Page 27 of Here One Moment

I think the truth is that feelings about psychic predictions can be as layered as a German Black Forest cake. Your rational mind says, Nonsense! Your subconscious says, What if it’s true?

Sometimes it depends on the time of day. A person who scoffs in the sunshine can wake with a pounding heart in the dark depths of the night.

I don’t know how the bride reacted to my terrible prediction. I don’t know if she was skeptical or angry or offended or frightened.

I don’t know if she remembered a particular incident, an incident she had been trying to forget, downplay, or justify, and thought, What if it’s true?

Chapter 22

Cabin crew, please prepare the cabin for landing.

Someone has to respond to the flight deck to acknowledge the PA. Normally it would be Allegra, but she’s stuck in the middle of the airplane, stuck in the middle of what may be the worst flight of her career. If no one responds to the PA, they’ll do it again or phone the cabin to check if they’re okay, and are they okay? Because there is still no sign of Ellie and Anders, and meanwhile the injured guy sobs and the fortune teller trots merrily on. She is currently talking to the bride and groom.

Allegra turns stiffly to face the front of the plane, and thankfully there is Kim, drawing the business-class curtain back. Allegra signals “phone” with her hand. Kim gets it, nods. So that’s under control, and once again Allegra is walking down the aisle, her skirt damp against her thighs, trying not to breathe in the toxic, gut-twisting smell of that seemingly sweet child’s vomit. (Is there some in her hair?) “Could you put your tray table back up, please, sir? Could you open your window shade, please, madam?”

Cabin prep must still be done, even while a passenger distributes deathly predictions.

Allegra sees Ellie finally emerge from the galley. About time! Thank you!

She comes face-to-face with the lady. They exchange a few words. Ellie puts her hand on the lady’s arm.

Well done, Ellie, turn her around, get her back to her seat.

But Ellie smiles and nods at the lady, then steps around her and walks briskly toward Allegra. The lady continues on her way.

Allegra can’t believe it. “Why didn’t you stop her?” she hisses when they reach each other.

“Stop who?” says Ellie. “I’ve been with Anders.” She lowers her voice. “He fainted.”

“What?” For goodness’ sake. “Is he okay?” She’s going to kill him. Intermittent bloody fasting.

“I gave him something to eat,” says Ellie piously. “He’s fine now.”

“Good. Well done. So now please help me stop this lady.” Allegra points.

Ellie turns to look. “That lady? Why? She’s fine. She’s just on her way to the toilet. She mentioned something about having bladder cancer? And being eighty-eight? I said I was sorry and to let us know if she needed anything.”

“No, she doesn’t mean—” Allegra catches herself. “She’s upsetting people. We need to get her back to her seat.”

“The seat-belt sign isn’t on yet,” says Ellie. Her nostrils twitch and she looks aghast at the state of Allegra’s uniform. “What happened toyou?”

A passenger says, “You two need to stop the chitchat and get that freaky fortune teller under control.”

A wave of something halfway between laughter and tears builds in Allegra’s chest. She ignores the passenger and keeps walking toward the lady.

Ellie follows. “Sorry, I didn’t realize—wait, was she telling my fortune just now?”

Allegra reaches the lady as she is pointing at a passenger in the second-to-last row.

“I expect—” she says.

“Excuse me.” Allegra’s voice is firm and loud. Her hand hovers respectfully over the lady’s shoulder without actually touching her. “Madam?”

“Please don’t interrupt.” The lady glances back at her. “I need to focus.”

The passenger in the aisle seat is a woman with a crazy mop of curly gray hair and red-framed glasses. “Yes, let her focus!” she says cheerily. “It’s my turn! I want to hear what she has to say.”

“Madam,” sighs Allegra.

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