For half a second, I thought the same thing.
My heart jumped.
I even started smiling.
Then Tyler said, "Laila, I know I've told you this privately, but I wanted to say it somewhere that means a lot to me."
I stopped smiling. Mason looked confused.
Tyler continued. "You're carrying our baby, and I can't wait for the life we're building together."
I don't remember breathing as my husband talked.
"I know the last few months have been complicated, but I can't wait until I can call you my wife."
I remember Mason looking at me.
I remember the woman across the aisle smiling like she was witnessing something romantic.
I remember my phone still recording in my hand.
And I remembered Laila.
Six months earlier, she'd knocked on our front door.
I had been working on a commissioned painting in the dining room when the bell rang.
She was standing outside crying.
Her mascara had run under both eyes.
"Is Tyler here?"
"No. He's working."
Her face fell. "I need to talk to him."
"Who are you?"
"I'm Laila."
She wiped her cheeks.
I waited for more details, but she gave me nothing.
"Do you want to leave a message?"
"No. Never mind."
"Is something wrong?"
"I shouldn't have come."
She turned and walked away.
That night I asked Tyler about her.
He went still for just a second.
The same way people do when they weren't expecting a name.
Then he recovered. "Laila? She works for the airline."
"Why was she crying at our door while looking for you?"
"She's having problems at work. I've been helping her."
"With what?"
"A misconduct case. Some issues with another employee. It's complicated."
I remember thinking that something felt wrong.
But Tyler had never given me a reason to believe he was unfaithful.
No suspicious texts.
No unexplained nights away beyond his schedule.
No hidden credit card charges. Nothing.
Laila never came back.
Her name never appeared again.
So eventually I told myself I was being paranoid.
Now, I was seated on that plane listening to my husband announce that this woman was carrying his child.
I wanted to go back and shake the version of me who had let it go.
Tyler finished the announcement.
There was scattered applause.
Someone near the front cheered.
Mason whispered, "Mom?"
I put my phone away.
"What does he mean?"
"We're going to talk about it later."
"Who is Laila?"
"Later, baby."
"Why did Dad say she's going to be his wife?"
His voice started shaking.
That was the moment I stopped thinking about myself.
Whatever Tyler had done to me, Mason had just heard it too.
I took his hand. "Look at me."
His eyes were already wet. "We don't know what's going on."
"Is Dad leaving us?"
"It doesn't matter, honey. Just focus on enjoying our flight."
"But you're his wife."
He started crying quietly.
I pulled him against me.
I wanted to scream.
