Chapter 7 - Flight at 35,000 Feet
When Franklin, Evelyn, and Madison stepped onto the Boeing 777, the entire crew stood in crisp formation at the cabin entrance. The chief purser, a graceful woman named Sarah, bowed her head with utmost respect.
"Welcome aboard, Mrs. Whitmore. Mr. Franklin. Ms. Madison."
Franklin had never sat in a First Class seat in his life. The wide, reclining leather suite felt more like a living room than an airplane. Evelyn had arranged for Franklin’s seat to be right across the aisle from hers, while Madison sat directly behind them.
As the plane climbed above the clouds, leaving the gray morning haze behind and breaking into brilliant golden sunlight, the purser brought warm meals served on fine china.
Franklin looked out the oval window, watching the vast expanse of white clouds beneath them. He seemed mesmerized.
"Never flown First before?" Evelyn asked with a quiet smile.
"I’ve only flown three times in my life," Franklin admitted. "Once when I got drafted, once when Madison’s mother was sick and we flew to a specialist in Boston, and once today. It’s... peaceful up here."
"It is," Evelyn agreed. "When you're this high up, all the little buildings, the expensive cars, the bank towers—they all look like specks of dust. You realize how foolish people are down there, clawing each other’s eyes out over things that turn to dust."
As Franklin picked up his fork, Evelyn noticed something. His right hand was trembling. It wasn't a nervous tremor; it was an involuntary, rhythmic shaking that he tried to suppress by bracing his wrist against the edge of the tray.
Franklin saw her looking. He quietly pulled his hand back, sliding it under the linen napkin.
"How long have you had that tremor, Franklin?" Evelyn asked in a hushed tone so Madison wouldn't hear over the engine hum.
Franklin's smile faded into something solemn. He leaned slightly across the aisle. "Six months. The doctor says it’s early-stage neurological degeneration. Exposure to heavy industrial solvents over thirty years."
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Evelyn’s heart ached. "Does Madison know?"
"No," Franklin whispered. "She’s finally getting her life together. She’s finally breaking into the world she fought for. I won't burden her with medical bills and pity."
