Kayla was drained—emotionally exhausted, physically spent, and six months pregnant—after saying goodbye to her grandmother. All she craved was her own bed, but she had to return home. As she packed, her mother asked, “Are you sure you want to leave today? You could stay longer.
” Kayla replied, “I wish I could, but I need to get back. Colin’s lost without me, and work won’t wait.” Her mother added, “Your father and I will be here a few more days, sorting through her things. I only wish she could have met the baby.” Clutching her belly, Kayla swallowed. At the airport, while waiting in lines, she reassured herself that a short flight was far better than a long drive given her condition. Once aboard, a friendly flight attendant offered to stow her carry-on while the woman beside her grumbled about hating flying and driving, saying she should have stayed home. Kayla chuckled, replying, “I feel the same way.”
As the plane’s engines roared and it ascended, Kayla closed her eyes, hoping for peace. Yet an unsettling feeling came when she noticed a man three rows back staring with an unnerving gaze that made her heart skip a beat. She quickly looked away, dismissing it as paranoia, though the feeling of being watched lingered. About ten minutes into the flight, a flight attendant with a blank expression approached and said curtly, “Ma’am, please come with me.
” Confused, Kayla unbuckled her seatbelt and followed the attendant to a quiet corner near the restroom. Once out of earshot, the attendant’s tone turned sharp as she ordered, “Get on your knees. Now.” Stunned, Kayla stammered, “What? Why? What’s going on?” but the command left no room for argument. Terrified yet compliant, she slowly knelt, her heart pounding. Suddenly, the man watching stepped forward and demanded in a firm voice, “Where is the golden necklace you stole?” Kayla’s breath caught as she protested, “What? I don’t know what you mean! I just came from my grandmother’s funeral!
” The man then showed blurry photos and documents, saying, “This is you at the museum two days ago, and this is you at the hotel where the necklace vanished. We’ve tracked you here.” Examining the images, Kayla noticed the woman resembled her but had a tattoo on her wrist—a detail she knew wasn’t hers. “Wait! That isn’t me!” she exclaimed. The man grabbed her wrist and insisted, “You might be hiding it with makeup. And pregnancy could be a disguise.”
Terror flooded her for herself and her baby, and then she felt a firm kick against her belly. Instinctively, she pressed his hand on her stomach and declared, “You can’t fake this.” After a pause, he sighed, “I’m sorry. You look just like her—I was convinced.” Relief began to settle in her chest, but her ordeal was not over. Suddenly, a sharp click shattered the silence as the attendant drew a gun and shouted, “Enough! Hands behind your backs!” Her blood ran cold.
In a shocking turn, the attendant sneered at a nearby detective, hurling zip ties at him and saying, “You were right about tracking me, but you had the wrong person.” The detective hesitated, and seizing the chance, Kayla kicked the attendant’s leg, sending the gun to the floor. The detective, named Connor, quickly pinned the woman, and they spotted a glint of gold around her neck—the stolen necklace. By landing, authorities waited at the gate, and the attendant was arrested. Connor apologized, saying, “We’ve tracked her for months; she’s a master of disguises. I got a tip she’d be on this flight, and when I saw you, I assumed…” Kayla gave a tired smile and said, “Now you know.” Stepping off the plane, relief washed over her when she saw Colin waiting with a bouquet. “Welcome home,” he murmured as he embraced her. In that moment, Kayla felt at peace—home and safe.
