The sent of fresh brewed coffee filled the air as my eyes fluttered open. The door to the bedroom opened and Tommy brought me a cup of coffee just as he does every morning. He brought the cup to me, kissed me on the forehead and told me he loved me. As he pulled away I got a whiff of his cologne.

I shuffled down the stairs to wake Kade for school, I looked over him, he was a spitting image of Tommy. Kade’s poptart popped up from the toaster as we rushed out the door in attempt to make it to the school in time. The streets of New York City were busy as usual and the traffic was abnormally heavy that morning. Driving home I noticed a lot of commotion down the street of Tommy’s office, I thought nothing more of it and continued to drive back home. I started to fold Kade’s laundry and flipped through the channels on the TV. I saw a breaking news flash on as I was watching Opera. Images of the twin towers popped up with smoke pouring out the top of the opposite one that Tommy worked, I ran for the phone with my hands shaking and heart pounding. I turned to the TV and at that moment the second plane hit his building. I dropped the phone and fell to the floor, my entire body went numb.

Five minutes later I heard my mom call my name. She rushed to my house the second she saw the footage. She informed me my dad was on his way to pick up Kade. The only thing I wanted more than to have Tommy hold me was to hold Kade and make sure he was safe in my arms. I attempted to call Tommy’s office several times each time the same response, the line had been disconnected. I could smell and see the smoke out my window and each breath of smoke I breathed a knot in my stomach grew tighter as I vomited all over the kitchen floor. My mom began to clean up the throw up as kade walked through the door. Fear covered his little face as my dad tried to explain in the best way possible to a five year old that his daddy may never return home. I held Kade in my arms refusing to let go. Tears streamed out of kade’s eyes like a waterfall. I glanced at the mantle to check the clock and saw a picture of Tommy and I at our wedding I threw the remote at the picture breaking the frame as it shattered on the floor. I could hear the anchor person on TV talking about it. She had said two planes had been hijacked. You could hear the sorrow in her voice, she wanted to cry. I turned back to the TV and people were running for their lives. Fear and confusion was in every person’s eyes they showed.

Time had passed slowly and we all sat around the coach watching TV and just waiting for that phone call we all wanted- Nothing. The room was silent. Then suddenly the front door opens, as Tommy walked in. He had spilt coffee stained on the front of his buttoned up shirt. I immediately ran to him and he embraced me in his arms. He explained that he was running an errand for his boss, and grabbing him some coffee before the planes crashed through the buildings. Tommy ran home as soon as he could to assure us he was safe. Never in my life have I been so grateful to have my family with me, I realized that day that anything can happen at anytime and how much my family really means to me.