The captain’s husband came to me
for help in a plane crash, but I
turned off the radio
Chapter 1
My husband, a pilot, called in for aerial
assistance.
Me? An air traffic controller, blasting music
through my earbuds.
Last time, when his plane malfunctioned, I
walked him through every single diagnostic,
coordinated everything like a damn pro.
He and his passengers made it down safely.
But when I, eyes red, ran to meet my husband
at the gate, he had the nerve to rip into me.
く
“Why’d you feed me bad instructions? You
almost killed two hundred souls!” he
screamed.
Seeing the crowd turn ugly, his co–pilot and
my supposed best friend, jumped in to “help“.
“Hey, let’s not get too carried away here,
guys.” she said.
I saved everyone on that plane.
And that unhinged mob trampled me to
death!
I snapped awake, back to the day of their
flight.
“Starlight 3213, you’re cleared for takeoff.”
<
I sat in the tower, cold as ice, giving my
husband, Hank, the go–ahead.
His voice, raspy as hell, came through the
radio.
“No ‘smooth skies‘ today, baby?” he asked.
Every damn time Hank took off, I’d give him the whole “safe flight” spiel, half prayer, half nagging.
Now? I choked down the bile and hatred.
“Smooth skies, Hank” I forced out.
As an air traffic controller at Cityville Airport,
my job is dead simple: bring those birds in safe, get those folks home.
Last time, Hank barely got off the ground
before he called in a mayday.
My heart leaped into my throat.
I helped him troubleshoot, watched the
weather like a hawk, and kept the airspace
clear.
He turned back, landed that plane in one piece, two hundred–plus people safe and
sound.
I, red–eyed mess, ran to the arrival gate to greet him.
And there was Hank and Susie Sunshine, practically being carried on the shoulders of grateful passengers.
<
“Thank God for Captain Hank and First
Officer Susie! Without their cool heads and
skills, we’d all be toast!” they said.
Seeing my husband and so–called best friend,
soaking up the praise, should have made me
proud.
But as I went over to him, Hank flinched away
from my hug and slapped me so hard my ears
rang.
“Weather was dodgy, and you didn’t give us
real–time updates? Fine,” Hank spat, jabbing
a finger in my face. “But why the hell did you
feed me wrong instructions? Do you have any
idea that you almost wiped out our entire
flight?”
Hearing him lay out my “crimes” in front of
<
everyone, I felt like I’d been struck by
