Probably pressure discomfort, exhaustion, and teething. Kesha stood carefully with the baby against her shoulder and took two steps into the aisle to sway gently, remaining beside her seat while boarding finished. Sandra saw her.
"Sit down."
"We're still at the gate."
"I said sit down."
"I'm beside my seat."
"You are blocking the cabin."
There was no one directly behind her. Kesha looked toward the galley.
"If you need me seated, I will sit."
She did. Zoe cried harder. Sandra returned within thirty seconds. This time her voice was loud enough for three rows to hear.
"Control your screaming brat or I'll have security remove you both from this aircraft immediately."
Kesha stared at her.
"Please don't call my daughter that."
"Then make her stop."
"She's six months old."
"That doesn't give you the right to ruin the flight for everyone else."
Kesha's pulse quickened. She looked around. No one offered help. No one said the obvious thing, which was that aircraft cabins routinely contained crying infants and that the plane had not even pushed back from the gate.
Instead, several passengers watched with the alert satisfaction of people who believed they were witnessing rules restored. The college student in 2D raised her phone. Her name was Maya Chen, though Kesha did not know that yet.
"Y'all," Maya whispered toward the screen, "this flight attendant is going off on a mom with a baby."
The live-stream counter climbed quickly. Sandra noticed the phone. The attention sharpened her performance.
"Ma'am, I'm instructing you to comply with crew directions."
"I am seated."
"You're arguing."
"I'm answering you."
"Lower your voice."
Kesha's voice had never risen.
"My voice is low."
The businessman in 3C muttered, "Unbelievable."
Sandra turned toward him as if receiving confirmation from a jury.
"Exactly."
Then Zoe kicked the bottle from Kesha's hand. It struck the armrest and rolled beneath the seat. Kesha bent forward, still holding the baby securely, trying to reach it. Sandra stepped closer.
"Don't get up again."
"I'm getting her bottle."
"I said stay seated."
"Then would you please hand it to me?"
Sandra did not. Kesha looked up.
"Please."
The moment should have ended there. Elena Cruz later testified that she saw Sandra's shoulders tense before she moved. Maya's live stream captured the angle from across the aisle. A second passenger captured it from row 4.