Picking up the Pieces

15

September 11, 2001

At three Brielle was her mother's mini-me. They were both sleeping on their stomachs. Stevie in the giant King sized bed in her Waldorf Astoria suite room and Brielle on a cot. Stevie had wanted her to sleep with her but Lori and many other people urged her against it especially for a long period of time because it would soon become a habit of her child's and Stevie didn't feel it was necessary for her baby to sleep with her every night. 

Stevie was back on tour. She had to extend and postpone several dates because Brielle had gotten sick and then she got sick which led to some voice troubles. Her tour now was broaching on one year and she originally did not want to be on a tour that long. But she was excited to be back on the road because she adored seeing her fans and doing small little meet and greets. All of which her daughter was safely hidden for. 

Stevie jolted awake and looked around. There was a foul smell and when she turned her head to the window she saw the smoke. She rushed to the window and the smell grew stronger. She had only gotten a few hours of sleep as they had landed at two and didn't get to the hotel until around three-thirty. It was now just breeching nine in the morning. She started to panic and kept casting her gaze over to her child who was still sleeping peacefully, her little curls going every which way. 

She felt a sinking feeling in her stomach and she went to the phone in her room and called Karen. 

"Karen, whats..."

"Stevie, you need to turn on the TV right now, any news channel will do," Karen says quickly. 

"Bree's still sleeping and she's such a light sleeper," Stevie replied. 

"No, Stevie, you need to turn the TV on," Karen replied. 

So Stevie did, and then she watched as the second tower was hit. 

"Oh my god. Karen, get in here right now. Call the girls and the band." Stevie instructs tears streaming down her face.

"Mama," Brielle mumbles from her place on the cot. 

"Oh, okay...Momma's here." Stevie shakes her head and collecting the little girl in her arms. 

Stevie keeps her attention away from the television when the knocks come at the door. She keeps Brielle held to her as she looks through the peephole and lets her tourmates and assistant into the room. Everyone shares hugs and Brielle isn't entirely sure what's going on. She just cuddles with her mother and her little dog stuffed animal. 

"Karen I'm freaking out and the smell is getting stronger." Stevie shakes her head.

"I put wet towels in the window." Waddy pipes up. 

"Great, alright...we'll do that." Stevie nods hugging her baby closer to her. 

"Mama, watch cartoons?" Brielle asks. 

"Yeah alright, you can watch them in the other room." Stevie nods taking her into the bedroom and putting the Disney Channel on. She leaves the door slightly ajar and then goes back into the sitting room where everyone else is. It felt like forever but really it was only half an hour later when the telephone in the suite rang. Stevie answered it and listened to the automatic recording say "The Hotel is now on lockdown, no one is allowed in or out, you will not be charged if you're reservations have expired. Room Service is still working, but the restaurant is closed." 

She hung up and looked at everyone. 

"Hotel's on lockdown, no one is allowed in or out. Room Service is running restaurant is not...I...I need to call everybody." Stevie shakes her head, still slightly shaken.