Richard Dunham entered the virtually full first-class compartment with his Italian leather carry-on. Adjusting his immaculate suit sleeve, he searched the row for seat 4B. A excellent site.
He nodded happily. Till he saw her. A lady whose bulk overflowed onto his seat occupied Seat 4A.
She wore sweatpants and an oversized gray pullover with her frizzy hair pulled back. A tattered backpack rested at her feet. She seemed disoriented, like she had taken the wrong flight.
For illustration only, Richard smirked. “Excuse me,” he murmured, patting her shoulder. “I think this is first-class.”
Startled, she glanced up.
“Yes. I’m 4A.”
Richard blinks. “You sure?”
Nodding, she smiled shyly at her boarding card.
“Must’ve been some kind of mistake,” he whispered, groaning when they touched in 4B. He pressed the flight attendant button when he sat down. Staff appeared with a professional grin.
“Yes, sir?”
There must be another seat. “This one is cramped,” Richard muttered, looking at the lady next him. Some of us bought this section.”
The lady reddened and faced the window.
“I’m sorry, sir,” said the attendant. The flight is filled. No first-class or economy seats remain.”
Richard sighs and dismisses her.
“Fine. Get this over with.”
For illustration only. The jet went off, but not Richard’s murmuring.
He muttered about “low standards” and “cheap airlines” while taking out his iPad. Each time the lady moved, he exhaled loudly. He coldly suggested, “Can you maybe not lean so far over?” when she grabbed a water bottle.
“You’re practically in my lap.”
She looked ashamed. “Sorry,” she muttered, huddled. The elderly couple across the aisle grimaced.
Two rows behind him, an adolescent covertly filmed with his phone. She didn’t fight back. Around an hour into the journey, turbulence started.
The seatbelt light came on, and the captain said over the intercom:
Your captain speaks. We anticipate some hitches, but nothing major. I’d like to greet one of our first-class visitors while I have your attention.”
Curious, Richard glanced up.
“We are honored to have someone extraordinary fly with us today. She was the first woman to test-fly the HawkJet 29 and is one of our best military pilots. Help me honor Captain Rebecca Hill.”
A quiet beat.
The story doesn’t end here –
it continues on the next page.
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