Maya opened her eyes again. "A customer-service concern," she repeated. "Save that exact language."
"Maya, I need you to answer a question," Naomi said, her voice changing. "Are you safe enough to attend a meeting tonight? Not as a CEO. As my friend."
Maya looked at Lena, who was speaking to the airport medical staff with practiced calm, and at Samuel, who had waited instead of hurrying to meet his family. "I'm tired," she admitted. "I'm angry. But I'm thinking clearly. I'll follow the medical advice, eat something safe, and then decide what I can handle."
Naomi accepted that answer. She had worked with Maya long enough to know that trying to overrule her usually accomplished less than making sure she had accurate information. "I'll send a driver, not a publicity team," she said. "And the lawyer can come to you instead of forcing you into another room full of strangers." Maya thanked her, then asked whether the witness videos had been saved in their original forms. Naomi confirmed that the legal team was already arranging a secure method for receiving copies directly from willing witnesses.
Denise guided Maya and the others into a quiet airport business suite while the medical assessment continued. The room had gray upholstered chairs, an unremarkable conference table, and a small refrigerator stocked with ordinary beverages. For the first time since boarding, Maya was able to sit somewhere without a uniformed person telling her how she had to behave. Airport staff located food that was suitable for her documented restrictions, verified it with her, and allowed her to eat without an audience. The simple act of taking a few bites felt both relieving and absurdly emotional.
Lena watched until Maya's condition had improved enough that she could focus on the conversation again. "Don't make a board meeting more important than your health," she warned. Maya nodded. "I won't. I promise."
Lena's eyes narrowed. "You sound like a woman who makes promises to keep other people from worrying." Maya gave a tired smile. "And you sound like a nurse who can tell when someone's trying to negotiate with her." Lena laughed softly, the first genuine laugh Maya had heard from her all night.
Samuel sat opposite them, filling out a statement in careful block letters. He wrote down the incident without exaggeration, including the times he could reasonably recall and noting where he was uncertain. Margaret did the same, pausing several times to ask Paul whether he remembered exactly when Clare had taken the coffee. David offered to send the time-stamped notes he had recorded during the flight. None of them asked Maya for compensation or expected access to the person they did not yet realize she was. They simply wanted the next version of events to match what they had seen.
"I should have spoken sooner," Margaret said when she handed over her statement. Maya looked at her. "You spoke when it mattered." Margaret shook her head, unconvinced.
"I watched her take your cup. I watched the first few minutes, and I was afraid of making a scene." Samuel folded his hands. "Most people are. Courage isn't a personality type. Sometimes it's a choice you make later than you wanted to."