Tatum was a middle child. She had an older sister and a younger brother. Her sister, Sarah, was two years her senior and was always considered the prettier sister, although both Tatum and Sarah would have been considered attractive by any standard. Both were tall, thin and had the look of a California blond. Compared to her sister, Tatum had softer, less defined features, less height and generally a less commanding stature.
In exchange for being the slightly less stunning sister, Tatum got the brains. She was always the family pride when it came to her studies. She was a strong, hard-working student who found school easy and was rewarded for her efforts. Besides her brains, in exchange for her sister's breathtaking beauty, Tatum was also endowed with modesty. Where her sister tended to recognize and occasionally flaunt her extremely good looks, Tatum's years of living in Sarah's shadow had blessed her with a sense of appreciation for her other gifts.
Tatum's brother, Michael, was the youngest child and a stark contrast from his beautiful, intelligent sisters. Michael was born with complications and the doctors initially called him 'slow'. Eventually, after years of his mother advocating on his behalf, Michael was relabeled Autistic.
Michael was not like what people thought about when they thought Autism. It seemed to Tatum that most equated Autism with the movie 'Rain Man' and expected that her brother would be a slightly odd, but a generally agreeable individual who was good at math. Michael was none of those things.
To start, Michael was mildly mentally handicapped. He had the capacity to learn very basic tasks, but no ability for insight. One thing did not necessarily lead to another for Michael; nothing could be taken for granted. Simply because he had learned something similar yesterday, did not mean it translated into what was happening today. Everything had to be taught slowly and then supported for him. He was generally a pretty happy guy, unless things did not remain exactly as he expected. If anything changed from his typical routine, it would mean a full blown tantrum for the family, sometimes a violent tantrum.
Sarah was six years older than Michael and although she loved him, she found him a bother. Tatum, on the other hand, was young enough to have watched him go through the tortures of everyday life, and old enough to know some of the experiences he had to endure weren't fair. At an early age Tatum had learned to guard her younger brother, from mean kids at school, and from others who didn't understand. She guided him, she nurtured him, and above all else she protected him. Tatum always knew that someday she would work in a profession intended to help and support people like her treasured Michael.
In spite of their differences, the three O'Neill children were loved and admired equally by their parents. Jerry and Sophia O'Neill had dedicated their lives to their work and their children, with caring for Michael and their restaurants taking up the bulk of their time. The O'Neills started serving dinners in a small modest space in a poorer neighborhood in downtown Chicago. But, as news of their excellent food and service spread, so did the popularity of the family restaurant. Jerry had proudly named his life's work after his life's love, and so 'Sophie's' was the name that eventually became a top-seller in Chicago. The success of the restaurant allowed the family to provide fully for the children and to situate themselves nicely within Chicago society. By the time Tatum was in her teens, the family was living in a stylish townhome right in the heart of the action. Her parents were able to afford help for Michael and the girls were able to seek out whatever educational path they chose. Tatum chose a long one.