Big Girls Don't Cry ✔️

Chaos

Kelsey

We arrived in New York City and went to work. First responders searched for people amidst the chaos that erupted. All perimeters had to be secure for the arrival of the President. We would work through the night and next day. It was a day none of us would forget.

Today the world stop turning. Life as we knew it altered drastically. Our freedoms were being threatened by people train to kill without remorse. We received word another plane was on their way to the towers, but the passengers took on the hijackers, and it crashed in an open field in Somerset, Pennsylvania. That was flight 93.

All planes grounded except for Air Force One and military. Security heightened after September 11, 2001. I wouldn't be able to see my family until I came home on leave.

"Attention! The President has landed!" Our commanding officer yelled as we stood to attention at the terminal and waited. The President descended Air Force One with Agents along with the First Lady, Vice-President and the First Lady of the Vice President.

Today I stood in attention as I watched the President make his way to the car that would be transporting to the site of the towers. Today I understood how essential our freedoms are and how it felt to have those freedoms threatened. Today I was proud to be an American soldier.

*********
Martin

I watched coverage of 9/11 while taking care of Jordyn and working. I knew the military would deploy Kelsey as many other military members were. The families stayed behind to take care of the home while our loved ones went to fight for our freedoms.

September 11 set in motion not just Kelsey deployed but our many moves because of work. I had to go where the work was to raise Jordyn and provide a home for when Kelsey returned.

Our next home turned out to be New York, which worked out since Kelsey was still in the states. She was able to see both of us. She wasn't happy that we moved because of work but understood.

That stay is short-lived. A month later, Kelsey's deploys while I created web-design programs for companies. We stayed in New York for a year until we had to move again. The work stopped, and I had to go where it offers so that I could stay home with Jordyn.

I managed to videotape Jordan's first and send copies to Kelsey for her to see. I didn't want her to miss anything while deployed.

******
Kelsey

"Mail," someone announced as they handed out mail to everyone and handed me a package. I managed to secure a VCR and TV to watch videos Martin sent of Jordyn.

I opened up the package and took out the tape, then popped it into the player, hitting play.

"Okay, so, today Jordyn manage to learn how to crawl," Martin said as I watched Jordyn crawl, then pull out magazines and fling them onto the ground. I laughed as I watched. "Jordyn, you're making a mess for daddy," he said as I chuckled.

"Kelsey, we have an active little girl," Martin sighed.

The video continued as it showed her standing while holding onto the couch.

"Are we going to take a step today? Maybe, we're not sure yet," Martin said as he turned the camera on him briefly, then back to Jordyn. I watched as she let go of the couch and took a step. "I think she's going to do it, Mom." Then I watched her take another one before falling on her butt. "Almost, but not yet."

I watched the video as Martin showed different things with Jordyn.

"Jordyn? You're so quiet, and I know you're getting into something," Martin said as the video moved to the kitchen to find Jordyn covered in flour. "Baby girl, that's not how we bake, which reminds me we need to send mommy a care package."

I laughed through the video until I got to the end as the camera stationed and Martin sat down with Jordyn.

"Kelsey, I know you want to be here, and we want you here, but we know you have to fight for us and everyone. So, I have a surprise for you. I've been working on it. Okay, tell mommy what I taught you," Martin said to Jordyn.

"Dada," Jordyn said as I smiled.

"No, silly," he said as he picked up a picture frame. "Who's that?"

"Dada," Jordyn repeated.

"Okay, now, who's that?" He asked her.

"Mama," Jordyn said as I sat there stunned and my eyes welled up with tears.

"That's right, that's your mommy and the day we brought you home," Martin told her as I sat there and wiped tears away. Martin turned back to the camera. "Jordyn will know you, Kels and I will remind her every day, so when you come home on leave, she knows you. We love you, baby." I watched as they blew me kisses as the video ended.

I wiped my eyes as I turned off the video and stood up.

"We all miss our families," Corporal Shiner said as I looked at my fellow soldiers and they all nodded. Everyone walked over and hugged me as I hugged them back. Besides my family, my sisters in the military were family to me. We all had families back home who we missed.

When someone died, and we mourned that person like family. The truth was war was harsh and unforgiving until the military discharged you; the only time you left is either injured or dead. The realities of war are brutal. It's nothing as they portray on TV or in the movies, it's worse especially on patrol which it set me for tonight. I carried a picture of Martin and Jordyn inside my jacket close to my heart as I patrolled.

It was two trucks out tonight. I was in the second truck following the first. We drove along as the first truck hit the spot in the road and exploded as gunshots started causing us to get out of the car and produce suppressing fire while a medic attended to the injured and the dead.

As snipers held us down, we maintained our position as reinforcements arrived, retrieving everyone and making it back to base. The soldiers in the first truck ended up dying if they weren't dead already once we made it back. Their injuries were too significant. The rest of us had to be checked out. I received a cut in the leg from a piece of shrapnel hitting me.

I would be off patrol until I healed and then sent back out to hold our position. The price of freedom is death for the American soldier. We lay our lives on the line so that people can sleep peacefully at night. We give up time with our families so that others can be with their families. It's a choice we make every day.

Would I change a thing? Never in a million years because I chose to protect our freedoms and rights.