M'Kaya Mnjama was true to her word--she DID return to "her beloved New York City"--, but it was an altogether different New York City from the one she had been accustomed to: it really bothered her not seeing the two Twin Towers gracing the city skyline. Each look at the missing towers was like an added slap to the face. Seething, white-hot anger and bile would automatically rise to her throat each time she thought of Osama bin Laden's ugly, sneering smirk and the hell the terroristic bastards put her through. HOW CAN THE FUCKING BASTARD SMILE WHEN HE MURDERED SO MANY INNOCENT PEOPLE?? she thought to herself, enraged. The thought of old Osama bin Laden made her want to vomit--in which she often did. Her appetite was a wreck.
M'Kaya DID have some plusses in her life by the time she'd returned to NYC: her mother's love, the constant companionship of her cat, "Furr-Face", and, most importantly, the love and support from friends like Louisiana Sandusky and her large family, Roberto and M'buti Sormiento, and, perhaps, best of all--the love of her boyfriend--and now FIANCE'--, Franklyn Jefferson, who had fallen in love with her while acting as her physical therapist during her time in the hospital. She also had the friendship of her surviving co-worker, Wendie Jo Malick, and her boss, Rick Pendleton (who was still recovering in the hospital from his burns). Each time she possibly could she would visit her boss and spend time with him.
M'Kaya also started going to counseling, to help her deal with the trauma of September 11, 2001, but it was NOT easy, especially when she'd hear of Al Quaeda's braggings of "possible attacks in the near future"; such rumors caused her blood to run icy-cold and her heart leap to her throat. She also started attending a Pentecostal church, something she'd never done previously. She needed to know that Jesus was looking out for her, and she sought His Presence whenever fear threatened to envelop her. (She had Louisiana Sandusky to blame for THAT one; Louisiana was a fired-up Pentecostal Cajun with a zest to ministering to others about Jesus Christ.)
But she DID do something she'd always done since the attacks: she still refused to watch the news on tv or read the newspapers; such things were still all too painful for her. And her missing leg was still another added "bonus" of September 11, 2001: it only reminded her of the collapsing towers and the deaths of her friends and so many other innocent people WHO DIDN'T DESERVE TO DIE THE WAY THEY DID.
M'Kaya was still far from her former self, but she was doing what millions of other people were doing across America (and most of the world): trying to live as "normally" as she possibly could and trying her best to return to a somewhat normal lifestyle.
She WASN'T about to let the terroristic bastards win by having her be scared all of the time--she HAD to carry on, SOMEHOW.
It certainly helped having Jesus Christ in her life, let alone, FRIENDS who loved her and cared deeply for her.
That was her greatest journey towards healing--although she would NEVER forget September 11, 2001. Not by a long shot.
