Falling at 30,000 feets

Jayden set the glass down harder than necessary.

The sharp clink cut through the chatter like a warning signal, making every head turn his way. Water sloshed slightly over the rim, leaving a small dark circle on the polished wood table.

He exhaled slowly, his chest rising and falling in a deliberate rhythm as he steadied himself, then lifted his gaze to scan the table-his eyes meeting each face in turn, calm but unyielding.

"Rest assured," he said, his voice calm but carrying weight that made even Rosa pause. "I can provide for Jane. We have everything we need."

A beat of silence stretched across the table-then Rosa let out a sharp scoff, leaning back in her chair as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Pfft. Love swindlers are everywhere these days," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "They say all the right things until they've drained you dry."

Her eyes slid toward Jane, her expression hard with judgment.

"You should heed my advice, mija. I've been around longer than you have-I know how these things go."

Jane inhaled slowly, her nostrils flaring slightly as she forced her temper down before responding. She lifted her head, her spine straightening as she met her aunt's gaze directly-no longer willing to back down.

"I trust Jayden," she said firmly, her voice clear and unwavering. "He's not that type. He's honest, and he cares about me-more than anyone else in this room seems to."

Jenny smirked, her lips curling with quiet mockery as she twirled a strand of hair around her finger. She'd been waiting for this moment all night.

Jane didn't look at her. She kept her eyes fixed on her aunt, refusing to give Jenny the satisfaction of a reaction.

"Please refrain from speculating about him," she added, her tone sharper now, cutting through the room like glass. "He's my husband, and I won't have people talking about him like he's some kind of criminal."

A brief silence followed until her grandmother cleared her throat, the sound loud and deliberate in the quiet room. She tapped her fork against her plate-once, twice-before speaking.

"Jane is right," she said, waving a hand dismissively as she looked around the table. "We're here for dinner, not arguments. Let them bring the food. All this talking is making me hungry."

But Rosa wasn't done. She leaned forward again, her eyes glinting with determination as she fixed her gaze on Jayden.

"Oh no," she said, straightening in her seat, her voice dripping with calculation. "We shouldn't eat homemade food tonight. That's too casual for such an important occasion."

Her eyes locked onto Jayden, and Jane could see exactly what she was doing-trying to force him into a corner, to make him look foolish in front of everyone.

"Since it's his first time dining with us," she continued, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips, "he should order something... luxurious. Something befitting Jane's status as a captain."

The smile widened slightly.

"I bet he hasn't even seen half the things on a proper menu. Not with the kind of life he's been leading."

The jab landed cleanly. Jane's fingers curled against the tablecloth, her nails digging into her palm hard enough to leave marks. She could feel her temper rising again-hot and sharp in her chest.

Before she could speak-

Her mother stepped in, reaching across the table to place a hand on Jane's arm. "Didn't Jenny arrange everything for tonight?" she said quickly, her tone gentle but deliberate, clearly trying to change the subject and shield Jayden from further attacks. "Let her handle the ordering. She knows the place better than anyone here."

A quiet attempt to de-escalate, to give Jayden an out.

The grandmother let out a soft, knowing "tch," shaking her head slightly as she picked up her glass of water. She could see through the attempt, but she said nothing-choosing to let it pass.

Jenny, however, looked pleased. She sat up straight, puffing out her chest slightly as she picked up her phone. Her mother watched her with pride, practically glowing as she patted her daughter's shoulder.

"Of course," Jenny said smoothly, flipping through the pages with practiced ease. "I know exactly what's good here."

Then-

"Hey, Jane," Jenny said casually, glancing up from the menu with a sweet smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"Need help finding your husband a job? I know how busy you are with your flights."

The words hung in the air, heavy and loaded with mockery.

Jane turned to look at her-silent, unblinking, her face a mask of calm despite the anger boiling just below the surface.

Jenny leaned back slightly, enjoying the attention as she twirled her hair again.

"Reuben mentioned," she continued, her voice light and airy as if she'd just offered genuine help, "that the West terminal could use a security guard. It's not much, but it's steady work. I could even pull some strings to get him hired without going through the usual process."

She laughed lightly, a tinkling sound that made Jane's jaw clench.

Rosa nodded approvingly, beaming at her daughter. "That's right, Jane. Listen to Jenny. We're family-we should support each other, even when some people make... questionable choices."

Mockery dressed as kindness. The worst kind of cruelty.

Jane's chair scraped against the floor as she started to rise-ready to end this dinner, to take Jayden and leave, to never speak to her aunt or cousin again.

But Jayden's hand closed gently around hers.

Firm.

Steady.

His fingers wrapped around hers, warm and reassuring, grounding her in the moment.

She paused, looking down at their joined hands-then up at him, her eyes wide with surprise.

Jayden didn't look at her. His gaze remained fixed on Jenny, his expression calm but sharp, like a pilot assessing a storm ahead.

Then-

"I heard," he said slowly, his tone even and measured, "that at Aurelia Airline, even security positions require rigorous screening. Background checks, psychological evaluations, verification of prior experience."

The table quieted. Even Jenny stopped smiling, her fingers tightening around the menu as she stared at him.

"No fixed arrangements," he added, his voice carrying just enough to reach every corner of the room. "Not for any position. The company has standards to maintain-especially when it comes to who they trust with passenger safety."

Jenny's smile faltered-just slightly. Her face flushed a faint pink, and she looked away from his gaze, focusing on the menu as if it held the answers to getting her out of this conversation.

Her fingers tightened around the menu until her knuckles turned white.

Jayden continued, calm and composed as if he were simply discussing flight schedules:

"So I'm curious... how exactly were you planning to 'pull strings'? Bypass the screening process? Override the hiring committee's decisions?"

A subtle shift in the air. The warmth of the room felt suddenly cooler, more tense.

For the first time that night-

Jenny looked... uncomfortable. She shifted in her seat, clearing her throat as she tried to find her voice.