Off The Record
He Mocked Her At The Airport Gate — Hours Later, She Saved His Life
Dr. Carter was relieved to see the tiny queue and hurried towards the airport counter.
She was running out of time since she had to take an urgent flight to attend to a serious medical issue. Nerves made her hands tremble a little.
She fumbled with her purse as her turn drew near, spilling its contents all over the floor.
She scarcely noticed the couple approaching the counter next to her as she dropped to her knees to collect her belongings.

“Please give me two tickets to Santa Monica,” Michael asked urgently.
The man behind the counter, Luke, looked at Dr. Carter with ambivalence before responding, “There are only two seats left.”
Dr. Carter sprang to her feet, holding her belongings tightly. “Please, there is an emergency, and I must board that aeroplane.” She said, her voice tense with emotion, “I’m a doctor.”
Her request was hardly acknowledged by Michael. “We arrived first.” “We own these seats,” he demanded, displaying his credit card.
His girlfriend, Dana, looked at Dr. Carter and then at Michael. “Perhaps we should give her a seat?”
Michael, however, shook his head. “No. We planned. We will not stray from them.”
“It’s about saving a life,” Dr. Carter remarked, her voice trembling.
Michael swivelled, his voice icy. “Life is difficult. Everybody has issues.” Then Jesus said, “Go ahead and book it,” to Luke.
Luke made the reservation. Michael joyfully accepted the boarding passes.
When Dana gave Dr. Carter a pitying look, the physician said, “Thank you,” and then turned back to Luke. “Is a different flight scheduled?”
Luke looked at his screen. “One seat was still available. However, it was just booked by someone. You can be placed on standby by me.”
Dana looked back as she and Michael made their way to their gate. “It’s unbelievable how contemptuous you were.”
With his phone engrossed, Michael shrugged. Dana, we are unable to assist everyone. That’s the way things are.
Dana scowled. “Do you ever consider anyone besides yourself?”
Michael yelled, “Watch it!” as he ran into another couple at that precise moment.
Dana became even more disappointed after the pair apologised.
Dana became nervous on board. Above her, a light flashed, and she heard an odd sound. “Have you heard that?” she said in a whisper.
It isn’t anything. Michael flipped a page in his magazine and murmured, “Calm down.”
We are seated in row 13. Earlier, you were impolite. Could this be karma?
“Stop being so dumb,” Michael sneered.
The plane was suddenly shaken violently by turbulence.
People let out a shout. Michael almost had his head struck by a suitcase that fell from an overhead bin.
He laughed and said, “That was close.”
Dana gazed. “You find that amusing?”
Overhead, the captain’s voice sounded, reminding everyone to buckle up.
The plane stabilised after a difficult period.
Michael gestured to one of the flight attendants. “I nearly got struck by some luggage.” We are entitled to free beverages.
Two martinis were brought back by the attendant.
Michael raised his glass. “To live.” After swallowing his, he grabbed Dana’s unopened drink. “You don’t desire it?”
She responded bluntly, “No.”
He took hers and shrugged. He started coughing and wheezing almost instantly. The olive had not gone down well.
Dana leaped to her feet, put her arms around him, and did the Heimlich. The olive flew out with a hard thrust.
Breathlessly, she questioned, “Are you okay?”
He coughed and said, “Yes,” but added, “No olives next time.”
“You really need to manage your condition more carefully.”
“I’m all right.” He remarked smugly, “It will take more than an olive to defeat me.”
Later, the cabin began to smell odd.
Dana replied uneasily, “Something’s burning, Michael.”
“That’s nothing,” he said.
But soon there was smoke.
A flight attendant attempted to put out a tiny fire.
Dana took hold of Michael’s arm. “We must assist!”
Michael reluctantly helped the attendant and managed to extinguish the fire. The passengers applauded.
You see? He proclaimed, “Crisis averted.”
“Did you assist merely to impress others or to be helpful?” Dana whispered.
Michael remained silent.
Dana later replied, “I received a job offer,” with hesitation. In a different city.
Michael made a quick spin. “What? Did you not tell me?”
“I had no idea how. Following today… We seem to be going in separate directions.”
“You can’t simply walk away.”
“Michael, this is my dream job.”
“How about us?”
“I have always stood by you. Why are you unable to help me?”
“Because you are putting a job ahead of me.”
“That is unfair. For once, I’m selecting myself.”
He said, “We’re done if you accept it.”
Dana’s heart fell. They sat quietly.
Dana spoke at last as the plane came down. “Your actions today… made a point.” Someone who can relate to me is what I need.
That’s it, then? Are you ending our relationship?
“Yes,” she said in a whisper.
Astonished, Michael stood. then gripped his chest tightly. “My heart, Dana.”
Dana went into a panic. Michael?
Then he burst out laughing. “I got you.”
“That’s not funny!” she screamed angrily.
Michael moaned and fell to the ground as she hurried away. “Dana.”
He gasped when he hit the floor. An onboard nurse hurried over. “He has tachycardia.”
At the gate, paramedics greeted them. Doctors were working feverishly at the hospital, and Michael was surrounded by turmoil.
“Where is Dr. Carter?” a physician enquired.
Someone said, “She missed her flight.”
The lead physician unhappily murmured, “We’re losing him.”
As he faded in and out, Michael thought of Dana, their quarrel, and the things he had thrown away.
Dana sat next to his bed in a silent hospital room, holding his hand.
She heard a nurse say, “He’s stable, but it’s critical.”
Michael opened his eyes a little. “What happened?”
“Your heart attacked you.” “You were saved by Dr. Carter,” Dana remarked.
Michael blinked. “From the airport?”
Just then, Dr. Carter came in.
“You…” “Weakly,” Michael said.
Indeed. I managed to board a charter aircraft. You were fortunate.
“I apologise… and I’m grateful.”
Dr. Carter grinned. “Look after your heart, both physically and emotionally.”
When she was gone, Michael turned to face Dana, tears in his eyes. “I’ve been terrible. I was self-centred. Now I see that.”
“First, let’s get you better.”
“I’ll help you with your work. You are worthy of happiness.”
Dana became softer. “You’d help me with that?”
Indeed. Even if it’s not with me, I still want you to be happy.
Dana grinned as she squeezed his hand.
Forgiveness started then, and hope came back.
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