During a transcontinental flight, a strange sound coming from the bathroom terrifies Leslie, the flight attendant. She has no idea that the child inside will forever change her life.
Leslie massaged her temple with one hand as she made her way to the plane. Her throbbing headache reminded her of the previous night spent partying at one of Atlanta’s most popular clubs.
– Amy! – she called out when she saw her colleague. – Please, tell me you have some painkillers!
Amy glanced at her and rolled her eyes.
– Of course I have some, but you really should know by now that it’s not smart to party the night before a transcontinental flight.
– What should I do instead? Visit museums? – Leslie sighed. – At least partying distracts me from my thoughts.
Amy playfully nudged Leslie in the side, and together they boarded the plane.
– Everything will be fine in your life someday, Leslie, – Amy said. – Just believe in it.
Leslie and Amy immediately began preparing for the passengers’ arrival, conducted the safety demonstration, and made sure everyone was settled comfortably. Finally, Leslie retreated to the galley to take some painkillers.
– Would Amy be mad if I rested in the crew rest area for a bit? – she mumbled to herself. Just as she was about to discuss it with her colleague, an unusual sound stopped her.
Leslie froze and strained her ears. A moment later, she concluded it was just her imagination.
Maybe Amy was right, and she’d partied too much. She had already planned to visit several clubs in Los Angeles, but perhaps she’d hold back this time and skip a few.
As Leslie passed by the bathroom door, she heard the high-pitched whimpering again. It couldn’t be a cat on the plane, so it had to be a child crying.
Leslie knocked on the door. When she received no answer, she opened it and peeked inside.
A moment later, she screamed.
In the next second, she realized the trembling little bundle that had scared her was a young boy. The child gazed up at her, teary-eyed.
– Don’t do that! – she scolded the boy, who had frightened her. – What are you doing in here?
The boy, hugging his knees, began crying again. After regaining her composure, Leslie felt sorry for the child. She squatted down in front of him.
– I’m sorry for yelling, – Leslie said. – You just scared me. My name is Leslie, what’s yours?
– Ben, – the boy sniffled.
Leslie helped the boy up and seated him on a crew chair, while she checked the passenger list for his name. It seemed that Ben was flying for the first time and wasn’t enjoying the journey.
Leslie furrowed her brow. She double-checked the passenger list, but Ben’s name still wasn’t on it!
It had been a while since Leslie had comforted a child, and the thought of it suddenly filled her with homesickness. But there was no time for nostalgia now. She sat next to Ben and placed her hand on his arm.
– Ben, sweetheart, did you get lost? I’ll help you if you tell me where I can find your family.
Ben began sobbing. Leslie noticed the boy was clutching a paper bag to his chest. That made her uneasy, as she had heard many scary stories about what people smuggle onto planes.
– What’s in the bag, Ben? – Leslie asked.
– Grandma’s medicine, – the boy replied. – If she doesn’t get it, she’ll die, and it’ll be my fault!
Over the next few hours, Leslie managed to get the full story out of Ben. The boy was the youngest member of a large family.
While his older brothers mostly played sports and got into mischief, Ben dreamed of becoming a scientist.
Amy and Brandon had refused to look after Ben, and Leslie briefly considered hiring a babysitter locally. However, she soon realized she couldn’t afford that. Every penny she had saved had to be sent home.
They ate the pizza Leslie had ordered for dinner in silence when her phone rang. When she answered, her stomach twisted at what the caller said.
– Is my little boy sick? – Leslie asked. – What happened, Mom? Joe was fine when we last spoke. Did you take him to the doctor?
– Yes, – Leslie’s mother replied.
– The doctor referred us to a specialist. We have an appointment later this week. They were talking about some genetic disorder, and they might need to test you, since you’re his mother.
– I’ll do anything, just make sure my little boy gets better, – Leslie said.
When she hung up, she curled up into a ball and began to cry. She longed to hold her son, to breathe in the soft scent of his curly hair, and reassure him that everything would be fine.
Unfortunately, Joe was unreachable to her. Due to her flight schedule, she hadn’t been home for over a month.
No matter how much she tried to forget her longing for her son with partying and carefree indulgence, nothing could ease the pain in her heart.
– Miss Leslie? – Ben stepped up beside her and touched her arm. – I think you should give this to Joe.
Leslie felt a new wave of tears coming as she saw the medication bag Ben was holding out to her.
– If I can’t save my grandma, at least I can help you, – Ben said. – Take it, so Joe can get better.
– I have a better idea, – Leslie replied, as she began typing on her phone. – I’ll get you to Seattle to see your grandma, Ben. Then I’ll go home to Missoula to my son.
Leslie bought a plane ticket for Ben out of her own pocket. She requested time off and arranged to accompany the boy to Seattle before returning home.
– I’m scared, – Ben said as they boarded the plane. – What if Grandma already died because of me? My mom will never love me again.
Leslie gently stroked the boy’s hair.
– Your mom has always loved you, Ben, and she always will. That’s what parents do. I’m sure she’s been really worried about you, and she’ll be so happy to see you safe and sound.
Ben didn’t quite believe what Leslie said, even when they arrived in Seattle and his entire family rushed to hug him. Leslie saw Ben’s mother showering the boy with kisses, promising never to neglect him again.
Leslie’s own reunion with her family was less joyful. She was shocked by how pale and thin Joe had become since she last saw him. The little boy looked so fragile in her arms.
That evening, Leslie stayed up late talking to her mother and going over the tests the doctors had conducted. She was overwhelmed by feelings of helplessness, guilt, and worry.
When she finally went to bed, Leslie crawled into Joe’s room and snuggled up next to him.
She buried her face in Joe’s soft, coconut-scented hair and vowed to do whatever it took to make her son healthy and happy again.
As the days passed, Joe’s condition didn’t improve. The specialist couldn’t determine what was wrong with the boy, while he continued to weaken day by day.
Leslie requested more time off, but the airline was not understanding. They refused to pay for the time Leslie spent with her son.
Another week went by with Leslie caring for Joe and paying for the medical tests. The money was running out.
Leslie’s mother was retired and always relied on Leslie’s salary to provide for Joe’s needs. Now, they were both trying to figure out what to do next.
– Maybe I could find a job here, – Leslie said. – Something with better pay.
– It might be worth looking into, – her mother shrugged. – If it comes to that, I could sell the house.
At that moment, there was a knock at the door.
Leslie opened it and saw a familiar face.
– Ben? – she gasped, then recognized the family she had met at the airport. – What’s going on here?
– I brought something for you and Joe, – Ben said, handing her an envelope.
Leslie opened the envelope and found a check. When she read the amount, her breath caught.
– What is this? I can’t accept this! – she stammered. – This is over a hundred thousand dollars!
– We want you to have it, – Ben’s mother stepped forward.
– We started a crowdfunding campaign for my mom’s treatment, but she… – the woman placed her hand over her mouth. – A few days ago, she passed away.
Ben’s father stepped forward and hugged his crying wife.
– We decided to give this money to Joe’s treatment, – he continued. – We announced it in the campaign so everyone would know.
Leslie held the check to her chest, tears welling up in her eyes.
– Thank you so much, all of you, – she sobbed. – This is the greatest gift I’ve ever received. I just hope it’s enough.
Ben stepped forward and hugged Leslie’s legs.
– It will be enough, I’m sure of it! And when Joe gets completely better, I’ll come back to play with you! – Ben said enthusiastically.
Leslie smiled and stroked the boy’s hair.
– You’re always welcome here, Ben.
The check was almost exactly the amount Leslie needed. After countless doctors and treatments, Joe regained his old self a month later.
As Leslie watched her little boy playing with the neighbor’s dog in the front yard, it was hard to imagine that he had ever been weak and spent his days without laughter.
– And it’s all thanks to Ben, – she murmured to herself.
A familiar sound, the roar of an airplane in the sky, lifted Leslie’s attention upwards. She would soon return to work. Meanwhile, she had just come up with the perfect way to repay Ben’s family for their generosity.
She took out her phone and began making calls. The next day, she called Ben’s mother to tell her that the airline had offered lifetime discounted flights for the entire family.
What can we learn from this story?
– Every child needs attention. Ben desperately sought love and attention from his mother, which led to reckless behavior. Had his mother recognized in time that her son felt neglected, she could have ensured that he always felt loved.
– Emotional pain can’t be avoided forever. Leslie, who tried to escape the absence of her family with partying and destructive habits, could have found a healthier way to process her pain.
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