Disclaimer: Really, do I have to put this anymore?
Evelyn smoothed down her hair for what felt like the millionth time that minute then straightened her blouse again. Was it wrinkled? She ironed it and re-ironed it before they had to leave this morning. She even put on some make-up—not much, just some eyeliner and lip gloss like she was going to a career fair—but she double checked it all again. She draped her jacket artfully over her arm like she had seen in the movies going for casual. Was it too casual? Should she wear it? Her nerves had her sweating. Did she smell? Would the jacket cover the smell? Would wearing the jacket tell them she was nervous so they would notice the smell?
You don't smell. Voice chimed in her head. He sounded rather amused. Girls don't smell it's a fact of life. And according to Artie a true gentlemen never tells a woman if she does. Evelyn licked her lips nervously before putting on the coat again. Voice wasn't helping at all.
Besides shouldn't you be more worried you wore pants instead of a nice skirt then if you should or shouldn't wear the jacket? Evelyn felt her eyes roll. Men, they had it so easy. Even if she had chosen to wear a skirt she would have to worry about etiquette and length of the skirt and if the material would show too much and it was more of a hassle than anything.
Hey, guys have it hard too! Voice jumped in on her thoughts.
No you don't. She directed at Voice. Men just need a button down, tie and they change from casual to business with the use of a jacket. Girls' clothes have so many levels!
I don't get why you're making such a big deal over this, Voice groused. I've met with him in a muddy uniform before. Why do girls need so much stuff anyways?
For someone who's supposed to represent the people, you really have no clue. She pulled on the edges of her jacket before nervously turning her head towards the door.
Arthur had left Evelyn waiting in the anteroom while he proceeded into the Oval Office. He had said it was so he could prepare the President and the Cabinet for her introduction. This declaration hadn't made Evelyn any less nervous. It probably didn't help that Evelyn was pacing unable to sit still for more than a second. And the secretary kept staring at her. Evelyn took a deep breath forcing herself to stand still and think of more pleasant things. She ended up with what happened at the end of her visit with the Kirklands.
After she had agreed to be a nation, they had stayed a few more days in England as Arthur explained some of the finer points of being a nation, but it would still take months to learn everything. The last thing he told her (although he didn't teach her how yet) was that she could literally teleport. Teleport. That was mind-blowingly awesome! Then they took a plane to the States. Arthur had also spent the past few days arranging this all important meeting with the President; the American leader seemed intent on delaying, but Arthur was more stubborn and bullied his way through.
Now she waited anxiously. What if they didn't want to believe she was the new nation? What if they refused to see her?
They'll see you. Voice chimed in matter-of-factly.
Why would they? She hissed at him. Just a few days ago she hadn't believed in any of this and now she had to hope the people governing her country would!
Artie, will force them to! Voice shouted happily. Have you ever seen an angry Kirkland? Not even a tornado wrapped in an exploding volcano super charged with a nuclear blast can stop an angry Kirkland. Before Evelyn could even begin to explain what was wrong with that situation she jumped, startled, when the secretary's intercom buzzed and a low, gravelly voice asked for her. The secretary motioned for her to go in. Evelyn resisted the urge to bite her lip belaying her nervousness as she opened the door.
The Oval Office looked exactly like in all the movies or news footage she had seen. She could feel the plushness of the carpet through her flats making her want to kick them off and go barefoot. Those couches also looked extremely comfortable…she might sneak in here and sleep on them sometime. There were some perks to this job.
Wait…no…no, sleeping in the workplace was bad. Stupid Voice was a bad influence.
I have a name and it's not that hard, Voice pouted. Alfred. Al. Fred. Say it with me.
Oh, shut up.
Arthur sat on the left hand couch, ankle resting on his opposite knee, looking a little like an aggravated badger in a business suit. Then again, he usually looked like that so maybe it was a good thing. The Cabinet members ringed the room wearing their crisp suits or cleanly pressed military uniforms heavy with multi-hued ribbons. Most were scowling; a couple looked at her like a rare animal at the zoo. In the center of it all, in his own chair, was the President. His suit jacket was draped over the back of the chair and his shirtsleeves were rolled up. His elbows rested on his knees as he studied her. Maybe she should have kept the jacket over her arm.
Evelyn self-consciously smoothed down her blouse again trying not to nervously bite her lip. Should she introduce herself? That seemed silly since they obviously knew who she was—they called her by name into the office. Arthur saved her from the anxious awkwardness.
"Mr. President, this is Evelyn Summers, the United States of America." Arthur's tone held that annoyed trait she imagined 16th centuries nobles might have had when addressing someone they deemed below them.
Evelyn stepped forward holding out her hand. "It's nice to meet you sir." She smiled nervously trying to remember what the career counselors had told her about handshakes.
"And you Miss Summers." He stood to shake her hand, briefly, before returning to his seat. "Please join us." He gestured to the open seat across from Arthur. Evelyn gave the man a shy smile before looking to catch Arthur's eye. He looked bored. That bored you get when you rather be anywhere but where you are. She praised herself mentally when she was able to sit without tripping over her own two feet.
"Just call me Evelyn please." She saw Arthur roll his eyes, but the hint of an upward tilt at the edge of his mouth gave him away. This was all too formal for her already, was she allowed to smile? None of them men in the room were. She didn't do well with formal; maybe that's why none of her job interviews went well. But the career counselors had told her to smile because it portrayed confidence.
"Evelyn then, Mr. Kirkland explained the circumstances…"
"Mr. President," one of the suits closest to them spoke up. A man who managed to look more annoyed then Arthur though it may have been how close together his eyes were and something with the wrinkles in his forehead. "How can we be sure this girl is actually the nation? All we have is Mr. Kirkland's word and his story…if it's true then he has some influence over her. How do we know this isn't an attempt to assert some control over our country? After all, we haven't had a personification of our nation for decades. Why would one appear now?"
Arthur raised an eyebrow, but had to forcibly hold himself back from rolling his eyes. Politicians forever focusing on the points that didn't matter. "I explained this all earlier and all the Nations agree, she is one of us. As to your concerns about my 'influencing' her, I raised the first America and no one seemed concerned about my influence on him. In fact, I seem to recall this country celebrating it at certain points in its history." By the end of Arthur's little statement he was all but glaring at the man.
Evelyn clamped her lips shut to prevent the laugh that was bubbling up. Though she snapped to attention when Arthur turned to address her. There was no point in having the Englishman mad at her too.
"Evelyn, meet the Secretary of State." Internally Evelyn paused at the title. She somehow expected him to be named some sort of Satan's spawn or perhaps to have a few distinctly multipurpose English words inserted. "He's always been disagreeable when it comes to us." Then again Arthur was trying to not make a scene.
She stood, holding out a hand and smirking. "Mr. Secretary, pleasure to meet you." Except I disagree with just about everything you say and your last overseas trip was a total failure. Yep, she could be diplomatic. No sign of the cross to ward off evil, no yelling that he was an utter idiot and her science teacher from 6th grade could have done better. Completely diplomatic.
Ouch. Did he really say that about India? She must be pissed!
The Indian government was.
Ha! And they call me an idiot.
You are. Now shut up.
The President shifted in his seat to better address her. "I have documentation from some years ago on policies and procedures with Nations. I believe it was Theodore Roosevelt that titled it 'How to Work with Your Nation.'" The edges of the man's mouth tilted up with amusement and she could see the laughter in his eyes. She really hoped he couldn't read minds right at this moment.
Arthur smiled only for a moment green eyes swirling with school boy mischief before he schooled his face again.
"We will have to set up a meeting schedule," the President continued. "Let me consult those old notes and we will figure out how all this is supposed to work."
See now is when you bargain! You don't have to be there though you will affect the nation; they just don't need to know. She shoved Voice aside mentally as someone else began to speak.
"Mr. President," one of the uniformed men spoke up. He was a little more heavyset, but with that old school boxer build that told you he could get down and be bulldog stubborn. Evelyn thought he was the Secretary of Defense. He looked like he could be a moving defense… maybe in football. "If this girl really is the American Nation, we need to set up a Secret Service detail for her. From what notes my predecessors have left, if the Nation is attacked directly, it can affect the country's overall strength." And he just went on her shit list. She was enough of a klutz on her own she didn't need all of the Secret Service knowing too!
The President nodded. "I'll leave that to you Bill." And now Santa Claus wasn't on her side! Or at lease after seeing him smile like before he somehow managed to become associated with Santa. Maybe being a nation was like being on crack all the time. She was having some of the weirdest thoughts.
"No," Evelyn balked. "I'm not having some guys in suits following me everywhere I go. Besides, it's not like we're at war or anything. Why do I need to be protected?" If she didn't have people following her normal people wouldn't know that she was anything special. Beside Arthur and France didn't!
"You can negotiate that at a later date," Arthur interrupted before the girl could start a tantrum. If it was up to him, she'd have a GPS tracking chip in her skin and a full time security detail. But this wasn't his country, she wasn't his colony and he had a feeling she would maim him if he suggested it. Nations couldn't be killed and he'd hate to see what an angry female could accomplish with time. "There is another issue we must address. Mr. President, about the Massachusetts property?" Arthur let a small smile slip with just a hint of danger. No use being thrown out of the White house on Evelyn's first day. He could do it some other time. Again.
The President sighed. "Yes, we have some concerns of our own in that matter."
Trying to get land back from the government was like trying to pull teeth or death by 1000 cuts or something like that. And that was back in the old days… Voice chimed in.
"Especially since you still hold the deed on the Virginia property." The Secretary of State scoffed lightly giving Arthur the same slight smile in return. Evelyn rubbed her hands over her jacketed arms. Suddenly it felt like the room temperature had dropped.
"I was the original owner of that property," Arthur showed teeth in his smile, eyes starting to take on a radioactive hue, "as America was the original owner of the home in Boston."
Wait, what properties? Evelyn asked as the argument continued. It seemed the US government wouldn't give up the Boston property unless Arthur turned over the one in Virginia. Why would England even own property in America? Could Nations do that?
My houses. There's a townhome in Boston and a plantation-style in Virginia. They've been there since my colonial days. Alfred answered bored.
Evelyn slipped out her phone since she was now practically ignored by the rest of the room. Not that she wanted their attention, but she was going to put money on Arthur if this turned physical. Do you remember the addresses?
Pfft. Of course I do. Why?
Just give me the one for Boston. She pulled up Google maps as he rattled it off. She zoomed in when the little flag popped up, all the way down to street view, examining the façade. It was cute but showing its age. Whoever had owned it recently hadn't taken the best of care of it.
Woah! You can do that with your phone? What else can it do? Can we spy on Russia?
It's not in real time. They're just pictures. What's the address of the Virginia house?
Alfred gave it still marveling over the technology.
There's no street view for this one. It's just outside Williamsburg though. Hold on. She searched the local historical society.
Why are you looking there?
Arthur may have the deed, but a house this old near Williamsburg…it has to be a historical landmark. Got it! Evelyn whistled appreciatively mentally.
I said it was a plantation-style. Alfred shrugged.
Still, you lived here? It's amazing! It was a two-story red brick home with marble columns framing the front door and a wrap-around porch that Alfred informed her he added later. While reminiscent of George Washington's Mount Vernon or Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, it was simpler, quainter, built to accommodate a small well-to-do family with few, if any, servants. It was gorgeous complete with a willow tree in the front yard and a porch swing.
Yeah, they're nice, but what about my other homes?
What other homes?
I have one in each state, Alfred declared proudly. Ask them about my ranches. He went on to explain the ranches were how he made his money. He was different from other Nations in that he didn't live off the tax money and that was one of the major arguments he had with Arthur before the Revolution.
Evelyn reached across the table snatching up Arthur's folder of information. When a quick look-through didn't reveal anything on the other properties, she grabbed another folder that was slightly larger.
An admiral in the corner, the current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, watched her smiling to himself when she grabbed the President's folder without inhibition. He sent a quick text to his wife telling her he changed his mind on retiring; things were going to get interesting. Evelyn was ignored by the other members too involved in the main argument. Though a quick glanced at Arthur proved it wasn't too bad, he was still sitting. The girl flipped through the folder stopping at certain pages, checking something on her phone and then moving on. She had a look of such intense concentration on her face, he wondered what she was doing exactly. He soon got an answer as her lighter voice cut through the arguing men.
"Several of the properties have been sold off or in disrepair, but the rest are government run businesses especially the ranches and oil field." She examined some more of the papers. "Talk about government sponsored corporations. Three of these are now Wal-Marts! Let's see, four subdivisions, a strip mall, at least that one's a museum and one destroyed by a tornado. Not bad considering how many tornadoes there have been in the last few decades." She stole a pen and began writing on a nearby legal pad. "The vineyard in California, the ranches in Texas, Montana and Wyoming, the horse farm in Kentucky, the dairy in Wisconsin and the orchards in Georgia, Florida and Washington—I want to add these to the discussion."
"We haven't even finished the initial discussion and she wants to add more!" the Secretary of State exclaimed in some disgust.
"Miss Summers, those properties are…" the President began.
"The property of the American Nation," Evelyn interrupted surprising herself. Alfred encouraged her to keep going and she snuck a quick glance to Arthur who gave her a barely imperceptible nod. "All the deeds to these properties are on public record as belonging to Alfred F. Jones and his heirs. I am the new Nation, the United States of America, meaning I am Alfred's heir. Those properties legally belong to me." She paused to take a breath. There was only a slight quaver in her voice, but they hadn't interrupted her yet. "They are also necessary since I refuse to live off the people's taxes. I'll make my own money."
"All of this and the two houses? Young lady, I don't think…" the Secretary of State said patronizingly.
Evelyn cut him off deciding she really didn't like this particular politician. She disliked most of them on principle, but this one she might just hate. "This is just for starters Mr. Secretary. All of the properties on this list," she held up the list to emphasize her point, "rightfully belong to me as the American Nation. However, since I know there is a legal procedure to all this and there hasn't been a Nation for thirty years or so, we'll start with these and go from there." She quickly scratched out a copy of the short list placing the nicer copy in the folder and holding onto the other.
She looked around the room waiting for someone to speak up. "Right, well, it was nice to meet you all." She nodded awkwardly and then left the room stopping only when she reached the door they entered. She was shaking and breathing a little too heavily.
Arthur turned his head examining the others in the room with a grin on his face rivaling the cat who got the cream after eating its owner's canary. "So do you still want to debate the Virginia property with me or would you like me to tell her about the Florida and Hawaii properties? I'm sure the cabinet members can find better places to vacation." Arthur let the gleam of his white teeth peak though his lips.
The Secretary of State's mouth snapped shut.
"Mr. Kirkland," The Secretary of Defense began.
"England," Arthur snapped eyes flashing. "To use one of the farmer President's analogies, I will be the stick that trains this particular group on the workings of Nations. The current America may be new, but do not think that this will mean she will be easy to take advantage of. Until such time that I feel this office is giving the proper respect to the personifications you shall call us all by our nation names, and yes the others are on board." Arthur glared at the Secretary of State as he started to open his mouth. Arthur stood and straighten his jacket.
"And yes, you'll have to cover your own asses, don't want the public knowing about us hmm?" Arthur turned briskly moving towards the door.
"I'll follow you out Sir England," the Admiral moved following at Arthur's shoulder. They shut the door behind them Arthur looking at the grizzled man out of the corner of his eye.
"I have my resignation letter in my pocket," the Admiral told him. "Texted my wife today and told her I was staying." Arthur's face gave nothing away as he turned to face the man. "I'm sick of it all, sick of the petty politics that stop what needs to be done and I don't have the drive of my youth for this to be fun. But after today…" He met Arthur's eyes. "After today I want to laugh in their faces as this girl runs laps around the ruins of their carefully made plans." He gave Arthur a smile. "You tell her she can come to me and I'll have people in the Pentagon for her to learn from if she wants. I'll have her clearance badge by the end of the day." Arthur nodded at the man shaking his hand with a punk like sneer.
"I'd like to, as you Americans say, give the current party a California hello," Arthur's grip was firm as they shook once again.
"I'll let you lead her out and talk to her myself later." The men smiled and parted.
When Arthur laid a hand on her shoulder, Evelyn jumped a foot in the air.
"Are you all right?" he asked backing off slightly. She had America's strength now, although it wasn't reliable, and he didn't fancy going through another wall.
She laughed nervously. "Heh, yeah, just great. Oh my God, did I really just do that? I mean, I basically just told the highest bureaucrats in our government to go screw themselves. And this is our first meeting! Ugh, I am so not cut out for this." She hid her face in her hands.
Arthur sighed placing a hand lightly on her shoulder again to lead her outside. "Actually, you did quite well. They will try to manipulate you because they haven't dealt with their own Nation before. Don't let them."
Evelyn nodded. "Thanks."
"Why don't we take a drive? I want to show you something."
A/N: So not as quickly as I wanted, but I'm getting better! Thank you to my lovely beta and all my readers.
Reviews are loved!