"Alright babe I think that's it. Sure this is the right day?" I said handing Andy his bags. He has to go visit his family for some kind of reunion or something. I don't want him to go though.
"Well, it's September 11th, and that's when my plane was planned to take off so, yeah. Sure you don't want to go?" He asked.
"I'm sure. Last time I went to one, your uncle was being an ass."
"Yeah he doesn't like the fact I'm married to a guy, let alone have a kid with him."
"True. Well, you might want to get on the plane before you miss it."
"Okay." He got on the ground next to our son, Devin and hugged him tightly. "I'll miss you while I'm gone little one."
"I'll miss you too daddy. I love you."
"I love you too." He kissed Devin's forehead before getting up and hugging me.
"I'll miss you Andy."
"I'll miss you too but I'll be back in a week."
"Mmmmkay. Love you."
"Love you too." I pecked his lips real quick before letting him board the plane.
"Alrighty Devin, let's get home."
"Okay!" I picked him up and carried him to the car. I started driving home when Devin fell asleep in his car seat. I'll lay him down when we get home.


When we were at the house and Devin was in his bed, I sat down on the couch and turned on the TV to the news channel. They were saying something about how a plane crashed into the World Trade Center. Oh my god please tell me Andy wasn't on that plane! Tears threatened to fall at just the thought of it.
"Please be okay baby. Please be okay." I whispered to myself. I kept watching as people started jumping out of the top of the building.
"Daddy, what's wrong?" I heard Devin. I quickly got up carried him to his room.
"Baby, I don't want you to see this. Just please stay in here, okay?"
"O-okay."
"Good boy." I kissed the top of his head and went back to the living room. Now they're saying another plane hit the south tower.
How could this happen? I know accidents happen but there's no possible way that two planes can crash at almost the same exact place in less than an hour apart.

I kept watching and now they're announcing it was most likely a teroist attack. Wouldn't doubt it. The flights that hit the towers were Flight 175 and Flight 11 and I hear Flight 77 hit the Pentagon. Luckily, Andy was on Flight 93. Let's hope nothing happens to that plane.

After I watched the towers collapse, I got a call from Andy. That's odd. Did his flight stop early?
"Andy! Did-"
"Ashley I love you." It sounds like there was a fight or something going on in the background.
"I-I love you too. Andy what's going on?"
"Flights 11, 175, and 77 have been hijacked by teroists and we just heard that so has ours. We're gonna... we have to crash the plane Ashley." I felt my chest get tighter as I heard him. Is he serious?
"Andy please don't be serious." I said.
"I'm sorry Ashely it's rather we die alone or we die along with a thousand other people. Just know it's for the best. Please understand."
"Andy I can't. Devin-"
"Please don't let Devin know."
"But Andy-"
"Ashley I'm sorry. I love you, remember that. We're gonna crash the plane in a feild so no one can get hurt. I'll miss you."
"I-I'll miss you too."
"I love you."
"I love you too." I felt tears roll down my face as he hung up. I guess that's it. I guess I'll never see Andy again. I got up and went to Devin's room.
"Hey daddy!" He smiled at me.
"Hey baby boy. Um.. You know how daddy had to go visit his family?"
"Mmmm-hmmm." He nodded. This is harder than I thought. I can't break his heart, he's only eight. But he has to know.
"Well, daddy's in heaven now."
"Where's that?"
"A special place."
"When will he come back?"
"I don't think he'll ever come back."
"Why not?"
"Because heaven is beautiful. But he'll be looking down on us." I saw tears run down his face.
"But I thought he loved us."
"He does love us! He just had to go. It was for a good cause, I promise." I hugged him and let him cry in my chest. I can't believe he's gone.


5 Years Later

I woke up remembering today's date. September 11th. Five years since Andy died. Devin found out what really happened when he was ten. I let him stay home from school every September 11th. There's no way he can go without thinking about Andy.
I walked past Devin's room and saw him sitting in bed crying. I walked in and sat down next to him and started rubbing his back.
"Hey sweetie."
"I miss him dad."
"Me too. You have no idea how much heartbreak was going on when I heard him say he had to crash the plane. And then I had to tell you, which was straight up hell." He didn't say anything, just continued crying. I just got up and digged through my closet, looking for Andy's KISS sweatshirt he wore all the time.
"Found it." I whispered to myself. I just looked at it for a while. I smiled at the memory of him wearing it on our first date. I finally folded it a little as I walked to Devin's room and handed it to him.
"What's this?" He asked.
"That's one of your dad's sweatshirts. One of his favorites. I want you to have it."
"Really?"
"Yeah. It won't fit me and I know how much he'd want for you to have it." He got up a little and hugged my neck.
"Thanks dad."
"You're welcome."



6 Years Later


"Dad I need your help on my history day project." Devin said as he got in the door.
"What's your project on?" I asked him.
"9/11. We have to say what happened, how it affected America, how it affected people's lives, ect. I got most of it done but I want to ask you some questions about when dad called you and told you he had to crash the plane." Wow that's deep.
"Mmkay. I think I can handle that." He sat next to me and pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil.
"Okay: What did he say and how did you react?"
"He said that his plane was hijacked and they had to crash it. My first thought was that he was lying. That he was just playing a joke. But he wasn't."
"What were some of the main things he said?"
"He kept repeating that he was sorry and that he loved me and you."
"Why did you tell me right away?"
"Well, he was your dad, I think you had the right to know. I don't think just waiting a few years would be a good idea because then you'd just be like 'why didn't you tell me sooner?' and shit like that so yeah."
"Last: What do you think life would be like if he didn't get on the plane?"
"I think that life would be easier. The past eleven years have been hard raising you all by myself. I also think that we would be way happier because he always had a way to make me happy when I was depressed or even vise versa. I just think everything would be better in general." He got done writting and put his stuff back in his bag.
"Okay that's all." He got up and put his bag in his room and sat back down on the couch next to me.
"So did you need to interview me?" I laughed.
"Nah. I just never asked you what happened so I just felt like adding it in on my report would both get me extra credit and find out."
"Smart." He hugged me and rested his head on my shoulder.
"I love you daddy."
"I love you too."