto now always wore his dirty and greasy work suit all the time, and it infuriated Abuela.

With that, Alice's mood changed again. She remembered about the Christmas Eve party in the White House.

The celebration had already been planned for a while, and it was only going to be them and the president's family. Alice had no way out of it. There was no way to avoid seeing him.

President Kennedy was feeling the same amount of dread. He had to face Alice and feel guilty no matter what. It was what he deserved, after all.

It was no surprise that everyone looked their best that evening, and Alice would undoubtedly look beautiful, as always. But President Kennedy had not anticipated the long-sleeved, red dress that hugged Alice's figure in a mature and sophisticated way. It was like nothing he had ever seen her wear before. Her hair was up in a French twist, highlighting, even more, her new and unusual look. Her red lips accompanied the red blush on her cheeks when she greeted him.

His breath got stuck, his hands trembled.

Alice was no less anxious. Acting as if nothing had happened was even more difficult than what she had expected.

"Merry Christmas, Mr. President."

Without looking at her, he mumbled Christmas wishes back to her.

The food on the dinner table was nothing short of a feast. Alice wowed at the sight. The table was so beautifully arranged, with a red tablecloth, and candles with pinecones around them.

From time to time her gaze managed to wander off to the end of the table. There, it was met by accidental glances from the president, causing both of them to look away immediately. The unsuspecting attendants, however, took no notice at all of their strong aversion to each other.

After that, they all gathered around the big Christmas tree to chat and exchange some presents. Bobby even gave Alice a luxury set of calligraphy pens for her journal. She, in return, got Bobby an oil pastel picture of a falcon. He had told her once about his interest in falconry and birds in general.

She then gave the president his gift. His guard went down in that moment to appreciate the gesture. It was the record of the Camelot musical.

Alice acted as grown up as she could amongst the adults. But Beto was definitely the spotlight. Even though he was only three years older than her, he already fit in perfectly in that world.

While Alice listened to Beto speak, she noticed out of the corner of her eye that her father and the president were walking together to the next room to talk privately.

When the Commander in Chief sat down, he could not help but to anxiously tap the armrest on the chair while José poured drinks.

President Kennedy knew Alice had not told her father about what happened. If she had, there was no way José would have been in such good spirits, let alone attend the celebration. But that did not take away his preoccupation. He could almost feel his forehead start to sweat.

"Thank you for having us over." José finally sat down in front of him, raising his glass toward him to show his gratitude.

"You are practically family." Even his voice was unsure, it trembled at the start of the phrase. Something rare for the charming man to experience.

He did not know what else to say. It was a truthful statement either way; José had become one of his best friends really quickly. He admired his vigor and quick thinking, and most importantly, he trusted him.

He was not sure, however, that José should trust him in return. Not after what he had done.

"Listen, Jack. I've been meaning to tell you how grateful I am for what you've done for Rosita." José looked toward the girl in question, who could be seen through the open door. The president, however, looked in the opposite direction, terribly ashamed and mortified. "It's magnificent. None of us has ever been able to get her to be herself. Yet you did it in a matter of months." José looked back at his friend. "How did you do it? Anything special?"

With each word from José, President Kennedy felt a stabbing pain. Like a knife made out of sharp guilt, piercing his skin and twisting his insides.

He managed to make a simple response. "It was mostly all her... She just needed an opportunity to show her worth."

José was more than pleased with that response. His eyes showed it; the unending pride for his daughter.

"Rosita?" The patriarch called her over.

"Yes, papi?" Her voice was forcedly childish, trying to sound innocent in front of her daddy.

Alice avoided the other man's face. But even in her attempt to not acknowledge him, she felt his aura reaching out to her, desperately clinging to the feeling of the day before. José, completely oblivious to that forceful tension, took his daughter's hand and looked between them.

"Have you thanked Jack for all he's done?"

José was not really exaggerating. The president had been so generous. He had gone out of his way to offer Alice a job that was not precisely established in the White House. He paid her out of his own pocket for this reason, and he even mentored her. No doubt, he deserved a token of gratitude.

Alice went over to him with the intention of showing that gratitude; Mediterranean-style. "Thank you." With a soft and quick kiss on his cheek, she walked away again, leaving him dumbfounded.

A kiss on the cheek seemed then like nothing but chaste.

Was it coincidental, or was the sly girl trying to tease him?

Nevertheless, the touch of her lips against his skin again was but a gift on that Christmas Eve. Perhaps Rosita held no grudge about his audacity, but that did not stop him from feeling like a depraved old man.

There was a short silence when then, María demanded her husband's presence, who left them alone, still without the knowledge of what was going on between them.

Alice stared straight at him, knowing no escape was available.

"I, uh, got you something as well." President Kennedy spoke rather quickly, avoiding an uncomfortable silence.

They walked along the Hall, stopping in front of the windows.

The president got a box that was set aside on a chair and gave it over to Alice.

Alice sneaked a look inside the box.

"A telephone?"

"I once heard you complain that you did not have one in your bedroom. Well, now you will. As well as a direct line to me, completely secure."

"Is... Is this your way of telling me that you still want me around?" Alice noticed he was not quite as evasive as she imagined. But his true intentions still remained to be seen.

"Of course I want you around, but it's more complicated than that, Rosita."

Alice shifted her posture from side to side various times, taking glances all around the hall to distract herself from the fact that she wanted to avoid the conversation they were having.

"That's the second time you've called me Rosita." The girl said with a reserved tone. He gave her a confused and questioning look in return. "Only my dad calls me that." Alice explained.

It was painfully obvious that he did not know what to say anymore, in fear of making it worse. His vague gestures conveyed more than worry. Indecision and inner turmoil made his next words difficult to say out loud. "I didn't mean for that, for any of it, to happen."

"Yes, you did." Realizing that came out a little more defensively than she had meant to, Alice took a step back. He remained silent while Alice paced around. At her inability to come up with any more to say, a heavy sigh replaced those lost words.

The silence only lasted for a few more seconds until he spoke again. "I'm sorry I lied to you."

"How so?"

"I told you I would never hurt you like that."

Alice scoffed. "You didn't hurt me." The girl crossed her arms, portraying a stance he had rarely, if ever, seen on her. Alice was growing into a determined woman. Despite the nature of their conversation at that moment and how punishing it was being for him, he noticed the change in her and it pleased him immensely. "And I told you I was not scared anymore. I just want to know why you did it."

President Kennedy sighed very heavily, so much so that it was clear to Alice that the conflict in him was serious. "Because I'm a mess of a man."

"So, I'm just another girl on your list." She said, half a question and half an insecure statement. Something she so deeply wished would not be true.

"No!" He said too quickly, making Alice wonder what was really going on. "It's not that. You're too young and full of life for me. You deserve better."

That unsatisfactory and incomplete excuse just made her irritated. "What is better?"

"I don't know. Just not me. I can't get in the way of your promising future. You need someone of your age. Someone you can build a life with, step by step."

"That's not what I want." Alice insisted. "I don't want some boy and I don't want just any man." Her puppy-like eyes pierced his very soul. Alice letting him know exactly what she wished. "Couldn't we at least try?"

He was quick to shake his head. "Out of the question. And needless to say, your father would kill me."

Alice rolled her pleading eyes, stating the obvious. "He doesn't have to know."

"Rosita..." His tone sounded like defeat, but he was not ready to give in again.

"You can't just kiss a girl and expect her to act as though nothing happened. Well, maybe you can with some girls. But not with this one." Alice stood her ground.

He tried taking in everything she said. Alice's mind was made up, it seemed like. But knowing that her father was in the same building, just some rooms away, his unwavering-or so he wished to believe- sanity held him back.

The man rubbed his hand over his face, frustrated beyond anything he had ever gone through before. "You know this can't go anywhere. It was a mistake we will both have to live with... And keep to ourselves."

"Please..."

"We can't go down this road, Alice." He insisted.

He cursed all of it. He cursed how much he cared for her. He cursed her age, her father, his own responsibilities.

Until she said all those things, he had little idea about Alice's feelings for him. He suspected a small crush, he was not blind to her frequent rosy cheeks and shy laughs. If he had not noticed those things, he would have certainly never kissed her. But now that he did, he had opened the door to the unknown, and he had seen how far Alice's "small crush" had gone.

He felt like such a screw-up.

"Thank you for the telephone." She sighed in defeat, turning away.

"Thank you for the record..." Alice heard him say before she went back to her family.

When everyone had left, President Kennedy wandered through the residence in the White House, not wanting to go to sleep yet. It was a strange sensation having such a big house to himself. He did not deny that he did feel lonely from time to time. He sometimes wondered if not marrying and starting a family when his father told him to had been a mistake. But no matter what, he was sure it was something that had to come naturally. To force it would be the biggest mistake of all.

The president ended up in the West Sitting Hall and sat down on his armchair to observe outside the window. There was not much to see, but he was not looking at anything in particular. Until he looked to his side, spotting the record Alice had given him.

The sweet girl was so thoughtful. First the painting of Hyannis Port and then the record. Those gifts were far more appreciated and meaningful to him than the ones he was used to receiving. Alice had gotten to know him so well, and most importantly understood every aspect of himself that she knew about.

President Kennedy got up finding the nearest record player to listen to the musical. In no time the word Camelot was repeated over and over again by the voice of Richard Burton, becoming ever-present in his mind.

In short, there's simply not, a more congenial spot for happily-ever-aftering than here in Camelot.

What if right there and then was what he had been waiting for? What if happiness came in the form of an unforeseen bond? Alice had walked into his life so easily like it was meant to happen that they would both assist each other through crucial times in their respective lives.

But then again, it was also such a delicate time and situation for him. Being the president meant being the most responsible man in the country. How could he ever commit such a deceitful act? Was he a madman to even think about it?

Your hair streaked with sunlight, your lips red as flame, your face with a luster that puts gold to shame!

The delirious air of the night time, coupled with those enchanting lyrics, ruffled his heart as much as his thoughts. King Arthur took everything for granted and lost it. Would that happen to him someday? There was no way of seeing his future, but if there ever was one person who could come close to not only sense it, but be part of it... That person would be Rosita.

No matter how he would always be there for her. But he doubted time would help to cure how he felt about her.

When the record finished, it left a taste of bittersweet truth when he came to a conclusion.

Rosita was obviously hurt by being treated as if she was just any girl to him. He needed to prove to her otherwise. She was way more than that to him. She was his most anticipated smile each day. His favorite voice to hear all throughout the routine.

How to describe what he had never encountered before. He needed to show, not tell.

With that, the president wrote something down on a small piece of paper and secured it where it needed to be.

•••••••

The next day, Alice was undoubtedly awoken by the Christmas day fuss downstairs. With a leap from the bed and none of her spirit and excitement minimized by the day before, Alice went to the tree, more than ready to open presents.

The warmth from the chimney holding the stockings added to the coziness created by the lights and the smell of gingerbread biscuits and cinnamon chocolate milk. Alice sat down in front of the tree to eat her breakfast at the same time she handed over everyone's gifts.

With the amazing salary that she always saved up, the girl was able to buy her family luxurious gifts and felt very good about it when she saw their joyous faces.

She was slightly disappointed that none of her presents barked. Another Christmas without a puppy, she sighed. Nevertheless, she enjoyed the dolls, stuffed animals, clothes, and jewelry she received.

Alice went to her bedroom to pack everything away and grow the collection of stuffed animals sitting impassively on her bed.

With a gentle knock on the open door, María appeared all of a sudden with something in her hands.

"This just arrived. It's for you." She handed her over a small, red square box with a green ribbon on it while Alice looked perplexed. María was also as confused but decided to leave Alice alone.

Her name was written on a card on top of the box with lettering that she recognized straight away. It was impossible not to, as she saw it every day.

Alice held her breath in while she opened it carefully. It was already obvious that the gift was expensive. A golden glimmer almost blinded her eyes of anticipation.

It was a delicate charm bracelet, with a tiny ceramic rose and a four-leaf clover attached to it. Alice immediately put it on with an emotive grin. Then noticed that underneath where the bracelet had been, there was a note.

Some Irish luck for the Spanish rose.

Merry Christmas.

P.S: Maybe we could give it a try.

-J.

If possible, her grin became even wider and shinier. Even her eyes shined as they swelled up with blissful tears.

Was she dreaming?

Alice tried not to squeal too loudly, but she could not help it. It was impossible to repress what she was feeling at that moment. Her fear of rejection was gone, and she could not wait to talk to him. She was well aware that what they were getting into was nothing short of risky. But her newfound confidence was telling her that risk was preferable to living a plain life.

Alice put away the note inside her musical box, and as she did that, the new pink telephone in her room started ringing, startling her a little. The private line had apparently been quickly and easily installed without her even noticing, since there was already a direct line to the White House through José's red telephone.

"Hello?"

"Good morning, Alice." The voice on the other side of the phone made Alice hold her breath. After that gift and that note, Alice was unsure about what the next step was. What would it all carry in consequence? "How was your Christmas?"

"Spectacular..." The girl answered with reddened cheeks. "I got your present." She looked at the bracelet while she told him.

"Oh, did you?" His tone was playful, so Alice knew the conversation did not need to be awkward at all. They both felt naturally comfortable. "What did you think?"

"It was unexpected... But I... I certainly feel lucky already." He laughed with delight at her comment.

Despite the not so clear quality in the phone call, his laugh and his voice sounded as dreamy to her as always. That man was made out of the best gold in the universe.

"Well, uh, I will try my best to make sure it stays that way."

"Thank you, John." The man's heart skipped a beat, thinking for a moment that she was going to call him Jack. John sounded strange. He was rarely called like that by anyone, only by acquaintances, never by his close circle. Still, it was the most informal way Alice had ever addressed him. He reveled in it for a moment, with closed eyes and a puerile smile.

"Listen, I've got to go, but I will see you on New Year's Eve. Perhaps then we could have a talk." His tone trailed off into a sultry manner.

"I hope so." Alice never took her sight off the bracelet, it was almost like looking at him while she talked to his incorporeal presence.

"Enjoy your holidays, señorita."

"I sure will!" Alice made a short giggle.

She could hear him laugh once more before he said goodbye. As soon as Alice hung the phone up, she leaped of joy again and again.

The holidays were, however, not that exciting anymore. Instead, Alice could not wait to get back to work. In the meantime, she would just have to find ways of entertaining and distracting herself.

••

When John hung up, he happily sighed with relief.

It seemed it was a good idea to give that bracelet to her after all. He had been debating it since he had gotten it for her. But even a better idea was the note.

Hopefully, Alice's good mood through the phone was genuine and his proposal something that made her realize his intentions were sincere and good-hearted. Alice had to know he valued her above all else.