Kesha looked at her.
"I do."
Sandra glanced at the infant.
"We don't have bassinets in this cabin."
"I know. She's a lap infant. It's noted on the reservation."
Sandra studied the boarding pass again before stepping aside.
"Fine. Keep the aisle clear."
Kesha had told herself not to read into it. Then came the bottle. Zoe woke hungry during final boarding. Kesha mixed formula with water she had brought through security after inspection, but the baby rejected it cold. Kesha pressed the call button and asked whether warm water was available.
Sandra answered with visible irritation.
"We're boarding."
"I understand. I only need enough to warm the bottle."
"You should have done that in the terminal."
"She was asleep."
Sandra looked toward the stream of passengers entering.
"We're not a nursery."
A younger flight attendant named Elena Cruz heard the exchange from the galley and quietly filled a paper cup with warm water.
"Here," Elena said. "Sit the bottle in this for a minute."
Kesha smiled. "Thank you."
Sandra gave Elena a look but said nothing. The bottle warmed too slowly. Zoe became impatient. She cried.
Not screaming. Not yet. The ordinary cry of a tired, hungry six-month-old who did not understand why food existed inches from her mouth but was not arriving fast enough. Kesha bounced her gently.
"I know, baby. I know. Almost there."
The businessman in 3C sighed loudly. The elderly woman in pearls shifted in her seat. Sandra returned.
"You need to quiet her down."
"I'm trying."
"Other passengers paid a lot of money to sit up here."
Kesha looked up.
"So did I."
Something changed in Sandra's face. Not much. Enough.
"I'm talking about the disruption."
"And I'm feeding her."
"You had the entire terminal to prepare."
"She was asleep."
"That isn't our problem."
Kesha felt the familiar old pressure in her chest, the one that came when a disagreement stopped being about the stated subject and became about who was allowed to occupy space without apology. She kept her voice even.
"I haven't asked you to make her your problem. I asked for warm water. Your colleague helped me. We're fine."
Sandra walked away. Zoe took the bottle. For ninety seconds, everything settled. Then the baby pulled away and began crying again.
Kesha checked her diaper. Clean. She checked Zoe's forehead. No fever.