“He sounds so cool,” Toby whispered to me, bouncing slightly in his leather seat.
“He sure does,” I replied warmly, keeping my phone camera aimed at my son’s happy expression.
“Our estimated flight time today is just under two hours,” Brandon’s voice chimed again, followed by his usual lighthearted humor. “So sit back, relax, and try to tolerate my flying.”
A few chuckles rippled through the cabin, and Toby looked ready to burst with pride. Then Brandon suddenly went completely silent.
Static hummed through the speakers as several awkward seconds stretched across the cabin. When Brandon finally spoke again, his tone had changed entirely, losing its professional warmth and sounding remarkably tense and heavy.
“Actually, folks, before we push back from the gate, I need to make an announcement that is a little different today,” Brandon said into the microphone.
I slowly lowered my phone to my lap, feeling an unexplained tightness grip my stomach. Something about the sudden change in his voice made my pulse race.
