The Presidents Daughter

Whatever You Make It

Aaliyah

A big part of who I am is my family. We are a bunch of different ethnicities and have experienced a bunch of different cultures. We believe in faith and hope and we are very close. Even though my sisters are ten years younger than I am they're still my best friends. My annoying nosey sensitive best friends that I wouldn't trade for anyone else in this world. And I thought it was way overdue that they haven't been out to Chicago in a while so I make them come visit me. It's fall now and the weather here in Chicago is beautiful. November was a great time to be in the city, there's football and hockey and boat rides and tons of holiday spirit.

So I get them out for a weekend like I'm a parent sharing custody and I find us a lot of fun stuff to do in such a short amount of time. Patrick was gone for a few games and he was mad he was missing my sisters being here but our time together already so rare, especially with MAC and hockey starting, so I didn't want this to take away from our him and me time. I'm sure we will all get together here soon so I promise him he'll be able to see them.

"I feel like I haven't been here in forever" Sasha sighs as we walk around. Ryan was with us so I felt safe enough to be with them in the city. He never let things get out of hand before he stepped in so we should be fine.

"It's been what? Three years" I ask.

"Something like that. I forgot how huge this place was" she admits as she looks up.

"It's easy to get lost in. It's also easy to find yourself in" I insist.

"Maybe for you. You're strong and independent, you know a life outside of this whole being in power thing. But I've never seen our family outside of some type of political figure in this world. To me this city is where dad was govoner and DC is where he's president, I don't know much else" she claims.

"We can't choose the life that chooses us, but we can choose the perspective in which we see it. So if this is just another place where dad can rule, that's all it'll ever be to you. But that would be a waste because this place is so much more than that. It's a huge opportunity to be so much more. There's not a thing you can't do here once you put your mind to it. You gotta know what you want" I claim.

"I thought you came here because you didn't know what you wanted" she accuses.

"I thought I didn't. I thought I was unknowing, but as it turns out I was just lost. I knew my destination but not the path I needed to take to get there. And now it couldn't be more clear where I should be and what I should be doing" I smile.

"I hope somewhere along those paths is a niece or a nephew" she claims and I gasps.

"Seriously Sasha? You're just going to drop a baby bomb like that" I ask.

"Oh come on! You and Patrick are obviously going to spend the rest of your lives together. It's not a matter of if but when" she claims.

"And what if we don't want kids" I ask as she scoffs at me.

"Bull. You love kids, you always take Auntie Lisa's baby every time you see her and you won't give her back" she accuses.

"Maybe I love her kids but don't want some of my own" I defend.

"The fact you're being defensive tells me enough right there" she teases.

"Man, I'm gonna have to cut this trip short if you're just going to harass me" I insist and her eyes get big.

"No! I'm sorry, I'll stop" she promises.

"Good. Now let's go get some food at a old time favorite" I say.

So we go into portillos and order some food. They don't have anything like this out in DC. We decide to eat outside because it's hard to eat your food when there's people staring. Usually people won't approach us if we're doing something but it doesn't stop them from looking.

I grab my salad and my cake shake and find us a seat. We were in the heart of the city and let me tell you, it did not disappoint.

"I wish I could come live out here like you" Malia claims and I laugh. She was the youngest and had the longest to go to her freedom. I'm still not alone out here so I can only imagine what dad would say to my middle school sister saying this.

"It's not all perfect around here you know. Every cloud has some rain" I remind her.

"Tell me one bad thing about this place" she demands.

"Sometimes our demons don't have a name. Sometimes it's hard to see its face. All you can do is feel it, and that's more than enough to know that everything isn't all sunshine and flowers" I say softly.

"Is his about why you came home earlier this year" Sasha asks.

I wouldn't tell them what happened at the bar because they're still young. Still innocent. While they need to know the dangers of being a girl in this city, they should be worried about high school classes and hair and makeup. Not being man handled in a bar. So I didn't tell them, even if I wanted to I don't think I could. My sisters mean the world to me and I don't want them to know the pain I know. Because that pain doesn't go away and they shouldn't be worried about this kind of stuff. Not yet at least.

"It is. But what happened to me shouldn't stop you. We learn and we move on and I wouldn't have brought you here if I thought it was going to cause problems. We're going to have fun here, just don't let the fun blind you from what's important" I say.

"And what's that" Malia wonders.

"Well that differs from person to person. Only you know what it is" I say.

"What is it to you" Sasha questions.

"Family, friends, freedom" I smile.

"God you sound just like dad" she gasps and I laugh.

"I did get ten years with them before you came along. We had some good times here, some bad. But all times I wouldn't trade for the world" I assure her.

"And I want to live here again" Sasha insists.

"Maybe when dads done you guys will move back. I'll be here" I tease.

"Deal" Malia smiles.