Page 23 of Ricochet

“We were in the stuck tram!”

The man smiled and stepped to his scanner. “I bet that was fun.”

Colin snorted, and their tickets were scanned. They hustled down the jet way, and the door shut behindthem. A flight attendant met them at the door, again shutting the door behind them. The welcome and warning procedures were already in full spiel.

They took their seats, shoving bags under their feet as the overhead bags were closed. Javier and Sophia slid in first. Colin took the aisle. A woman came over, checking that their seat belts were fastened and their phones turned off. She hovered toinspect, as though they were troublemakers who might not listen.

Sophia pulled out her purse, spilling everything out and apologizing for the mess to the attendant who didn’t seem to care. Colin and Javier pulled their phones out.

Colin swiped the screen, ready to switch on airplane mode, but two text messages displayed below the missed calls.

MOM: Call back! Now! It’s about your dad.

JARED: Sorry about your loss this morning. If you need to take time off…

“Sir?” the attendant prompted.

He numbly tilted his head. The phone slipped into his lap. “My dad died.”

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