Kayla, mourning the recent loss of her grandmother, was about to head home after the funeral, unaware of the nightmare awaiting her on the flight. Mistaken for someone else, Kayla had to rely on her wits to navigate the trouble she found herself in.
Exhausted from days of grieving, I longed to collapse into my own bed. Six months pregnant and emotionally drained from my grandmother’s funeral, I needed rest.
The funeral was tough, a poignant farewell to a woman who had been my rock throughout my life.
“Are you sure you want to leave today?” my mother asked as I packed my suitcase. “You can wait a few days if you need to just sit with this loss.”
He sighed, looking visibly relieved but also very embarrassed. “I’m so sorry. You look very much like her. I was convinced we were on the right track. I have to wait until we land to deal with this.”
“Look, I get it,” I said. “But I’m not her. I’m just trying to get home,” I said, feeling calmer as I tried to stand.
Then, the nightmare took a darker turn. The flight attendant pulled out a gun. “Enough! Both of you, hands behind your backs!”
She reached into her pocket and pulled out zip ties, tying the man’s hands first with her back to me.
“You’re not as foolish as you look,” she said to him. “You were right about tracking me to the plane. But you had the wrong person in mind.”
Another surge of fear for my baby made me act. With her back to me, I saw an opportunity and kicked her as hard as I could. She stumbled and fell, dropping the gun. Distracted, she hadn’t finished tying the man’s hands, so he tackled her.
As he did, we caught a glimpse of the gold necklace hanging around her neck.
“She’s the real thief,” he said, securing her. “She’s been posing as different people to avoid capture. I have no idea how she managed to board this flight as an attendant.”
“You are so brave for doing what you did. Thank you for stopping her before she tied me,” he said.
“I was just afraid for my baby,” I said, sighing. “I acted on instinct.”
The rest of the flight was a blur of apologies from the man and explanations to the crew and authorities.
“I’m Detective Connor,” he said, shaking my hand afterward.
The woman was arrested upon landing, with about fifteen police officers waiting at the gate.
“I am truly sorry for what you’ve been through,” Connor said.
“Just explain what happened,” I replied, needing closure before heading to find my husband.
“We’ve been tracking this woman for months. She’s been stealing valuable items and using disguises to evade capture. I received a tip she would be on this flight. When I saw you and your hair, I just thought…” he trailed off, clearly remorseful.
“You thought I was her,” I finished for him. “Well, I’m not. And now you know.”
“Yes, and I’m very sorry for the mistake, Kayla. I hope you can forgive me.”
Despite the ordeal, I felt a strange sense of relief.
As I walked through the doors and saw my husband standing there with yellow tulips and a wide smile, I instantly felt at peace.
“Welcome home,” he said, pulling me into a hug. “I’m so glad you’re back.”
We drove home in silence, enjoying each other’s presence. When we got home, I sat down with Colin and told him everything that had happened on the flight.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his eyes wide. “Are you shaken? Should we take you to a doctor to make sure everything is okay?”
“No,” I replied. “I’m absolutely fine. I just wanted to come back home to you.”
My husband put his hands on my stomach and smiled at me. “I’m glad you’re home,” he said again, kissing my stomach.
What would you have done?
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