transfer back here— this is where my family is from—so we moved back a year ago. Ting started working at that office in the World Trade Center only two weeks ago.”
“That might explain why people weren’t looking for her when they left,” my father said.
“Maybe,” Thomas said. “The important thing is that you two did see her. Without you, I would have lost my … And my girls … they would have been without their … without their …”
“Your daughters are so beautiful!” My mother beamed.
Ting said something to the girls in Chinese and they stood up. “These are daughters,” Ting said. “Meizhen and Mingzhu.”
Both girls curtsied. They were dressed in identical flowery dresses and wore matching black shoes and identical hairbands. With their shining dark hair and big eyes they looked like two little dolls. I felt so big compared to them.
“How old are your twins?” my mother asked.
Both girls held up four fingers. I would have thought they were younger because they were so small.
“Are they always this quiet?” my mother asked.
“Not always,” Ting said. “Sometimes tell them to … sssshhhh!” she said, holding a finger in front of her mouth.
“Do you know what happened to the rest of the people in your office?” my father asked.
“We had a phone call from Ting’s supervisor. They’ve located many people, but some are still un - accounted for,” Thomas said.
“It could be days before you know for sure,” my father said. “We’re trying to locate people from my office.”
Almost as if on cue, Suzie walked into the room.
“This is my right- hand woman,” my father said. “Any more luck?”
“With tracking down people or locating an office?”
“Both.”
“I just talked to Phil.”
“That’s great!” my father exclaimed. “I was worried about him the most.” My father turned to my mother. “Phil had a big deal brewing, and I was terrified that he might have ducked into one of the floors, found a phone, and started working again.”
“And Phil was speaking to Spencer,” Suzie added.
“Fantastic. How many does that make?” my father asked.
“We know the whereabouts of sixty- seven people,” Suzie said.
“That leaves us with thirty- two unaccounted for.”
“I’ll keep tracking. And I need you to make a final decision regarding a potential office. I have three sites, but we have to act fast. There are other businesses scrambling to find office space. New Jersey is going to become a very popular place.”
“Never with me,” my father added. “I’ve never for given them for taking away our New York teams. Bad enough that my beloved Jets have to share a stadium with those stupid Giants, but why does it have to be in New Jersey? That’s like adding insult to injury.”
“I don’t think you can be mad at them for having the Meadowlands,” Suzie pointed out.
“I don’t have to be reasonable about this,” myfather said. “This is sports, and reasonableness has nothing to do with …” He let the sentence trail off and a small, sad smile slowly formed on his face. “I guess what’s happened really does make this sports stuff seem a little bit irrelevant, doesn’t it?”
“It’s always been irrelevant,” Suzie said. “Glad you finally figured that out. So, I need you to make the final decision.”
“We’re obviously interfering with what needs to be done,” Thomas said as he rose to his feet.
“No, no, that’s quite all right,” my mother said. “Please, sit down for at least a few minutes.”
“Yes, we’re so pleased that you came by. It was so nice of you,” my father added.
“Regardless, I should be getting Ting home soon. She needs to rest,” Thomas said. He went over and helped Ting to her feet. She almost toppled over, and he helped her to regain her balance.
“A broken leg and painkillers are a bad combination,” Thomas explained as he passed Ting her crutches, still holding on to her with one hand. The two
“That might explain why people weren’t looking for her when they left,” my father said.
“Maybe,” Thomas said. “The important thing is that you two did see her. Without you, I would have lost my … And my girls … they would have been without their … without their …”
“Your daughters are so beautiful!” My mother beamed.
Ting said something to the girls in Chinese and they stood up. “These are daughters,” Ting said. “Meizhen and Mingzhu.”
Both girls curtsied. They were dressed in identical flowery dresses and wore matching black shoes and identical hairbands. With their shining dark hair and big eyes they looked like two little dolls. I felt so big compared to them.
“How old are your twins?” my mother asked.
Both girls held up four fingers. I would have thought they were younger because they were so small.
“Are they always this quiet?” my mother asked.
“Not always,” Ting said. “Sometimes tell them to … sssshhhh!” she said, holding a finger in front of her mouth.
“Do you know what happened to the rest of the people in your office?” my father asked.
“We had a phone call from Ting’s supervisor. They’ve located many people, but some are still un - accounted for,” Thomas said.
“It could be days before you know for sure,” my father said. “We’re trying to locate people from my office.”
Almost as if on cue, Suzie walked into the room.
“This is my right- hand woman,” my father said. “Any more luck?”
“With tracking down people or locating an office?”
“Both.”
“I just talked to Phil.”
“That’s great!” my father exclaimed. “I was worried about him the most.” My father turned to my mother. “Phil had a big deal brewing, and I was terrified that he might have ducked into one of the floors, found a phone, and started working again.”
“And Phil was speaking to Spencer,” Suzie added.
“Fantastic. How many does that make?” my father asked.
“We know the whereabouts of sixty- seven people,” Suzie said.
“That leaves us with thirty- two unaccounted for.”
“I’ll keep tracking. And I need you to make a final decision regarding a potential office. I have three sites, but we have to act fast. There are other businesses scrambling to find office space. New Jersey is going to become a very popular place.”
“Never with me,” my father added. “I’ve never for given them for taking away our New York teams. Bad enough that my beloved Jets have to share a stadium with those stupid Giants, but why does it have to be in New Jersey? That’s like adding insult to injury.”
“I don’t think you can be mad at them for having the Meadowlands,” Suzie pointed out.
“I don’t have to be reasonable about this,” myfather said. “This is sports, and reasonableness has nothing to do with …” He let the sentence trail off and a small, sad smile slowly formed on his face. “I guess what’s happened really does make this sports stuff seem a little bit irrelevant, doesn’t it?”
“It’s always been irrelevant,” Suzie said. “Glad you finally figured that out. So, I need you to make the final decision.”
“We’re obviously interfering with what needs to be done,” Thomas said as he rose to his feet.
“No, no, that’s quite all right,” my mother said. “Please, sit down for at least a few minutes.”
“Yes, we’re so pleased that you came by. It was so nice of you,” my father added.
“Regardless, I should be getting Ting home soon. She needs to rest,” Thomas said. He went over and helped Ting to her feet. She almost toppled over, and he helped her to regain her balance.
“A broken leg and painkillers are a bad combination,” Thomas explained as he passed Ting her crutches, still holding on to her with one hand. The two
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