Caleb thought nothing of blocking a doctor from boarding by taking the last seats on a flight. But when a chain of misfortunes unraveled midair, his ruthless choice returned to haunt him in ways he never expected.
Dr. Julia Harrington rushed through the sliding glass doors of the airport, her carry-on bouncing at her side and her purse slung haphazardly over one shoulder. She had barely made it through traffic and security, and her nerves were fraying. A patient’s life depended on her getting to Santa Monica before the night was over. The hospital there had requested her specifically for a complicated cardiac surgery. Every second mattered.
To her relief, the check-in counter wasn’t overcrowded. Only a short line remained, and Julia exhaled a shaky breath. Maybe luck was finally on her side.
When it was her turn to step forward, disaster struck. Her purse strap slipped off her shoulder, and the contents of her bag—wallet, medical papers, stethoscope, a small notebook, loose change—spilled across the glossy airport floor. Julia crouched quickly, scrambling to gather her things, her cheeks burning at the inconvenience of it all.
At that very moment, a man and woman swept up to the counter.
“I’ll take two tickets to Santa Monica. Now, please,” the man demanded.
The airline attendant, a young man with a crisp uniform and tired eyes, froze. His name badge read Owen. He shifted uncomfortably before replying. “We only have two seats left.” His gaze flicked toward Julia, who was still kneeling, trying desperately to collect her scattered belongings.
Julia straightened just enough to speak, her stethoscope dangling from her hand. “Please, I need one of those seats. I’m a surgeon, and this is an emergency. A patient’s life depends on me making this flight.”
The man didn’t even glance at her. He slapped a credit card onto the counter. “The tickets are ours. Book them.”
His partner, a gentle-looking woman with auburn hair and worried eyes, hesitated. “Caleb, maybe we should let her have one of the seats? She said it’s an emergency.”
But Caleb brushed her off with a curt shake of his head. “We’re not rearranging our plans for a stranger. End of story.”
Julia rose to her feet, desperation tightening her voice. “Please, I’m begging you. Someone will die if I don’t make it there in time.”
Caleb finally turned toward her, his expression cold and dismissive. “Life’s tough. We all have problems.” With that, he pushed the credit card closer to Owen. “Finish the booking.”
Owen hesitated for half a second, then processed the tickets. Caleb accepted the boarding passes with a smug smile, while Julia’s shoulders sagged.
The woman beside him gave Julia an apologetic look, her lips parting as though to speak, but Caleb tugged her arm. “Let’s go, Lydia,” he said, ushering her away.
Julia’s voice quivered when she murmured, “Thank you for at least understanding,” in Lydia’s direction. Then she turned back to Owen. “Is there any other flight? Anything at all?”
Owen’s fingers flew across the keyboard. “There was one seat left on the later flight, but…” He paused, grimacing. “It just got booked. I’m so sorry, Doctor. I can put you on standby.”
Julia nodded, forcing composure, though her stomach knotted with frustration. Time was slipping away.
Meanwhile, Caleb and Lydia walked briskly toward their gate. Lydia’s conscience gnawed at her.
“How could you be so indifferent back there?” she asked quietly.
Caleb barely looked up from his phone. “We can’t fix everyone’s problems, Lydia. We stick to our plans. That’s life.”
She shook her head. “Sometimes, I wonder if you ever think about anyone besides yourself.”
They rounded a corner and collided with another couple. Caleb snapped instantly. “Watch where you’re going!”
The startled pair apologized profusely, hurrying past. Lydia’s heart sank.
Onboard the plane, Lydia noticed a flicker of light overhead and an unsettling whirring noise from the engine. Her unease grew. “Caleb, do you hear that?” she whispered.
“It’s normal. Airplanes make noise. Stop worrying.” He flipped a page of his magazine without looking at her.
“Our seats are in row thirteen,” Lydia muttered. “You were so rude earlier. Karma has a way of—”
“Don’t start with that superstitious nonsense,” Caleb interrupted, rolling his eyes.
But before he could finish, the plane jolted violently. Passengers screamed as overhead compartments popped open. A heavy suitcase tumbled out, narrowly missing Caleb’s head. He laughed. “That was close!”
“Close?!” Lydia gaped at him. “You almost got crushed!”
The captain’s voice filled the cabin, calm but firm. “Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seatbelts. We’re experiencing turbulence.”
Eventually, the plane steadied. The captain assured everyone the worst was over. Tension still lingered, but Caleb acted as though nothing had happened. He flagged down a flight attendant.
“A suitcase almost killed me. I think we deserve complimentary drinks,” he said smugly.
Lydia stared at him in disbelief as the attendant forced a polite smile and brought two martinis. Caleb lifted his glass. “To surviving the ride.” He tossed it back, then reached for Lydia’s untouched drink and downed it too.
Seconds later, his face flushed crimson. His hands flew to his throat as he gasped, choking violently. The olive from the martini had lodged in his airway.
“Caleb!” Lydia shot to her feet. Instinct took over. She wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling hard. Once. Twice. On the third thrust, the olive shot from his mouth, bouncing off the seat ahead.
He coughed, catching his breath. “I’m fine,” he rasped, then croaked to the attendant, “Another martini—no olives this time.”
Lydia gaped at him. “Caleb, you need to take this seriously. You have a heart condition.”
He smirked. “It takes more than an olive to take me down.”
But as the flight continued, trouble wasn’t finished. A faint burning smell drifted through the cabin. Smoke curled from one of the storage compartments.
Lydia gripped Caleb’s arm. “Something’s wrong.”
Flight attendants rushed with extinguishers. Caleb grabbed one, pushing in front. “Let me handle this.” He sprayed until the flames hissed out, then puffed out his chest when passengers clapped. “See? No need to panic with me around.”
Lydia leaned closer. “Why do you always need to turn everything into a performance?”
He ignored her.
Hours later, as the plane cruised smoothly again, Lydia hesitated before speaking. “I need to tell you something. I was offered a job in Denver. It’s a huge opportunity.”
Caleb’s head snapped up. “Denver? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“I didn’t know how,” she admitted. “And after everything today… maybe it’s a sign that we’re not on the same path. I need to think about my career.”
“You’d leave everything here? Leave me?”
“It’s not about leaving you. It’s about not sacrificing myself.”
Caleb’s jaw tightened. “If you take that job, it’s the end of us.”
She stared at him, hurt deepening. “So it’s your way or nothing?”
Their conversation ended in silence.
As the plane descended, Lydia tried one more time. “Caleb, your behavior today has made me realize something. I need someone who truly understands me—”
“You’re breaking up with me?” he cut in.
Tears stung her eyes. “Yes. I can’t keep doing this.”
Caleb staggered to his feet, clutching his chest dramatically. “Lydia—my heart!” He groaned in exaggerated agony.
She froze, alarmed. “Caleb, are you—?”
Then he laughed cruelly. “Relax. You really thought I was having a heart attack because you broke my heart?”
“That’s not funny!” she snapped, shoving past him.
But as she stormed down the aisle, Caleb’s smirk vanished. He gasped again, clutching his chest for real this time. His face drained of color, and he collapsed onto the floor.
“Help! Somebody help!” Lydia screamed, dropping to her knees.
A passenger identified himself as a nurse. “He’s in tachycardia—we need to land now!”
By the time the plane reached the gate, paramedics were waiting. Caleb was rushed to the hospital, monitors beeping frantically as he was wheeled through glaring white hallways.
“Where’s Dr. Harrington?” one of the doctors barked.
“She couldn’t make her flight,” a nurse replied.
Caleb’s foggy mind caught the name. Harrington—the woman at the airport. The doctor he had dismissed so easily. Now, as darkness threatened to pull him under, he realized he might not survive without her.
Hours later, Caleb awoke in a hospital bed. Lydia sat at his side, pale with worry.
“What happened?” His voice was hoarse.
“You had a heart attack,” she whispered. “Dr. Harrington… she saved your life.”
As if summoned, Julia entered the room, her expression calm but firm.
“You,” Caleb croaked. Recognition flashed in his eyes.
“Yes,” Julia said. “I managed to get here on a charter flight for another patient. And it seems you needed me, too.”
Caleb’s pride crumbled. “I—I treated you terribly. I’m sorry. Thank you for saving me.”
Julia gave a small smile. “Take care of yourself, Mr. Rivers. Not everyone gets a second chance.”
When she left, silence hung heavy. Caleb turned to Lydia, tears pricking his eyes. “I’ve been such a fool. Selfish. Blind. Please forgive me.”
Lydia’s hand trembled in his. “Let’s focus on your recovery first. We’ll talk about everything else later.”
But Caleb shook his head weakly. “No. If you still want that job, take it. I’ll support you this time. I want you to be happy—even if it means without me.”
Her breath caught. “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” he whispered.
For the first time in a long while, Lydia believed him. She leaned down, kissed his forehead, and whispered, “Then maybe there’s hope for us yet.”
Caleb closed his eyes, humbled and grateful. He knew he had been given more than a second chance at life. He had been given the chance to change.
