On an ordinary Tuesday morning, the Harlow's café opened its doors to the public at eight o'clock, as it always did in the last fifteen years that it has been established at the corner of the Exeter street and Main Avenue. It was s sunny summer morning; people came and went as usual to the subway, walking down the streets, carrying their briefcases and coffees, talking on their cellphones, greeting colleagues at work, waiting for a cab or just waiting for the light change to green. It was completely normal, even for Kate who had woken up that day very late for work and forgotten her keys in her other jacket. Luckily, the landlady had another copy of the keys and Kate could come to her apartment after work, with any complication. It wasn't the first time that she had forgotten something but she was too worried about the result of her application form to the university that she could not think in anything else. In that paper was her destiny, her luck, her entire life…
She entered to the cafeteria 15 minutes late and her boss looked at her a bit angry, but he kept talking with some of the clients. Next to the counter was Sally, one of the waitress who was preparing a cappuccino for a woman who was waiting next to the counter with cakes and rolls. After being ready with her apron and a pony tail, she said hello to a new costumer, this time an old woman who couldn't decide between an espresso and a late. The Tv was on and the weather forecast was announced, next to a commercial and the new show advance about singers.
-How was Abigail's birthday?- asked Sally when they were preparing some coffees for the clients. The café was full of people was every week, most of them were watching the TV and other just talking about the last game of a famous NBA team. Kate remembered last night when after work she went to her brother's to celebrate the fourth birthday of one of her nieces- How old is she now?
- She's 4- answered Kate pouring water in the mugs- It was nice…like every single child's birthday with balloons, a cake and a lot of presents- she laughed, remembering her niece's face-We got so many things when we are kids… I missed that. Anyway, Kayla asked me to taking care of the girls this weekend, so I'll be carrying them.
- Are you going to be paid? - said Sally, when she gave the costumers one of the coffees.
-No- smiled Kate- We are family, you know how it works.
Both laughed. It wasn't going to be the first time that Kate would take care of her nieces, even though it wasn't something very hard, she wished to have doing something more that next Saturday. She never knew why her brother and her sister-in-law believed that she was really capable to taking care of her nieces, but apparently, Kate had a good relationship with kids, even though she wasn't the kids lover type.
-Oh my God!- said the old woman when she tasted the coffee. Her face, which one minute ago was happy, now seemed pale and terrified.
-What's wrong?-asked Kate immediately- Is it bad? Does it need more sugar?
The woman didn't say a word, looking above Kate's head, directly to the TV. Many people in the cafeteria started to look at the screen, trying to understand what was going on. Someone ask for turning up the TV and that was when Kate noticed that Sally was just pale as the old woman, looking at the screen.
-Oh my God- repeated the woman, horrified. Kate was petrified, not even understanding what was going on- Is that real? Oh my god…
-It seems that a plane has just crushed into one of the towers…-repeated the woman of the news and the image of a building, from which a huge cloud of smoke was taking up the screen. The images came from a helicopter which was flying, surrounding the high building and telling single detail of that event.
The first thing that Kate thought was in her family. She immediately left the coffees; and as many people did that morning, and took her cellphone and called his father. Luckily, the lines were still working at that hour but her father didn't pick up.
She wasn't really close to his brother but they had a good relationship. It was something natural that happens between brothers who had never have something in common; Mark was a typical guy who work for his family, owned a house and lived in the suburbs. He was good at school and got a scholarship for the university. But Kate was different; she was never very smart as her brother and forming a family wasn't exactly in the plans that she had for her future. Remembering that his brother worked near of the building, she called him.
Kate was the youngest of her family. Her mother died years ago and her father was still living in the suburbs, but she had lived in the center for a while after graduating for school. Her older brother, who was an executive in a travelling agency, was the second person she called that morning. The telephone lines appeared to the collapsed, but fortunately she hear the typical tones coming from the other line.
- Hello? Mark?- she said when someone appeared in the other line- Hi! It's me Kate… how are you?
- Kate?- his voice was a bit nervous, like impatient- Kate, can you hear me?
- Of course!- she smiled looking at what was happening in the screen- How are you? I tried to call dad, but the lines…
- Kate! Listen to me- tell her brother from the other line- Something happened, a plane crashed in the building and…
- I thought I was a lie!- she said surprised- I thought it was a movie… that's horrible
- Kate…- repeated her brother- I'm in the building… I'm in the tower!
Her heart stopped for a while. The images kept passing through the screen while the people where stand, just looking at them, covering their mouths with their hands. Mark said something at the phone, Kate was just looking the TV.
-Kate! Are you there?- repeated once- I need you to do something for me- he made a pause. She could hear the people talking from the other line, everything was confusing- We are going to evacuate the building but I need you to call Kayla.
-Where is she?- asked Kate.
-I've been calling her but she doesn't ask- said Mark, coughing- and Kate, please tell her I am alright and that we are leaving the building, okay?
She tried to call her sister-in-law for ten minutes but as he brother did, she had no answer. There were people on the street looking down where the center, where the two high towers were. Some were recording everything and some were just looking, while the sirens of the police, firefighters and ambulances kept ringing.
-Hello?- said Kate, with her cellphone near to his ear- Mark?
-Kate… - the voice was barely audible- Did you talk with Kayla? Was she alright?
- No, I couldn't- she answered. Her hand had started to shake, even though she wasn't very nervous there was something inside her which was telling her that something wasn't going right. Looking that building with all that smoke was overwhelming- Where are you? You have to come home with the girls…
-What happened? We don't even know what happened here- said Mark. His voice was faster as usual- Somebody said it was a fire or a bomb…
-It was a plane- tell her sister- You have to come home, Mark…
- It's too hot here- he said almost laughing- I'll try to be there at dinner.
-I'll keep calling here, okay? Don't worry. She'll be fine and you too- said Kate looking at those buildings. Mark said something from the other line but it wasn't understandable because of the noise. She kept calling her sister-in-law but she got any luck. Like most of the people, she kept looking what was on the screen of every single TV that morning and when the other plane hit the north tower, she knew that nothing would ever be the same.
