David followed his gaze.
“Without asking?”
Malik nodded.
“She dropped it in the aisle.”
David’s jaw tightened.
He took a slow breath.
“Anything else?”
“She said First Class was for people with first-class seats.”
A passenger across the aisle looked toward Catherine.
Malik continued.
“I told her I had one.”
David nodded.
“Did you yell?”
“No.”
“Did you refuse a safety instruction?”
“No.”
“Did you threaten anyone?”
“No.”
“Did you leave your assigned seat?”
“No.”
David stood.
The senior airport manager finally stepped forward.
“Mr. Johnson, I’m Robert Ellis, station director.”
David nodded once.
“I know who you are.”
Robert looked uncomfortable.
“We’re investigating what happened.”
“Good.”
David glanced toward the cabin.
“Start with the passengers who watched it.”
Several people straightened.
The businessman folded his newspaper completely.
The woman across the aisle raised her hand.
“I saw everything.”
Robert turned toward her.
“Ma’am?”
“She looked at his boarding pass.”
Catherine’s eyes moved toward the woman.
The woman continued.
“The boy was calm.”
“He kept showing her 2A.”
“She kept telling him to leave.”
Another passenger spoke.
“That’s what I saw too.”
Then another.
“She dropped his bag.”
Catherine looked toward Robert.
“I placed it in the aisle.”
Malik’s eyes widened.
David noticed.
He looked at Catherine.
“Was it in your hand?”
“Yes.”
“Did you lower it carefully?”
Catherine said nothing.
The woman across the aisle answered.
“No.”
David looked toward her.
“Thank you.”
Catherine’s face reddened.
“I wasn’t trying to damage anything.”
David nodded.
“That may be true.”
She seemed surprised.
He continued.
“But intent does not erase what my son experienced.”
Catherine looked down.
One executive near the door stepped forward.
“David.”
Malik looked at him.
The man wore a Mesa Airlines identification badge.
David’s expression remained formal.
“Richard.”
Richard Hale was Mesa Airlines’ senior vice president for operations.
He had met David many times.
Usually in conference rooms.
Usually with lawyers, engineers, and procurement teams present.
Never like this.
Richard looked toward Malik.
“Malik, I’m Richard.”
Malik nodded politely.
“I’m sorry this happened.”
“Thank you.”
Richard looked toward Catherine.
“We need to resolve this immediately.”
David’s eyes stayed on his son.
“It should have been resolved before I arrived.”
Richard nodded.
“You’re right.”
Catherine looked increasingly isolated.
She glanced around the cabin.
Several passengers were watching openly now.
David noticed her discomfort.
He did not enjoy it.
That surprised Catherine more than anger would have.
He turned toward Robert.
“Can we speak outside the aircraft?”
Robert nodded.
“Of course.”
David looked at Malik.
“Do you want to stay here?”
Malik glanced around.
Every face seemed focused on him.
He hated that.
“Can I come with you?”
“Absolutely.”
David reached for Malik’s backpack.
Malik stopped him.
“I can carry it.”
David nodded.
“Okay.”
Malik pulled the bag from beneath the seat.
He placed one strap over his shoulder.
Then he looked at Catherine.
She looked away first.
Father and son walked toward the boarding door.
Richard and Robert followed.
The second executive remained behind.
Catherine stood beside Seat 2A.
Nobody spoke to her.
When Malik reached the jet bridge, his shoulders finally dropped.
David noticed immediately.
He stopped.
“You sure you’re okay?”
Malik looked toward the aircraft.
“I didn’t like everybody watching.”
“I know.”
“I almost moved.”
David’s expression softened.
“That would have been understandable.”
“But it was my seat.”
“Yes.”
Malik looked at him.
“I didn’t want to use your name.”
David became quiet.
“Why not?”
“Because the ticket should work without your name.”
David stared at his son.
Then he nodded.
“You’re right.”
Richard stood nearby.
He heard every word.
His face tightened.
Malik continued.
“She only stopped because you came.”
David looked toward the aircraft door.
“That’s what we need to understand.”
Robert cleared his throat.
“We can move Malik to another premium seat while we investigate.”
Malik immediately looked at his father.
David looked at Robert.
“Why?”
Robert seemed confused.
“For his comfort.”
“His seat is 2A.”
“Yes.”
“So why should he move?”
Robert stopped.
Richard closed his eyes briefly.
David’s voice remained quiet.
“This is exactly the problem.”
Robert nodded slowly.
“You’re right.”
Malik watched the adults.
He realized something.
His father was not arguing for a better seat.
He was arguing against the idea that Malik should be moved again.
That mattered.
Richard looked toward Malik.
“Seat 2A remains yours.”
Malik nodded.
“Thank you.”
David turned toward him.
“You never needed him to give it back.”
Richard absorbed that.
“Yes.”
He corrected himself.
“Seat 2A was always yours.”
Malik smiled faintly.
“That sounds better.”
For the first time since David arrived, somebody almost laughed.
Even Richard smiled.
The tension eased slightly.
Then Robert’s radio sounded.
He stepped away.
David looked at his watch.
“You were supposed to depart ten minutes ago.”