Parallel Lives

Chapter 27: Acceptance - Jacob

   (In one more chapter, this book will be over. What a crazy thing to think about. Here's the second to last chapter! I hope you guys will enjoy this)!

   We have just finished Daniel's funeral. We've been waiting for this day for five months, but now that it came, it was still heartbreaking. Daniel's mom was devastated, understandably so. I lost my best friend, but she lost her child. Daniel's dad tried to remain strong, but shed a few tears. His younger sister, Natalia, looked visibly devastated.

   It was a wonderful yet sad ceremony with firefighters carrying his casket on a firetruck. Bagpipes were heard all over. I've attended many firefighters' funerals, before and after 9/11, and they were all lovely while sad. But Daniel's was really wonderful while being sad at the same time.

   The remaining members of Daniel's unit and firehouse attended, along with new firefighters in the unit and firehouse. My unit attended as well, which is what many firefighters did. Since I was Daniel's best friend, I made a eulogy for him, something I did during Dad and Angela's funerals.

   Sabrina, Soleil, and I were at my apartment. It was rare that we were there and not at the firehouse, though everyone knew why. We sat there on the couch in a comfortable yet sad silence. "Daniel was great wasn't he?" Sabrina asked, breaking the silence. "Yeah. Yeah he was." I mumbled. I looked over at the coffee table in front of us, which had pictures of Dad, Angela, and Daniel. All taken from me in a single day.

   "That day started out normal. How did it end so badly?" I wondered. "People were selfish and heartless and destroyed everything. Nearly 3,000 people are gone now because of them." Sabrina replied. I nodded in agreement. "The last time I went to the World Trade Center was a few weeks prior. I dropped off some food for Dad and Angela. Their coworkers thought I was really nice for doing that. Dad gave me money to go to the One World Observatory, and I did. That was the last time I went into the buildings until 9/11." Sabrina sadly recalled. Sabrina had wanted to go back to the buildings after that day, but we never got to. She never saw the South Tower again after that. I thought back to that morning, when I had teased Sabrina for skipping school and not telling Mom and Dad. How I wish that day continued to be normal.

   "I remember teasing you that morning. That was pretty funny." I said. Sabrina chuckled and nodded. "You were so close to tattling on me. Then we got the call for the gas leak. I got excited because I was finally working after six days. Then at 8:46 AM, things turned to shit." Sabrina added, sadly. Another silence developed in the air. "Things could've been so much worse than it was. How worse could it have gotten?" Sabrina questioned. "Losing you would've been the worst thing ever." I put forth. I wasn't lying. If she died, I would never cope with the trauma from 9/11. Losing Dad, Angela, and Daniel was the worst thing to ever happen to me, but if Sabrina died, it would've added onto that. I probably would've retired from being a firefighter if she died.

   "At least now we have each other. And the guys." Sabrina voiced. I nodded. "And Soleil of course too." She added. I chuckled and pulled her in for a hug. We were finally in a good spot after what felt like forever. We were finally beginning to accept what had happened and our losses. The pain would still be there, but at least we are beginning to accept it and cope.

   (Little bittersweet chapter for you guys! I hope you guys enjoyed this! The last chapter is coming up soon, which is honestly real bittersweet. Stay tuned for that)!