“I asked to change seats. There happened to be another one available.”
He stared at me.
I kept my voice steady.
The flight attendant returned before he could respond.
Josh pointed at me.
He looked around at the other passengers.
I took a breath.
He shook his head.
Then he turned toward the attendant.
The attendant looked at me.
“Ma’am?”
For one terrible moment, I wanted to disappear. Everyone seemed to be watching.
I could have called it a misunderstanding. I could have apologized. I could have said I simply preferred the aisle.
And the argument might have ended.
But I’d already spent four miserable hours avoiding the truth. This time, I wasn’t going to do it again.
“Yes,” I said quietly. “I told you I was fine.”
Josh folded his arms with a victorious expression.
“See?”
I continued.
“But that wasn’t true.”
His smile disappeared.
“I said everything was fine because I didn’t want to cause an argument.”
I looked directly at the attendant.
“By then, I’d already asked him several times to stay in his own
space. My hip was hurting, and I didn’t know how to handle the situation without making a scene.”
Josh shook his head.
“That’s ridiculous.”
“No,” I replied. “It’s exactly what happened.”
My voice was soft. But I didn’t look away.
Before Josh could interrupt again, Henry spoke from the original row.
“She did ask him to move.”
Everyone turned toward him. He lowered his paperback.
“I was sitting beside them. I heard her ask more than once.”
Josh glared at him.
“Mind your own business.”
Henry met his eyes.
“I was sitting right here. It was happening directly beside me.”
I gave Henry a grateful smile. Then I faced the attendant again.
“I wasn’t asking for special treatment. I just wanted to be comfortable in the seat I’d paid for.”
She nodded.
“Of course, ma’am. You’re welcome to remain where you are.”
Then she addressed Josh.
“Sir, I’ve already asked you to sit down. Please do so now.”
Josh looked around the cabin. Several passengers were watching. His face tightened.
Finally, he returned to his seat.
I picked up my book. My hands were trembling slightly.
But for the first time that afternoon, I felt proud of myself.
I’d told the truth. And I hadn’t apologized for it.
For the next thirty minutes, I enjoyed something that had seemed impossible earlier.
Peace.
My hip still ached a little. But I could move my legs.
I finished two chapters of my book. I even ate the small packet of pretzels I’d been saving.
Then a shadow appeared beside my row.
I looked up.
Josh.
He stood in the aisle with an expression that was supposed to look apologetic.
“Listen, Celeste,” he began. “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”
I studied him.
“All right.”
He glanced toward the flight attendant.
“So we’re good now?”
I didn’t answer immediately.
There it was.
He wasn’t asking whether my hip felt better. He wasn’t concerned about the discomfort he’d caused.
He was worried about himself.
I closed my book.
“I haven’t decided whether I’ll report the incident.”
His expression hardened.
“Seriously?”
“Yes.”
He lowered his voice.
“I travel for work all the time. I can’t have some complaint attached to my name over something this stupid.”
I looked at him calmly.
“Then perhaps you should have listened when I first asked you to move.”
He rubbed his forehead.
“You’re really going to create trouble for me over a crowded airplane seat?”
I shook my head.
“You were the one who decided my space belonged to you.”
He glanced away. Then tried again.
“Just promise me you won’t file anything.”
I held his gaze.
“I’m not making that promise.”
