I rouse at the sound of my alarm clock reminding me to wake up; on a regular basis I would’ve pushed the snooze button and gotten a little more sleep. Yet today, I had a flight to catch and I was already running late. As I dress I’m going over a check list in my head, double-checking that I have everything I need. Before I leave I think about waking up my husband and kids to say goodbye, but I figure I’ll be back tomorrow and they’d enjoy sleeping in. On the flip side, my husband and I were still fighting, so getting some time away from each other may be a good thing.

Trying to flag down a taxi when you physically can’t whistle is a little difficult. I tried doing everything short of flashing the drivers as they sped past me. Finally I decided to go back into my apartment building to call a cab. Success, the cab showed up in exactly seven minute’s time.
We headed to the airport. As I haul my briefcase full of nothing into the cab, the driver asks where too. Being a little out of it that morning I said San Francisco, apparently that’s a little too much of a drive from New Jersey and I rephrased my answer. With the look of “this lady is crazy” in his eye and a really heavy Arabian accent he made as much small talk as he could. I had a lot on my mind that morning, and talking to some guy I’d never see again really wasn’t at the top of my list of things to do, so I tried to tune him and his Arabian accent out. But that didn’t work to well either, the song ‘Follow Me’ came on as we drove to the airport, admittedly it’s much overplayed for just coming out this year but it was good. It reminded me of my husband, Edward. Oh how I wish we weren’t fighting.

Looking around for the sign that said ‘Flight 93 boarding’ was like a game show. For one, I hate flying; and two I hate looking for the plane I’m supposed to be boarding. It’s a rushed feeling. Finally, I see the sign, and the tunnel that leads me to the plane. I see a husband kiss his wife goodbye at the gate, if only I could’ve had one before I left. It reminds me of the plank on a ship, walking into your own doom. I hand the lady my ticket and for some reason it doesn’t work. ‘Are you sure you’re supposed to be on this flight dear?’ is the only response she had for me. I explained I had a job interview later this morning and I absolutely had to be on this plane. Considering there wasn’t many people on the plane and I had already paid for my ticket, she let it slide.


Oddly when I walked onto the plane she was right. There was hardly anyone on the plane, which was weird because usually on an early morning flight to a busy city you can hardly find room for your personal carry on. It’s like trying to go shopping on black Friday. Yet I wasn’t complaining I had a whole row to myself. For once I was comfortable, I lay my chair back and it felt like I was on a cloud. Then my thoughts caught up with me and I couldn’t help but think about my husband, as I left this morning he was laying there sleeping peaceful, snoring like the engine in a train, but peaceful to him non the less.

I make myself comfortable and look at my phone one last time. My wallpaper is Edward; he is smiling his goofy little smile like one of a kid who just got candy. He has a sparkle in his eye. That is the man I fell in love with. As I go to call him and tell him goodbye before I loose service, a man stands up at the front of the plane and says ‘things are different now, I’m in charge’. My heart sank, and a thousand things started running through my mind, it was like a freak show in there. ‘I should’ve seen the signs, I shouldn’t have fought with my husband, I should’ve said goodbye’. Before he took my phone I sent my family a message, ‘tak care of the kids an tel em I love em, goodbye my love’.