Parallel Lives

Chapter 16: Memories - Sabrina

   (Once again, gonna be pretty depressing. I hope you guys will enjoy this)! 

   Today was a day that Jacob and I have been dreading. Today was Dad's funeral. His wake was today but his burial was tomorrow. Angela's funeral was on the 22nd and 23rd, Saturday and Sunday. I made my way to my apartment to change my clothes. Jacob and the rest had already gone to the funeral home. I was in my junior firefighter uniform still so I would be a little late.

   I knew Mom was at the funeral home as well. Today would be the first time that I'd see her since everything happened. She didn't come to visit me at the hospital, but I understood. She just went through the loss of her husband and child at the same time on the same day. Of course she couldn't visit. I didn't mind anyway. I didn't want her to see me in that condition at the hospital.

   My apartment was dark, with only light from the afternoon sun coming through the windows. I went to my room, set my wolf plushie from Tommy on my bed, and placed my big shoulder bag in front of my bedside table, since I had left it at the firehouse so that my mom would think that I didn't skip. I knew I'd have to go back to school this Monday, a day after Angela's burial. I don't know if any of the teachers or students know about my situation. And I don't know if they have loved ones who are first responders or civilians. I know Mom and Jacob didn't tell the school about what happened to me. They were caught up with mourning and working.

   After I put my bag down, I began rummaging through my closet. I pulled out a black dress that I had bought for a dinner we were supposed to have in the Windows on the World next month. It was supposed to be a celebration of Dad's 10 year anniversary of working in the North Tower. The last time we went to the Windows on the World was on Angela's 22nd birthday on May 13th, just four months ago. Unbeknownst to us, that would be Angela's last birthday on Earth. I teared up thinking about her.

   Angela was practically my best friend, despite us having an eight year age gap. She was always there for me. She supported me a huge amount when I told her I wanted to be a firefighter like Jacob. Initially, my parents weren't supportive because they didn't want me to get injured like how Jacob did when he was a probationary firefighter. But Angela knew I could do it. I always showed an interest in firefighters even before Jacob became a firefighter. She noticed it so much that when I was 7, she bought me a dalmatian plush. It's still on my bed, seven years later.

   Crazy enough, but she spoiled me a ton ever since I was born. She gave me all of her toys, insisting that I needed them more than she did. As I got older and started liking different stuff, she bought me a whole mess of things. When Angela started working at the North Tower with Dad four years ago, she bought me so much stuff with her money. The last time she bought me stuff was for my birthday, which was in March. She bought me all of Nirvana's albums, a Soundgarden album, and a Queen album, knowing how much I loved them. I felt guilty that she spent so much money on me, but she didn't care. She said it was her job as an older sister. That's why on her birthday, I got her a necklace, to return the favor.

   I wiped away my tears and got dressed. I was not looking forward to this. Dad and I were really close. Before Jacob and Angela, I was the only one who got to see the inside of the North Tower when Dad first started working. He started working there when I was 4. Shortly after I started Pre-K, he would take me to the North Tower every Saturday. Even after I got older, he would still take me. He even took me to the South Tower Observation Deck multiple times.

   One time when I was in 5th grade, my class and I took a trip to the World Trade Center. This was a year after Angela started working there. My dad became a tour guide for us when we went inside the North Tower. He wasn't even forced to. He willingly did it. I introduced my class to Angela and told them she had just started working there. I remember being so proud of both of them because I was the only kid in my class who had loved ones that worked in the World Trade Center. I was the most popular kid that day. My dad and I shared a love for the World Trade Center until the very end.

   After I finished getting dressed, I brushed my hair. Luckily, I was able to wash it back at the firehouse and got rid of all the dust and debris in there. I ended up putting on a bit of makeup so that my puffy eyes wouldn't be noticeable. They were puffy from all of the building particles that went in my eyes and also because I had been crying for an entire week. Though I knew people would understand as to why they were like that, I just didn't want people to see me in that state.

   I quickly checked in the mirror to make sure I looked fine. I knew I was wasting a lot of time but it didn't matter. I don't want to go to the wake or the burial. I didn't wanna be there at all. But I knew I had to. That was my dad. Mine and Jacob's. And today and tomorrow will be the last time I'd see him. That fact is something I will never come to terms with. I grabbed my purse and walked out, preparing for a flood of emotions.

   (The sadness is just gonna get worse from here. I hope you guys enjoyed this though! Stay tuned for more)!