“Did you know?”
“I didn’t know everything.”
“That is not what I asked.”
The friend cried harder.
“I saw her with the watch.”
The chairwoman stopped breathing.
“When?”
“The night after the flight.”
The room seemed to tilt.
The chairwoman sat.
“Where?”
“Crew hotel.”
“She came into my room.”
“Why?”
“She was scared.”
The chairwoman’s voice became almost a whisper.
“She had it?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“She said she found it.”
“Where?”
“In the galley cart.”
The chairwoman stared at the wall.
“Then why didn’t she turn it in?”
The friend sobbed.
“She said nobody would believe she just found it after she had already given the statement about you.”
The chairwoman’s eyes closed.
“Keep going.”
“She said if the watch appeared with her, management would think she stole it.”
“So she kept it?”
“At first she wanted me to hide it.”
The chairwoman’s stomach turned.
“Did you?”
“No.”
“I refused.”
“Then what?”
“She said she would handle it.”
“Did you tell investigators?”
Silence.
“Did you?”
“No.”
The chairwoman stood.
Her chair rolled backward.
“Why?”
“I was scared.”
“Of what?”
“She was senior.”
“She had influence.”
“She said if I contradicted her, management would think I was helping you.”
The chairwoman laughed.
A broken sound.
“And then you came to my apartment after I got fired.”
The friend cried.
“I know.”
“You brought food.”
“I know.”
“You sat on my floor while I cried.”
“I know.”
“You told me you believed me.”
“I did.”
“No.”
The chairwoman’s voice hardened.
“You knew enough to know I was being destroyed over something that did not make sense.”
The friend whispered:
“Yes.”
The chairwoman’s eyes filled.
“You let me think I was alone.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Twelve years.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You watched every door close.”
“I know.”
“You helped me prepare applications.”
“I know.”
“You told me the industry was unfair.”
“I know.”
“While knowing she had the watch.”
The friend could no longer speak.
The chairwoman pressed fingers against her forehead.
The hardest betrayal was not the blonde attendant.
Not anymore.
The blonde attendant had harmed her once.
Her friend had remained close enough to witness the consequences.
That wound went deeper.
The chairwoman asked:
“Did you ever see how she got the watch?”
“No.”
“Did she say?”
“She said she found it.”
“Did you believe her?”
“At first.”
“And later?”
Silence.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because three months later she bought a car she couldn’t afford.”
The chairwoman froze.
“What?”
“I thought maybe the passenger paid her.”
The chairwoman stared.
“Why would he?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did you have evidence?”
“No.”