“It slipped.”
The attendant looked at the angle of the glass.
Then at the mother.
“Are you both okay?”
“My daughter is fine.”
The mother's voice was quiet.
The wealthy woman rolled her eyes.
“It was champagne, not acid.”
The mother stopped blotting.
Slowly raised her eyes.
The wealthy woman leaned back.
Something in the stare made her uncomfortable.
The Black executive spoke very calmly.
“Apologize to my daughter.”
The woman blinked.
“She is eight months old.”
“I know her age.”
“She won’t understand.”
“I will.”
The wealthy woman scoffed.
“This is absurd.”
The mother handed the cloth to the flight attendant for a moment and adjusted her daughter against her chest.
“Apologize.”
The woman's face hardened.
“No.”
Several passengers were now filming.
The executive noticed.
Did not care.
The lead purser arrived.
Older than the first attendant.
Dark hair.
Precise expression.
“What happened?”
The younger attendant answered before the wealthy woman could.
“Champagne was poured onto the child.”
The wealthy woman snapped:
“Spilled.”
The younger attendant looked directly at her.
“I saw the end of the motion.”
That mattered.
The purser crouched slightly beside the mother's seat.
“Is the baby okay?”
“Yes.”
“Would you like towels?”
“Please.”
The purser nodded to the younger attendant.
Then stood.
She turned toward the wealthy woman.
“Ma’am, I need you to gather your belongings.”
The wealthy woman's mouth opened.
“What?”
“We’re going to reseat you.”
“Where?”
“There is an available seat in business because of a missed connection.”
The woman laughed.
“You are not moving me.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I paid twelve thousand dollars for this ticket.”
The purser did not react.
“The passenger beside you is entitled to travel without being harassed.”
“Harassed?”
The wealthy woman pointed toward the mother.
“She has done nothing but antagonize me since I boarded.”
The mother looked almost amazed.
The purser said:
“I have reports from the cabin crew.”
“You have one junior attendant taking her side.”
“I also have several passengers recording.”
The wealthy woman looked around.
Phones.
Three visible.
Possibly more.
Her expression changed.
Not remorse.
Calculation.
She pointed toward the mother.
“This woman started the entire thing by refusing my assigned seat.”
The younger attendant said:
“It was never your assigned seat.”
The wealthy woman's voice rose.
“She should have moved.”
The purser said:
“She had no obligation to move.”
The woman stood.