"At 72, warnings don't impress me much."
Victoria Langford, who had been hunched over her phone, suddenly stood.
"This has become harassment. I am the one being harassed now."
Lena looked up from Maya's side.
"You're sitting there with coffee and cookies after eating her medical meal."
Victoria's voice rose.
"I did not steal anything."
"You demanded it."
"I accepted what the airline gave me."
"And now you're watching the woman it belonged to nearly pass out."
Victoria's face tightened.
"That is a disgusting accusation."
"No," Lena said. "It's an accurate description."
Clare came down the aisle quickly, finally carrying a small carton of orange juice.
For a second, Maya thought someone had listened.
Then Clare stopped beside Victoria and handed the juice to her.
"For your headache, Mrs. Langford."
The cabin reacted at once.
Not loudly.
But enough.
A gasp.
A curse under someone's breath.
The older woman across the aisle said, "Oh my Lord."
Lena stood fully now.
"You gave the juice to her?"
Clare stiffened.
"Mrs. Langford requested service."
"Maya needs it medically."
Clare turned to Maya.
"If Miss Williams needed juice, she could have asked politely instead of creating a scene."
Maya's voice was low.
"I asked."
"You accused."
"I documented."
Victoria took the juice carton and set it beside her coffee without opening it.
That was the worst part.
She did not even want it.
She wanted possession.
She wanted the cabin to understand who could still receive service and who had to beg for it.
Samuel Reed slowly rose as far as his seat belt allowed.
"Ma'am, give her the juice."
Victoria looked at him as if he had spoken out of turn in her own home.
"Sit down."
"Give her the juice."
Ethan moved toward Samuel.
"Sir, sit down now."
Samuel did not move.
"I spent 40 years teaching children what courage looked like. I'd be ashamed to sit quiet now."
Maya turned to him.
"Mr. Reed, please. I don't want them using you too."
Samuel looked at her gently.
"Child, they've been using silence all night."
Lena's phone continued recording.
The comments on her first video were multiplying so quickly she could no longer read them all.
Her second clip, the one with Clare saying "you people," had just begun uploading.
She kept one hand near Maya's shoulder, ready if Maya swayed.
Victoria picked up the unopened juice and held it out toward Clare.
"Take this away. I don't want anything touched by this circus."
Clare reached for it.
Lena stepped into the aisle.
"Give it to Maya."
Clare froze.
"Move back to your seat."