Miss Americana

One

Ever since I was a toddler, I always knew that my dad had high political goals and my mom was going to do whatever it took to support him.

When other kids' parents were off on a weekend golf trip, I was watching my dad on live TV introduce a piece of legislation. I got used to seeing his name and face everywhere when it was campaign season, but I never thought I would see the moment my dad went from Senator Fitzgerald to President of the United States Fitzgerald.

Sure there were other presidents in my family whether it be the President of a company or the President of the Student Body, but those weren't majorly life-altering. 

I knew how hard my Dad worked for this, so I stood there clapping on the stage alongside my siblings as he gave his acceptance speech. I listened for the first few seconds about how he was so thankful for the American people and his family and then my mind started to wonder.

I'm really on national television right now and millions of people are watching me. Does it look obvious that I was the accident baby? After all, my oldest sibling was twenty-nine and I was only seventeen. I guess twelve years wasn't that much. Do people think I'm pretty? What if my dad is the next JFK? Oh my gosh, Tatum shut up.

I jumped back into reality and looked at the crowd. What did I do to be born into such a complex family? My sister's husband was in the MLB, my dad originally spawned from a family that has a chain of hotels worth over 37 Billion Dollars, my mom was supposed to be a princess somewhere in England, yet here we were.

And for those next few weeks, life was a whirlwind.

"You played an amazing match tonight, baby girl." my mom hugged me as we walked inside the house.

It was my senior night for the varsity soccer team. I couldn't believe that this part of my life was over. Unless I wanted to play in college, I didn't know if I did.

"Thank you, mom. I'm glad you and Dad could come tonight even if they were helicopters and tons of bodyguards. It meant a lot to me." I expressed. 

My dad turned on the light in the kitchen. I smelt like sweat and grass. I just wanted to take a shower and go to bed.

But I could feel that question looming.

"Have you decided what you're going to do?" my dad questioned me.

I pressed my lips together.

The decision in question: move to DC with my parents or stay here to finish out my senior year and live with my oldest brother or my sister.

They gave me these options the moment the campaign trail began to heat up. I was in my senior year of high school and I didn't want to be in the spotlight. I wanted to be around my friends and family.

Well, I guess my two main support systems were off to Washington, D.C. for the next four or eight years.

"I was talking to Natalia," I referred to my oldest and only sister, "I think it would be best if I lived with her, Beau, and Saf."

Natalia Fitzgerald was my big sister that I'd always looked up to the moment I was cognizant. She was everything that I wanted to be when I was twenty-six. She graduated from UCLA with a degree in neuroscience, went on to PA school, managed to marry a professional baseball player, and has the most adorable niece.

Well, I had two nieces, but Safiya was named after me. 

"I love Archer and Aliyah, but I've always been closer to Beau and Nat. Plus Aliyah is pregnant and I don't want to be around a screaming baby in a few months." I stated my decision. 

"You're probably going to be off in college by the time the baby is born, but I know you've always been close to your sister. I didn't want to sway your decision, but it would probably be best if you did stay here. Your siblings all live close to each other, you can finish your senior year, and Dad and I will visit when we can or you can come to us!" my mom responded.