Tears of War

"Shawna," said her older sister, Tracey.  "What are you doing in my room?"
 "I just wanted to play with you," said Shawna.
 "Well l am twelve years old now," said Tracey.  "I don't want to play with my little eight year old sister."
 Shawna stormed out of Tracey's bedroom, stomping her feet down the hallway as she went.
 "Older sisters suck," said Shawna loudly, slamming her bedroom  door. 
 "I heard that," said Tracey.
 Shawna crawled up onto her bed and grabbed her favourite doll that was on her pillow and hugged it.
 "Okay," said Tracey, barging into Shawna's room.  "I'll play with you."
 "Oh yeah," said Shawna.  "Mom probably told you to play with me."
“No," said Tracey.  "She didn't.  I just want to play with you."
 "You do!" exclaimed Shawna, surprised.  "You really do."
 Shawna dived into her toy box, quickly grabbing her dolls, before Tracey had a chance to change her mind.
 Tracey played with Shawna for almost an hour.
 "Girls," called Mother.  "Please wash up.  Supper will be ready soon." 
  Shawna threw her doll onto the floor and quickly brought her hands up to her head, screaming with pain.
 "Shawna!" exclaimed Tracey, who was terrified.  "What's wrong?"
 "My head," cried Shawna.
 By this time, Mother was standing at Shawna's bedroom door.
 "What was all that screaming about?" Mother asked and upon taking one look at Shawna's pain stricken face, quickly took her to the hospital.

 Once at the hospital, Shawna was taken into an emergency examination room right away.  A young female doctor entered the room.  Shawna was still screaming and holding her head.
 "My name is Dr. Langely,'' said the doctor to Shawna.  "What seems to be the problem?"
 Dr. Langely tried to gently pry Shawna's hands away from the side of her head.  Shawna screamed with pain.
 "When did this start?" Dr. Langely asked Shawna's Mother.
 "Just about an hour ago," said Mother. 
 "Shawna and I were upstairs playing," said Tracey.   "Then all of a sudden she started screaming with pain.''
 "Doctor, what is wrong with my little girl?" asked Mother.
 "I can't tell you anything yet," said Dr. Langely.  "We are going to have to keep Shawna overnight.  We are going to run a series of tests on her."
 "Is it serious?" asked Mother. 
 "Any pain coming from the head area is serious," said Dr. Langely.  "I don't  like the looks of this severe pain that Shawna is experiencing."
 A little while later, Shawna was taken for tests.  It seemed like she was gone forever.  Mother and Tracey were both starting to get really worried and then finally she was back, with Dr. Langely right behind her.
 "Does Shawna have a Dad? asked Dr. Langely."
 "Yes," said Mother.  "He's in New York City on business."
 "I think you'd better call him right away," said Dr. Langely.  "Shawna has a brain tumour."
 "Oh my!" cried Mother.  "She's going to die, isn't she?"
 "The prognosis isn't good," said Dr. Langely.
 Mother left Tracey with Shawna and went to call her husband.
 "Dear," said Mother, after she was finally able to locate her husband.  "Shawna is very sick.  She has a brain tumor."
 "I'll be there on the very next flight," said Daddy.

"Daddy!" cried Shawna, when her Father walked into her hospital room unannounced.
"Oh dear sweet Shawna," Daddy said, wrapping his arms gently around her. 
Shawna stayed in her Father's arms for a very long time.
"Daddy," said Shawna.  "I have  a brain tumor."
"I know Shawna," cried Daddy.  "I am so sorry."
''They are going to operate on her in a weeks time," said Mother.
"Good," said Daddy.  "The sooner the better."
"Will you be here when I have my operation?" asked Shawna.
"Absolutely," said Daddy.  "I will be here for your operation."
"Daddy I'm scared," cried Shawna.  "I don't want to die."
"Shawna Hawkins," said Daddy strongly.  "You aren't going to die.  You are a strong little girl and you will pull through this operation with flying colours.  Don't give in to this Shawna.  Use every bit of strength you have to pull yourself through this.  Shawna, just remember, you are not in this alone.  We will be here for you.  We will be praying for you to get through this."
"Your Daddy is right," said Mother, wiping away a tear from her eye.  "You are strong and you will pull through this."
"Shawna," said Tracey, trying to hide the tears that were welling up inside her.  "You just can't die.  I need you."

"Who was that on the phone?'' asked Mother, the next morning.
 "It was Pete from New York," said Daddy.
 "Ron, I can tell by the look on your face that you have to go back," said Mother.
 "Just until Tuesday, Julie," said Daddy.  "I'll be back in plenty of time for Shawna's operation."
 "When do you have to leave?" asked Mother, tears pouring down her face. 
 Daddy gave Mother a big warm hug, knowing that this was a very trying and difficult time for her.
 "Shawna will be fine," said Daddy.  "She will pull through this."
 "Oh," cried Mother.  "I sure hope so."
 "What is going on here?" Tracey asked, coming down the stairs in the midst of all the commotion.  "It's not Shawna is it?"
 "No dear," said Daddy.  "Shawna is alright.  I just got word that I have to go back to New York tonight."
 "Are you going to be back for Shawna's operation?" asked Tracey.
 "Definitely," said Daddy.  "Now let's go see Shawna."
 Tracey and her parents went to the hospital to see Shawna.  While walking down the hospital corridor Tracey noticed the chapel. 
 "Can we go and say a prayer for Shawna?" asked Tracey. 
 "Why of course!" exclaimed Daddy.
 "Dear Lord," said Tracey, standing at the front of the chapel.  "Please don't take my sister yet?  She is so young.  Please keep her here with me for a long time yet.  I really need her."
 After everyone said a prayer for Shawna, they all felt much better and Shawna herself seemed to be in good spirits.
 "Please Daddy," Shawna pleaded with him when he told her he had to go back to New York.  "Just make sure you are here on Wednesday."
 "I will be here," said Daddy.  "I promise."

The day before Shawna's operation, Tuesday, September 11, 2001, rolled around.  Shawna was watching the television in her hospital room.
 "Ladies and gentlemen," said the news commentator, interrupting the cartoon show that Shawna was watching.  "Just moments ago a passenger aircraft just crashed into the World Trade Center."
 "Where is the World Trade Center?" Shawna asked the nurse that had just walked by her doorway.
 "Pardon dear," said the nurse, poking her head into Shawna's room.
 "Where is the World Trade Center?" Shawna asked.
 "Why it's in New York City," said the nurse.
 "Are you sure?" asked Shawna.
 "Oh I am positive," said the nurse.
 "Oh no!" gasped Shawna.  "That's where my Daddy is."
 "Why do you look so frightened?" asked the nurse, when she saw the look on Shawna's face.
 Shawna couldn't speak.  All she could do was point to the television.
 "What's going on?" asked another nurse out in the hallway.
 "This little girl was just telling me that her Father is in New York City," said the first nurse.
 "Oh no!" gasped Shawna again, pointing once more to the television.  "They just crashed into the second tower."
 Both nurses stood hovering over Shawna and her television set.
 "Dear, dear," cried the second nurse.  "They have crashed into the World Trade Center!"
 "My Daddy is in that building,'' cried Shawna.
 Shawna burst into tears.

"Oh Shawna!" cried Mother, rushing into her daughters hospital room.  "I was hoping that you hadn't heard the news."
 "Oh Mommy!" Shawna cried.  "Daddy is in that building!"
 "Shawna," said Mother.  "You can't get yourself all worked up like this.  You have to stay calm."
 Mother switched the television set off.
 "There," said Mother.  "That's better.  Now, I am going to call your Dad's office and see if we can find out
what is going on."
 Mother went down the hall to use the pay phone.  She prayed that she would be able to get a hold of her husband.  Right now, Shawna needed her Dad more than anything.  As she passed by the nurses station, she noticed that the nurses were all gathered around the television set with looks of absolute horror on their faces.
 "The towers are crumbling!" Mother heard one of the nurses scream. 
 "Oh my!" exclaimed Mother.
 Mother hurried back to Shawna's room.  She felt that there was no sense trying to call her husbands office now.  All she wanted to do was get back to Shawna's room to be with her daughters.
 "Did you call Daddy?" Shawna asked her Mother as soon as she got back.
 "Mom," said Tracey, noticing the worried look on her Mother's face.  "What's the matter?"
   "You didn't get a hold of Daddy, did you?" asked Shawna.
 "No, Shawna," said Mother.  "I didn't.''
 "How come?" Tracey asked.
 Mother wished that there was an easier way of telling her two daughters that their Father's office building was no longer there.
 "Shawna and Tracey," said Mother slowly.  "The reason I didn't call your Fathers office is because your Fathers office building is no longer standing.''

            "What do you mean Daddy's office building is no longer standing?" asked Shawna.  "Daddy works in the World Trade Center.  His building is over a hundred stories tall!"
 "Shawna," said Mother.  "Both towers collapsed.  I just saw it on the news."
 "Oh no!" exclaimed Shawna.  "What about Daddy?"
 "Shawna," said Mother.  "I just don't know."
 Shawna was silent for a moment.
 "Mommy," said Shawna.  "I don't want to have my operation tomorrow."
 "Shawna," said Tracey, who had been sitting quietly, trying to take everything in that her Mother had just told them.  "I think that you'd better have that operation.  The doctor said you might not live without it."
 "Shawna," said Mother.  "I think Tracey is right."
 "Mom," said Shawna.  "Did Daddy have his cell phone with him?"
 "Shawna," said Mother.  "What a wonderful idea?  Your Daddy takes his cell phone everywhere he goes when he is in New York."
 Mother went to the pay phone as quickly as she could.

           Ron was sitting at his desk on  one of the top floors of the North Tower in the World Trade Center, just moments before the first plane crashed into it.
 "Hey Ron," said Pete.  "Let's go for a coffee."
 "Okay," said Ron.  "I could use a break anyway."
 Ron and Pete got to the ground floor and just as they were opening up the lobby door and stepping out onto the street, they heard the sound of an airplane engine.
 "Gee, that sounds pretty close," said Ron.
 Then Ron and Pete both witnessed the airplane crash that would change their lives forever.  What they saw in the next few minutes was utterly terrifying.  Hundreds of people ran out in the street, screaming.  The streets were filled with pure terror, unlike anything anyone had ever seen before, and that was just the beginning. 
 Ron and Pete stood frozen for a second or two.  Then the same thought entered into their minds.  Both men were strong and healthy and there were plenty of people who were in need of their helping hands.  Ron and Pete headed back into the tower. 
 Ron and Pete were both horrified when they heard the same sickening sound of an airplane engine, coming straight for the second tower.
 "What is going on here?" asked Ron.  "There is way more to this than a simple plane crash!"
 "Yes," said Pete.  ''I would say that this is an act of terrorism."
 "Really," said Ron.  "Who would do such a thing?''
 "You are Canadian, aren't you?" asked Pete.
 "Yeah," said Ron.  "What does that have to do with anything?"
 "Your country is at peace with everyone," said Pete.  "The United States isn't."

 "Shawna and Tracey!" exclaimed Mother, happily.  "I just spoke with your Father!  He's alright!"
 "He is!" exclaimed Shawna and Tracey together.
 "Yes he is!'' exclaimed Mother.  "Apparently your Father managed to get out of the building before it collapsed."
 "I'm so glad he is okay," said Shawna.  "Did he say when he would be home?"
 "Shawna," said Mother.  "Your Father will be home just as soon as he can.  New York City has been completely blocked off and the airports are closed."
 ''Oh my!" exclaimed Shawna.  "You mean Daddy can't get home, even if he wanted to."
 "It's a real mess," said Mommy.  "Apparently, both towers collapsed.  Thousands of people have been trapped underneath the rubble."
 "You mean therl is no more World Trade Center!" exclaimed Tracey.
 "It's a massive pile of rubble," said Mother.
 "Gee Tracey," said Shawna.  "Remember when Daddy took us there last summer."
 "I remember," said Tracey.  "I remember how tall the buildings were.  It is so hard to imagine that the World Trade Center just isn't there anymore."
 "It is very sad," said Mother.  "Your Dad and his friend, Pete are helping with the cleanup effort."

Shawna sat upright in her hospital bed holding her head in arms. 
 "Are you alright?" Mother asked Shawna.
 "My head really hurts," said Shawna, close to tears.
 "I know," said Mother.  "It's no wonder, with all that is going on with you."
 "I miss Daddy," cried Shawna. "   I wish he was here right now."
 "I know you do," Mommy cried too.  "Tracey and I will be here for you.  Shawna, just know that Daddy will be here just as soon as he can."
 "I guess that there are way more people in New York that actually need my Dad more than I do," said Shawna seriously.
 "Shawna," said Mommy, between sobs.  "You are so unselfish.  Here you are getting ready to undergo a very serious operation tomorrow  and I know that you really want Daddy to be there with you and yet you are willing to share him with total strangers.  That is so wonderful."
 Mother and Tracey huddled around Shawna's bed and the three of them cried together.  All three were crying tears of war.  All three were overwhelmed with sorrow for the victims of the worst disaster to hit American soil.
 "Oh my," said a nurse, who was coming into check on Shawna.  "I don't think there is a dry eye in this hospital today."
 "I would doubt if there is a dry eye anywhere," said Mother, noticing that the nurse was wiping her eyes.
 The day of Shawna's operation finally came around. 
 "Daddy called me this morning and wanted to tell you that he wished you luck and that he loves you very much," Mother bent down and whispered into Shawna's ear as Shawna was being wheeled down to the operating room.
 Mother saw the biggest smile come over Shawna's face and that was when she felt that Shawna was going to pull through this operation with flying colours.
 "Daddy!" exclaimed Shawna, two days after the operation, as soon as she saw him standing in the doorway of her hospital room. 
 "Shawna!" he cried giving her a big, but gentle hug.  "I'm so glad you are alright!  I wanted to be here with you for your operation."
 "Daddy," said Shawna.  "I'd much rather have you here a few days late than not have you here at all."