After closing the aircraft door, the flight attendant turned around and entered the mid-plane galley, which was just across the aisle from the boarding door.
Three minutes past the scheduled takeoff time. They would start taxiing soon.
The second steward began closing the dividing curtains that separated first class from economy. As she did, the intercom on the wall just outside the galley beeped and a small red light, just above the receiver, came on – a private message from the pilot’s cabin.
Linda craned her neck to get a better look.
As the flight attendant listened to the captain’s instructions, the expression on her face changed to something that Linda could easily read. First, an unsure kind of ‘what?’ look, which quickly mutated into an ‘oh really!’ expression. Once the flight attendant returned the receiver to its cradle, she turned to look at the passengers in economy class. She didn’t seem to be searching for anyone in particular – it was just a general look, but for some reason, Linda got the sense that all wasn’t well.
‘Ladies and gentlemen.’ The captain’s voice came through the speakers again. ‘Unfortunately, it seems that we might have a small delay coming our way. Nothing major, or to worry about. Paperwork, really. We’re just waiting for a member of our ground crew to come to the aircraft so it can all be resolved as fast as possible. Unfortunately, that means that we’ll stay on the ground for just a little longer. I apologize for this small delay, but like I said, it shouldn’t be a long one. I’ll keep everyone posted.’
Three seconds after the captain’s announcement, the intercom outside the galley beeped and lit up again. The same flight attendant answered it. After listening to her new instructions, the attendant disconnected and switched the mid-plane door back to manual before unlocking it and pushing it open. Both flight attendants went back to the same position they had been in when greeting the passengers, looking out the door and down the retractable corridor that connected the terminal to the plane.
Six minutes past takeoff time.
Something was wrong. Linda could tell. This was not about paperwork. Paperwork wouldn’t cause the flight attendants to look that anxious.
All of a sudden, both attendants shifted their weight before taking a step forward, clearly ready to greet someone whom Linda guessed was just coming down the corridor.
The anticipation made Linda’s mouth go bone dry.
At the boarding door, a woman finally appeared. She wore blue jeans and a black shirt, under a dark-brown leather jacket, which seemed to be a size too large. Her black hair was cut short and neat.
That was not a member of the American Airlines ground crew. Linda had no doubt about that.
The flight attendants took a step back to allow the brunette to enter the plane, and as she did, the dividing curtains that had been pulled shut just moments earlier were pulled back open again and the captain appeared. The four of them stood in a circle, while the brunette explained something to the group. As she spoke, the taller of the two flight attendants turned to look at the passengers in economy class once again. Another general look, targeting no specific seat.
Linda also looked around at the other passengers in the cabin. Some of them were getting fidgety.
‘Maybe this isn’t about me,’ she thought. Maybe she was just being paranoid – but paranoid or not, Linda convinced herself that she needed to think of something, and she needed to do it fast.
She had already clocked the nearest emergency exit, four rows of seats behind her, but getting there quickly could be a problem, especially because all three seats on the exit row next to it were taken.
Linda checked the group at the boarding door once again. The brunette seemed to be explaining something to the pilot and the two flight attendants. As she did, the pilot’s attention moved to the passengers in economy class for a split second.
Linda immediately averted her eyes, pretending to be adjusting her seatbelt. That was when she remembered the coincidence – the amazing, ridiculous coincidence that she had come across yesterday, just before booking her seat on the flight.
Maybe it’s a sign, she had whispered to herself then. Maybe it really was a sign because coincidence or not, that could work as a plan ‘C’. She thought about it for just a couple of seconds before making her mind up. This would get messy, she knew that much, but as things stood right then, she saw no other way out.
Linda took a deep breath, unfastened her seatbelt, and got up. A heartbeat later, she was moving toward the group at the door.