September
10, 2001 6:45 pm
“I will have the
proposal ready for you to review tomorrow morning and I will personally make
sure that our clients are picked up from the airport and safely return to the
conference room.” Mariah Townsend stood in her boss’s office discussing the plans for
the following day.
“What time does their plane arrive?” Irving Tate, Mariah’s boss,
looked up from the notebook he’d been writing in. “Better yet, what time are
they expected to arrive here?”
“Approximate arrival time to this office is 8:30am tomorrow morning.”
Mariah looked up from the calendar on her iPhone.
“Perfect. Make sure they are here promptly at 8:30. I will see you
bright and early tomorrow morning.”
“I will make sure of it, sir. I will see you tomorrow.” Mariah
turned to leave.
“Oh, Mariah?” Irving called after her. “Remember, if you nail this
proposal, you are looking at a partnership.”
“Thank you, sir. I will see you tomorrow.” Mariah smiled then left
the office. She headed for her smaller office and took a seat at her desk.
There were still a few minor touchups that she needed to make on the proposal
before she could go home. Needing to clear her head, Mariah looked out the
windows in her office located on the ninety-third floor of the World Trade
Center’s North Tower. Everything seemed so small out there from all the way up
where Mariah stood. She was a giant, ready to crush anything that got in her
way. Nothing could stand between her and a task at hand; especially when it
came to this proposal.
Mariah was about to start the finishing touches on the proposal
when her phone rang. “Hello?” She answered, promptly.
“Hello sweetheart. Should we wait for you to eat dinner or are you
going to be a while?” Mariah’s husband, Keven, sounded tired. He was a
stay-at-home father in order to take care of their four year old daughter,
Elissa.
“I have to put the finishing touches on the proposal that I have
to submit tomorrow. I shouldn’t be long; however, if Elissa is getting hungry,
you don’t have to wait for me.”
“Okay… She wants to know if you are going to be home in time to
put her to bed.”
“Tell her that I plan to be. I have to get back to work though.
I’ll see you later.” Mariah waited for Keven to say goodbye before hanging up.
*
September 11, 2001 5:30 am
The sound of his alarm going off pulled Garrett from his sleep. It
was time to get ready for work. Looking next to him, Garrett took a moment to
watch his wife.
Krystal was the most precious thing in his life. They had been
married for just over a year now and were expecting their first child in May.
Krystal’s ultrasound was later that morning and they would find out if their
baby was going to be a boy or a girl.
Shifting slightly, Garrett pulled Krystal against him and nuzzled
his face against her neck. “I love you.” He kissed her cheek then pulled away.
“Mmm… I love you too. Be safe at work.” Krystal’s eyes fluttered
open and she smiled at him. “Our baby needs you.” She kissed him quickly.
Garrett nodded. “You know I will be. I don’t want to abandon you,
or our baby.” He kissed her this time, a little longer than the first.
“Go get ready. You can’t be late.”
“I’m going… I’m going.” Garrett rolled from the bed and headed for
the shower. “Today is going to be one of
the best days of my life… I get to find out if we’re having a girl or a boy…”
*
September 11, 2001 8:30 am
Garrett sat in the kitchen of the fire station with his team
listening as the night crew filled them in on what calls had taken place while
he’d been asleep.
“And I think…” The night crew captain, Josh, concluded. “That was
it. Nothing major.” There was a low rumble in the air and Josh looked at
Garrett. “Captain O'Brien, do you hear that?”
“Yeah, I hear it.” Garrett stood up and walked towards the door.
“And if it what I think it is…” Garrett opened the door and looked up. “Ummm…
Josh… Come here for a moment.”
Josh and the rest of the two crews jogged outside to stand next to
Garrett. “What’s up?” Josh followed Garrett’s gaze up. “It’s too low… It’s not
going to…”
“Unfortunately, I’m pretty sure that…” Garrett started. The plane
made impact with the North Tower of the World Trade Center. “It just did.”
Shocked, the two crews, and several other people, stood there for
a moment, watching the tower explode into flames. Garrett was the first to
react. “We’re going to get called out for this one. Everyone suit up so that we
are ready to go.”
Josh nodded. “Let’s go.” The two crews ran back inside, suited up,
then waited for the call they all knew was coming.
*
September 11, 2001 8:35 am
Mariah stood in the conference room on the ninety-fourth floor of
the North Tower in front of her newest clients. She had started her
presentation five minutes ago and was about to get into why this proposal was
different from any other proposal these people had heard before when she heard
the rumbling. Professionally, she should not have looked away from her clients;
but, as the rumble got louder and the clients began to look around, she had to
look.
“If you will excuse me for a moment, I need to step out for a
moment.” Mariah smiled, set her portfolio on the table, and stepped out of the
conference room.
“Mariah, why aren’t you in with the clients?” Irving asked.
“What is that awful…?” Mariah’s jaw dropped and she pointed behind
Irving. “It’s heading straight for us!”
Irving turned and gasped but that was the last Mariah heard as the
plane made impact.
*
Garrett was surprised. The North Tower was in flames and his crew,
one of the closer crews, still had not been called out. They were told to be on
standby just in case they were needed though. He’d already called Krystal and
left her several messages telling her that he loved her and he loved their
baby. He also asked her to pray.
“Garrett, is everything okay?” Josh asked.
“The World Trade Center is in flames. What do you think?” Garrett practically
yelled. “That and my wife is having her ultrasound now and I can’t be there
with her when she finds out if it is a boy or girl.”
“I’m sorry, Garrett. I wish you could be there too.” Josh opened
his mouth to say something else when he stopped and abruptly walked to the
door. “Oh no… No no no no… Garrett!”
“What?” Garrett looked up just in time to see a second plane crash
into the South Tower. “Did I just see what I think I saw?”
“I’m afraid so…” Josh sighed. “It’s gonna be time to get called
out.”
“Captain! A second plane just smashed into the South Tower.” One
of the night crew members yelled running towards them.
“We know… We watched.” Garrett said as calmly as he could.
“Everyone get ready! The call is about to…”
“All units respond to the World Trade Centers. Repeat all units report to the World Trade
Centers.” Dispatch announced.
*
September 11, 2001 9:45am
Keven stood as close as he was allowed to the burning towers,
praying he’d watch Mariah walk out. So far, she hadn’t. He’d been watching the
morning news when he found out, through a news report, what had happened. After
having the babysitter come over to watch Elissa, Keven headed into the city to
find Mariah.
“Hey…” A muffled male voice behind Keven caused him to turn. It
was a firefighter.
“Can I help you, sir?” Keven asked.
“Take this.” The firefighter handed him a picture of a young
woman. “If I don’t come out of here alive, I need you to find her and tell her
that I love her and I’m sorry.”
“Is she your wife?”
The firefighter nodded. “We are expecting a little baby in May.”
“I’m praying that you come out alive. If not though…” Keven
nodded. “I’ll find her. Which tower are you going into?”
“The north tower.”
Keven nodded. “Thank you for doing this. Be safe.”
“You’re welcome. I wish you the best. I hope whoever you are
waiting for comes out alive as well.” The firefighter began to walk off.
“Wait!” Keven called. The firefighter turned and Keven continued.
“How will I know if you made it out alive or not?”
“My station number is on the back of the picture. They can tell
you. Honestly though, you’ll just know.” With that, the firefighter left.
Keven turned the picture over and read what was on the back. “In the event that I don’t make it home
tonight, it is my deepest wish that the holder of this photo finds my wife and
tells her that I love her. Sincerely, Capt. Garrett O’Brien FDNY Station 51”
“The South Tower is collapsing!” Someone yelled.
Keven looked up from the picture Captain O’Brien had handed him in
time to watch the South Tower fall. Smoke billowed up from the pile and Keven
coughed a few times. If the South Tower collapsed, that had to mean the North
Tower would too. Keven’s only hope was that both his wife and Captain O’Brien
would get out before it did.
*
September 11, 2001 10:20 am
Garrett had glanced out the fortieth story window in time to watch
the South Tower collapse. There was not much time left and there were too many
people that still needed help. He wasn’t sure how much time he had left; but,
he did know that the North Tower was going to collapse next. Garrett had heard
a radio call that sounded like a demand to evacuate the building and was
heading in that direction while helping others evacuate as well. A loud roar,
similar to the one that had occurred when the South Tower collapsed, began and
Garrett knew it would be over soon. He found a piece of paper and a pencil and
quickly began to write what he wanted his wife to know. “I’m sorry Krystal. I love you and I know you will do a fantastic job
raising our child. I love you. I love you. I love you. XOXO. ~Garrett
Carefully, Garrett folded the paper and tucked it in the interior pocket of his
turnout jacket.
*
September 11, 2001 10:30 am
Krystal smiled as she watched the doctor check on the baby. “Well?
Is it a boy or a girl?”
“Congratulations, Krystal. It’s a…” The doctor was interrupted by
a knock on the door. “May I let them in?” Krystal nodded. “Come in.”
A nurse poked her head through the doorway, crying. “I… I need to
go. The Twin Towers… Planes crashed… In flames… Collapsed…”
“Calm down sweetheart.” Krystal said. “We can’t understand you.”
Pamela took a few deep breaths before speaking again. “Two planes
crashed into the Twin Towers. They went up in flames and both of them collapsed
within the last half hour.”
“Garrett…” Krystal whispered. “When were the towers hit?”
“The north tower was hit around 8:45 this morning and the south
tower around 9:00. All emergency response teams were called out.” Pamela
answered. “The news said that a lot of those responders did not make it out
alive.”
“Go ahead home, Pamela. You’re daughter needs you.” The doctor
waved her off. When she was gone, he looked at Krystal again. “I’m sorry
Krystal. I’ll be praying that Garrett made it out of there alive.”
“Thank you doctor.” Krystal wiped her eyes. She had to get down
there and find Garrett.
*
September 14, 2001
Keven wouldn’t give up. He had to find Captain O’Brien’s wife and
tell her what he had asked him to. For the time being though, Keven was helping
sort through the mess at Ground Zero. For three days, he’d helped with sorting
through the debris and pulling out dead bodies from in the rubble and searching
for identification.
Drained, Keven pulled another metal piece away and revealed
material belonging to the turnouts of a firefighter. Beginning to dig carefully
through the steel, Keven uncovered the body and started to cry. The body was
Captain O’Brien’s. His hand was tucked into a pocket inside his jacket. “What
could he have been putting in or taking out?” Keven asked as he carefully
removed the Captain’s hand from the pocket. A folded piece of paper slid out of
the pocket.
“I’m sorry Krystal. I
love you and I know you will do a fantastic job raising our child. I love you.
I love you. I love you. XOXO. ~Garrett The paper read.
A sharp gasp caused Keven to turn. A young woman stood behind him,
crying. She looked familiar. Keven stood and faced her. “The picture…” He pulled the picture Captain O’Brien had given him
before the towers collapsed and showed it to the crying woman. “Is this you?”
“It is. Where did you find that?” The woman asked.
“Your husband handed it to me before he headed into the North
Tower. He said that, in the event that he did not make it out alive, he wanted
me to find you and tell you that he loves you and he is sorry.”
Sobbing, the woman nodded. She looked down at her husband before
looking back at Keven. “Thank you…” She whispered.
Keven nodded. He felt her pain. “I found this in his jacket a
moment ago. It looks like he wrote it right before the tower fell.”
The woman took the paper and read it. “Thank you for sharing this
with me. I’m Krystal by the way.”
“I’m Keven. It’s nice to meet you Krystal. I’m sorry it had to be
on these terms though.” They shook hands.
“Did you lose someone in the towers?”
“I did. My wife. They found her body yesterday.” A tear slid down
Keven’s cheek and he wiped it away. “I still haven’t told my little girl,
Elissa, that her mother is gone.”
“How old is she?”
“Four. She wouldn’t understand what happened. Someday, I’ll tell
her but not now.” Keven smiled weakly. “Hey, you shouldn’t be here… All this smoke
and debris can’t possibly be good for the baby. Why don’t we go get coffee or
something?”
“How did you know I’m expecting? And sure. Coffee sounds good at
the moment.”
“Garrett told me right before he went into the tower. He said you
were due in May.”
“May fourteenth, Garrett’s birthday.”
“Is it a boy or girl?”
“A little boy. Garrett would have been so happy. He wanted a son
so badly.”
*
May 14, 2002
“I’m going to name him Garrett, in honor of his father.” Krystal
smiled down at the little boy in her arms.
“I think that is a wonderful idea.” Keven stroked the little boy’s
nose. “He looks just like his father. Would you like to see, Elissa?”
“Okay!” Elissa ran over to Keven’s side and he picked her up.
“That’s my little brother?”
“He will be after your daddy and I get married next month.”
Krystal smiled and looked at her engagement ring. There were a lot of things
that she still had to work through with losing Garrett but Keven helped. They
were there for each other in the good and the bad; helping each other cope with
the losses they had both experienced.
Together, they would not
forget Tuesday morning; but, they also would not live in Tuesday morning either.
