Chương 7
Karen did.
Mara entered it into her own phone as a temporary contact without naming it.
Her hands shook.
The plane started moving again.
“Could be spoofed,” Karen said.
“What does that mean?”
“The displayed number might not be the real sender.”
“Then why save it?”
“Because we save what we have.”
The sentence sounded practiced.
Mara wondered how many months Karen had been speaking that way.
Save what we have.
Don’t overstate.
Don’t guess.
Don’t trust too fast.
Daniel had probably learned the same habits before he died.
The thought made her angry at him.
That surprised her more than anything.
He had left a key with a seven-year-old.
He had recorded confrontations in parking garages.
He had told lawyers things he had not told his pregnant wife.
He had driven home after midnight with people possibly watching him.
And then he had died.
Mara pressed Noah closer.
She had spent five months worshiping the dead because grief made criticism feel like betrayal.
Now, for the first time, she wanted to yell at Daniel.
The desire was so sharp it steadied her.
“What else did he hide from me?”
Karen looked at her.
“I don’t know.”
“Stop saying that.”
“It happens to be true a lot.”
“He was my husband.”
“Yes.”
“You knew he was scared.”
“Yes.”
“You knew he was meeting lawyers.”
“Not until afterward.”
“You knew enough.”
Karen’s face tightened.
“You think I don’t know that?”
Mara went quiet.
Karen looked out the window.
The terminal buildings slid slowly past.
“I spent months replaying every conversation,” she said.
“I’d remember one word differently and convince myself it mattered.”
Mara did not answer.
Karen continued anyway.
“He asked me once if I thought people could get fired for doing the right thing.”
“What did you say?”
“I said people get fired for doing the wrong thing all the time and call it restructuring.”
Louise frowned.
“That doesn’t answer the question.”
“No.”
Karen gave her a tired look.
“I wasn’t very good at answering questions I didn’t want to think about.”
Mara understood that more than she wanted to.
The plane finally reached the gate.
Seat belts clicked open throughout the cabin almost in unison.
The flight attendant appeared near their row before anyone could stand fully.
“Mrs. Mercer.”
Mara looked up.
“The captain has asked that you remain seated for a few minutes after the other passengers deplane.”
Karen’s expression changed.
“So you called someone.”
“I informed the captain of the dispute.”
“Who did he call?”
“I don’t have that information.”
Karen stood anyway.
The attendant blocked the aisle with her body.
“Ma’am, please sit down.”
“I have a connection.”
“You’ll be given assistance if necessary.”
Karen stared at her.
Then she sat.
Nearby passengers began filing past.
Some avoided looking at them.
Others did not bother pretending.
The man across the aisle paused.
“Good luck,” he said to Mara.
Mara nodded.
Karen muttered, “Fantastic.”
The man heard her.
“You started it.”
Karen looked up.
He continued toward the exit before she could respond.
Louise whispered, “He’s right.”
“Lou.”
“What?”
Mara rubbed her forehead.
“Nothing.”
The cabin emptied slowly.
A woman carrying a toddler gave Mara a sympathetic smile as she passed.
An older man paused beside Karen and said, “Bathrooms are disgusting, by the way.”
Karen stared at him.
He walked off.
Louise covered her mouth.
Mara looked at her.
“Don’t.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You’re laughing.”
“I’m trying not to.”
Mara failed first.
One small laugh escaped.
Louise joined her.
Even the flight attendant’s mouth twitched.
Karen looked wounded and furious.
“This is unbelievable.”
Mara’s laughter died.
“You told a nursing mother to feed her infant in an airplane bathroom.”
“I know what I said.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
Karen’s voice cracked slightly.
“I know.”
The admission changed the silence.
Mara watched her.
“Why did you say it?”
Karen looked toward the emptying aisle.
“I was already upset.”
“That doesn’t explain it.”
“No.”
Karen exhaled.
“I saw Louise first.”
Louise stopped smiling.
Karen continued.
“She looked familiar.”
Mara felt the air change again.
“From where?”
“I had seen family photos.”
“Daniel showed you?”
Karen shook her head.
“His desk.”
Mara remembered the framed picture from Daniel’s office.
Louise missing her two front teeth.
Mara pregnant with Noah.
Daniel standing behind them with both arms around their shoulders.
“So you recognized her.”
“I thought I did.”
“And then?”
“Then I saw you.”
Mara’s pulse quickened.
“You knew who I was before you insulted me.”
Karen closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
Mara stared at her.
Louise whispered, “Why?”
Karen looked at Mara.
“Because I panicked.”
“You panicked, so you attacked me?”
“I didn’t think.”
“You thought enough to point toward the bathroom.”
“I know.”
“You thought enough to say people with babies should stay home.”
Karen looked down.
“That was cruel.”
“Yes.”
“I know.”
Mara waited for an explanation.
Karen struggled with it.
Finally she said, “I wanted you to move.”
“Why?”
“Because I didn’t want to sit next to you.”
The honesty hit harder than an excuse would have.
Mara felt her face go cold.
“Why not?”
“Because I knew if you recognized me, I’d have to tell you things.”
“I didn’t recognize you.”
“I know.”
“So you humiliated me to make me leave.”
Karen swallowed.
“Yes.”
Louise’s voice became flat.
“You were scared of Mom.”
Karen looked at her.
“I was scared of what I knew.”
“That’s not the same.”
“No.”
Louise slid closer to Mara.
The final passengers passed them.
Overhead bins slammed shut.
The cabin became strangely spacious.
A cleaning crew waited near the front galley.
The flight attendant’s radio crackled.
She listened, then approached.
“Airport police are coming onboard.”
Karen stood again.
This time nobody told her to sit.
Mara felt fear move through her stomach.
“Why?”
The attendant looked apologetic.
“Because of the message.”
“You told them about it?”
“I told the captain there may be a threatening communication.”
Karen cursed under her breath.
Mara looked at her.
May you like
“Was that wrong?”
Karen rubbed the back of her neck.
