and she refuses to move."
Instead of checking Richard's boarding pass, the flight attendant
turned to Maya. Her smile faded into a tight line. "Ma'am, I'm going to
have to ask to see your boarding pass."
Maya felt a familiar, cold prickle of frustration. Why was she the one
being interrogated? "I've already checked my pass," Maya said, holding
her phone up so the attendant could see the screen. "Seat 2A. Maya
Linwood."
The flight attendant squinted at the screen, then looked back at
Richard. "Mr. Sterling, let me see your pass." Richard thrust the paper at
her. The flight attendant's face fell. "Mr. Sterling... you are in seat 2B. The
aisle seat. Right next to this one."
For a split second, Richard looked embarrassed, but that
embarrassment quickly warped into rage. "I don't care what that piece
of paper says!" he shouted. "I always sit by the window! It's my
preference. She can take the aisle. Tell her to move!"
The flight attendant looked at Maya, her expression apologetic but
pleading. "Ma'am, would you mind switching with Mr. Sterling? He's a
Platinum Medallion member, and it would really help smooth things
over."
Maya stared at the flight attendant in disbelief. "You want me to give
up the window seat that I paid for, and that is assigned to me, because
he threw a tantrum?"
"I'm just asking for a little cooperation," the flight attendant said, her
voice tightening. "It's a full flight. If you don't cooperate, I might have to
ask you to step off the plane."
The audacity of the threat hung in the air. Maya leaned back in her