Identity Distortion: The Perfect Family

Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

Nathan Shaw

January 6, 2016: Five Months Before

---Counsel Session---

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to you too, Nathan! Wow, you're glowing today.

Really? Well, I came back from a one-week family vacation in Jamaica three days ago.

Oh, Jamaica? Wow! I'm sure all of you had a great time there.

Yep! The three of us sure did.

Three?

Yes. Scott didn't come on the trip. He was supposed to but you know how busy he is with the campaign and whatnot. So he ended up staying home last minute while the rest of us went to an amazing hotel and resort in Montego Bay.

So that means the four of you weren't together for the holidays.

Well, Scott could have been there with us if he really wanted to. He just preferred to stay behind to focus on his career. The campaign is pretty much all he cares about now. He really should take a short break from focusing entirely on that. Anyway, although he wasn't with us on the vacation, we did get to video chat with him in the hotel room on New Year's Day.

I see.

I've got to say, when Scott told us that he was pulling out of the vacation, I was a bit worried that Mom was going to change her mind and stay behind as well. But instead, she declared that she was going on the vacation with or without Scott. That goes to show just how much we needed a vacation. The fact that Scott wasn't with us on the vacation wasn't such a bad thing anyway. Mom, Bryan, and I got a chance to be with each other and enjoy each other's company just like old times before Scott came into the picture. For me, it was really nice to spend an entire week with just the two of them. I feel a lot more comfortable when I'm with just them in a family setting. When Scott is around, I feel like I have to be a lot more mindful of what I say or do as he's very critical and one wrong move will result in him giving me one of his long speeches. Or at times he may even get upset, which is worse because he's the type of person who will throw a fit. So being on vacation without him made it a bit more enjoyable for me.

This is the first time you've ever shared that with me.

Yeah, well, I don't really like talking much about what goes on within my family. And on that note, I think we've talked about that enough for one day.

Well then, tell me about the vacation.

It was simply incredible. It was my first time ever being in Jamaica and I really loved it. First of all, the weather there is amazing. Much better than the weather we have here in the winter time. The warm sunny weather made the beach even more irresistible than it already was. I loved the white sand and crystal blue sea. The food was also fantastic. And the country seems to have a very rich culture as well. I especially liked the music. Such a great vibe. To sum up, it was very relaxing and I'm sure I speak for the three of us in saying that it was exceptional. I wish it could've been longer but the holiday break is over. I was kind of saddened to come back home, to be honest. It's like coming back to pure misery.

Misery? Why do you say that?

A lot of stress. Now that we're getting closer to the election, there's a lot that needs to be put into Scott's campaign. From all of us! Shortly after we returned home on Sunday, Scott sat us down and basically told us our schedule for the rest of the month. Interviews we need to be a part of, conferences and fundraisers we have to attend, and so on. It's all just way too much.

Well think of it this way: you only have to go through a few more months of this campaign thing and if all of the hard work pays off, you'll be the son of a mayor. That would be huge for you and your family and would certainly come with a whole lot of advantages.

Hm. I guess it is better to look at it that way. The hard work better pays off.

So now tell me, what is your New Year's resolution?

My New Year's resolution is to take on new challenges. I consider this year to be a milestone year for me as a lot of significant changes and events will be occurring. First of all, I'm finally going to turn 18 in a couple of days. In June, I'll be graduating from high school which is exciting. And then by fall, I'll be in college. Oh!And like you said, Scott could become mayor this year as well. So there are a lot of new things to look forward to this year. With all the forthcoming changes in my life, I hope to use this year to reinvent myself. I want to start making improvements in my life and also start focusing on my career and future. This year is going to be a momentous year for me. I can feel it. A lot of major things are in store for 2016.