When Amanda’s husband, Chris, interrupted a critical video call, she knew it was time to end things. But things only got worse when he showed up at an official meeting the next day and made a show in front of very important people.
Amanda stared at her laptop screen. She was finishing up with an important meeting with her supervisors at work. Her nerves grated along a knife’s edge, but not because of the video meeting. Her husband, Chris, was approaching the neat and cozy corner she used for working and taking on-camera calls.
“You’re amazing, Amanda,” Mr. Anders said.
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Amanda would’ve hoisted up her biggest and brightest smile, but Chris’s heavy footsteps were closer now; he was almost upon her. She froze. Like a squirrel cornered by a bear, there was nowhere for her to run and no place where she could hide.
Chris slammed his beer down on the writing pad she’d used to take notes, stepping right into her space and her laptop camera’s range. Amanda shrank away from him.
“What are you doing?” Chris asked. “Where’s my food?”
“I’m so sorry,” Amanda said to her supervisors before tilting her head to answer Chris. “I’m just finishing up my meeting, honey.”
She looked on in dismay as her supervisors, Claire and Mr. Anders, looked at each other in confusion. Amanda could still save this. Chris might go away if she could find just the right words or precisely the right way to look at him (once she gathered the courage to look at him at all.) Once he left, she could play the whole thing off as a mistake.
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“Honey, I’m hungry,” Chris said. “You don’t want to upset your hubby, do you?”
His tone of voice was soft, silky, and laden with threats Amanda knew full well he wouldn’t hesitate to follow through on. She looked up at him now—she couldn’t avoid it any longer—and bravely spoke to him as though he were a normal person, not a monster disguised as a human being.
“I just need a few more minutes, honey. Please?” Amanda pleaded. “I’m on a call with my supervisors. We should be finished soon.”
She turned back to face her laptop squarely, but Chris clearly wasn’t done.
“Supervisors?” He chuckled and reached around to grab her chair. “Come on, off you go,” Chris said, giving her chair a little shake. “You know what happens when you work too hard.”
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Indeed, Amanda knew all too well what Chris would do to her for what he perceived as ‘working too hard.’ She smiled at her screen even as her mind filled with howling terror. Some part of herself that felt like it might be vital tore loose inside of her.
Amanda let Chris shoo her away from what might be the most vital meeting of her career because she ultimately had no choice. She never had a choice. A familiar darkness closed in around her as she walked to the kitchen.
“And get everything on the table in fifteen minutes,” Chris called after her.
“Of course, honey,” Amanda chirped as her auto-pilot persona took over.
“I will talk to your supervisors myself,” Chris said.
Mr. Anders, one of Amanda’s supervisors, spoke to him. “Chris, Amanda is indispensable for the meeting tomorrow. Her presence is crucial for our success, do you understand?” he stated firmly.
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Chris’s demeanor faltered slightly. “Oh, yeah, yeah, sure thing,” he dismissed.
As Amanda left to attend to Chris’s demands for food, Chris remained on the call, his disruptive behavior leaving an indelible mark of chaos that tainted the professionalism of the meeting.
***
Amanda found herself in the sanctuary of her kitchen a few hours later, the remnants of dinner scattered across the countertops. The clinking of dishes filled the air as she diligently washed and dried them, methodically moving through the routine chores.
How did it come to this? Amanda’s mind raced as she scrubbed a stubborn stain off a plate. My career hanging by a thread because of my husband.
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The clatter of plates faded into the background as Amanda’s thoughts tugged at her. I’ve worked so hard for this and sacrificed so much…
She dried a glass, the transparency reflecting the chaos she couldn’t quite see through. Where do I draw the line? Why am I still with him?
The dishes gleamed at last. Yet, Amanda’s inner conflict lingered, simmering beneath the surface, unresolved and weighing heavily on her conscience.
***
The following day, Mr. Anders attempted to maintain decorum, apologizing to the investors immediately. “Apologies for the delay. Amanda will be here shortly. Thank you for being so patient.”
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Mr. Whitney, a composed figure among the investors, nodded understandingly. “We’ll wait. We’re eager to hear from Amanda,” he reassured, his gaze flickering toward the entrance.
Finally, Amanda rushed in, her chest moving rapidly. Determination glinted in her eyes, though the darkness below her eyes showed her fatigue. “Thank you for waiting. I’m so sorry,” she managed, still breathless.
Chris barged into the room before she could collect her thoughts.”What’s the fuss about? Mind if I join?” he interjected, a smirk playing on his lips as he glanced around.
He strolled over to Mr. Whitney, fixating on the watch adorning his wrist. “Fancy watch. How much did you spend on that?” Chris prodded, ignoring or unaware of the shocked and confused faces around him.
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The investors exchanged bemused glances as Chris continued, his demeanor unapologetic. “Money talks, right? Let’s get to it,” he declared.
Amanda tried to rein him in. “Chris, not now, please,” she implored, sweat beading on her forehead.
Mr. Anders beckoned Claire urgently, guiding her to the corridor outside the meeting room where Chris lingered, an unsettling air of disruption trailing him. “We need to contain this,” he whispered urgently before calling out Amanda’s husband. “Chris, how about a tour of our facilities? We’ll show you around while Amanda continues the meeting.”
Chris’s expression shifted, a smug grin playing on his lips. “Sure thing, boss. Lead the way!” he mocked, his eyes darting mischievously.
Mr. Anders led Chris along the corridor. “Claire here will assist you,” he explained, turning to Claire with a forced smile.
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Claire nodded, albeit reluctantly. “Of course, Chris. Let’s start with the main office area,” she suggested, pretending this was perfectly normal. Mr. Anders returned to the meeting, and Chris’s expression shifted from sarcastic and smiley to something else.
Claire noticed the change quickly but had to pretend. The investor meeting was crucial. “Show me around, girl,” Chris demanded, his voice like a sharp knife. “Huh-huh, do what your boss said. You know what to do if you want things to run smoothly, sweetheart.”
***
Amanda battled to maintain her professional facade despite the sweat beading her entire body and the heavy weight of her eyes. She glanced at the investors, trying to forge ahead with the presentation. “Apologies for the interruption,” she began and tried to direct everyone’s attention to the projection on the wall.
But as Amanda lifted her hand to point at something, her body gave up. She staggered slightly, her vision blurring. The room spun around her, a nauseating dizziness enveloping her senses as she finally fell onto the meeting room carpet.
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“Give her some water,” Mr. Whitney commanded, concerned. The investors exchanged concerned glances, their murmurs of worry filling the air.
Mr. Anders’s composure snapped. “This is unacceptable!” he barked, his frustration palpable as he blamed Amanda, his voice resonating with visible anger. “Get up, Amanda! We need to proceed!”
“She needs help,” Mr. Whitney insisted, frowning at Mr. Anders. Mr. Morgan helped Amanda get up and seated on the table, but before they could move on, the familiar dial tone of a video call interrupted everyone.
It came from Mr. Anders’s private office computer. He hesitated but answered the call. “What’s happening there?” he asked, his anger momentarily diverted, replaced by shock.
The screen flickered to life, revealing Chris’s overbearing presence in Mr. Anders’ office, standing imposingly close to Claire, who was cowering on a couch, trying to dislodge the heavy man’s hands from her face.
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The investors’ faces twisted in outrage, and all stood, calling for security and Mr. Anders to do something. But it was Amanda who acted first despite her earlier collapse. “I need to stop this,” she declared, raising her chin.
This has gone too far, Amanda thought, her heart racing with concern for Claire’s safety. The investors followed behind her.
“Wait, what’s going on?” Mr. Anders asked, his voice far behind everyone else. “We need to get back to the meeting!”
“Chris, leave her alone!” Amanda’s sharp command cut through the tension as she entered Mr. Anders’s office. Mr. Whitney and Mr. Morgan hurried after her.
Chris stood there, hands at his side, now subdued in the face of his audience. “I didn’t do anything!”
“You’ve gone too far this time!” Amanda’s voice echoed through the office, her eyes blazed daggers at her husband.
Mr. Whitney and Mr. Morgan swiftly intervened, taking control of the situation, their focus restraining Chris until security arrived. Chris was escorted out, but his voice boomed through the corridor. “I didn’t do anything wrong! You all know they want me! Especially her!” He pointed a shaky finger at Amanda, a manic smirk contorting his features.
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“Enough, Chris!” Amanda’s voice cut through the air, firm and unwavering. “You’ve done enough. It’s over.”
Once her husband was finally out of earshot, Amanda noticed Mr. Anders’ angry face. Smoke was almost coming out of his ears. “This is an outrage! You two have ruined everything! You—” His tirade was abruptly interrupted as Mr. Whitney and Mr. Morgan intervened.
“Mr. Anders, enough!” Mr. Whitney’s barked, one hand raised to stop him. “Your lack of leadership exacerbated this situation.”
“Exactly,” Mr. Morgan chimed in, his eyes unwavering. “Amanda and Claire did everything to salvage the meeting despite the chaos caused by your neglect. This is on you, not them.”
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Mr. Anders, seething with indignation, glared at the investors. “How dare you interfere in my business!”
Mr. Whitney shook his head, unfazed. “This isn’t how you treat your employees. We value their dedication and professionalism, something you’ve failed to recognize.”
“Furthermore,” Mr. Morgan added sternly, “they’re too good to work for you. We’re offering Amanda and Claire positions at our investment fund. They deserve better.”
Mr. Anders, his face flushed with anger, stormed out of the office. In the wake of his departure, the investors turned their attention to Amanda and Claire, commending them for their resilience and offering them opportunities in a more supportive and appreciative work environment.
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MID-FLIGHT MIRACLE: WOMAN GIVES BIRTH WHILE PILOT TAKES AN UNEXPECTED ROUTE
Rose was a young woman who didn’t like flying. She had only started taking flights when she began visiting her husband, Bill, who worked as a miner in Texas while she lived in Omaha.
Bill’s job paid well but kept him away most of the year, only coming home for a short break between Christmas and New Year’s.
One day, while Rose was on a commercial flight, she unexpectedly went into labor. This caused the pilot to change the flight path, but instead of heading to the nearest airport, the plane was rerouted elsewhere to handle the emergency.
Rose, now heavily pregnant, had convinced Bill to let her visit him once a month in Texas, despite his initial reluctance. Over time, these weekend visits became a cherished routine in their marriage, and the moments they spent together in Bill’s small apartment were some of their best.
It was during one of these romantic weekends that Rose became pregnant. Bill was thrilled about the baby and had big plans. He promised to retire from mining once the child was born and start a farm in Omaha. Bill came from a family of successful farmers, and he believed they could make a good living growing crops.
Even though Bill had asked Rose to stay home during her pregnancy, Rose was determined to see him. Flying to Texas had become such a habit that she couldn’t bear the thought of missing their time together that weekend, so she boarded the plane one last time, despite being so close to her due date.
“You are nine months pregnant, Rose,” Bill reminded her during their last call.
“Oh, thank you for pointing that out, I had no idea my stomach started swelling nine months ago,” Rose replied sarcastically.
“You shouldn’t be traveling at all, let alone flying across states. It’s absurd, my dear,” Bill insisted, concern evident in his voice.
“I need to see you, Bill,” Rose cooed. “I’ve missed you so much.”
She had let him convince her to stay home for the past two months, but this time, she wasn’t backing down.
“I know, baby,” Bill sighed. “But it’s September, and I’ll be home for good in December. Just be patient, hon.”
Rose let him think he’d convinced her again, but when Friday arrived, she packed her bags and boarded a flight to Texas. When she arrived and surprised Bill, he pretended to be angry, but they quickly fell into their usual rhythm and cherished their time together.
By Sunday evening, when Rose boarded the plane back to Omaha, she was glowing with happiness after spending a refreshing weekend with Bill. But once the plane took off and hit turbulence, she was quickly reminded of how much she disliked flying. Rose preferred solid ground, where the worst-case scenario wouldn’t involve falling from the sky.
Another shake rattled the plane, sending her imagination into overdrive. She began worrying about everything from hijackings to plane crashes, and her stress level spiked. While her mind raced with worst-case scenarios, something unexpected happened—her water broke.
At first, Rose didn’t even realize it. She noticed the wetness and blushed, assuming she’d lost control of her bladder due to the stress. It never occurred to her that her water had broken three weeks early. But then, the contractions started, and Rose finally understood what was happening. She was going into labor.
Rose’s scream filled the cabin, catching the attention of a nearby flight attendant, who rushed over. “What’s wrong?” the attendant asked, her voice filled with concern.
“I’m having a baby!” Rose yelled, gripping the armrests as another contraction hit her.
The flight attendant quickly relayed the situation to the pilot, who immediately contacted the nearest airport for permission to land. While waiting, the attendant tried to soothe Rose by talking to her between contractions.
“Why are you traveling alone, especially so far along in your pregnancy?” the flight attendant asked, her voice soft but concerned.
“I was visiting my husband and now I’m returning home,” Rose replied breathlessly.
“He let you travel like this? That’s so irresponsible!” the flight attendant remarked, shaking her head. “Okay, do you have family we can call? Other than your husband?”
“No, I’m an orphan,” Rose said, her voice weakening as the contractions became more intense.
The flight attendant noticed Rose was burning up with a fever and struggling to endure the pain. Realizing the situation could turn dangerous without medical help, she informed the pilot, urging him to make the emergency landing as soon as possible.
The pilot, Drew, received unsettling news from the dispatcher: the nearest airport wasn’t ready to take their plane due to bad weather. Time was running out, and Rose, in her feverish state, could only cry out for her husband. Drew knew he had to act quickly.
“We’re going back to Texas,” Drew said with determination.
He instructed the flight attendant to keep Rose stable for another thirty minutes, but soon, more bad news arrived—Texas was experiencing severe weather too, and they weren’t allowed to land at the airport.
Despite the setbacks, Drew had one last option. He knew the area well and remembered an old, abandoned airstrip not far from the airport. The only issue was the runway—it was too short for a plane their size. Still, it was Rose’s best chance to get help.
“We’re landing at the abandoned airstrip,” Drew announced to his co-pilot, Stan, who was still relatively new to flying.
“Sir, with all due respect, landing there is against the rules,” Stan said, hesitant.
Drew turned to him, eyes focused. “Sometimes, to save a life, you have to follow your conscience, not the rules,” he replied firmly.
Stan nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. The decision was made—Drew was going to attempt the risky landing to save Rose and her unborn child.
Drew instructed the flight attendant to contact Rose’s husband as the plane circled the abandoned airstrip, preparing for a risky landing. Every move had to be precise, and Drew knew there was no room for error.
They circled once, then twice, each time bringing the plane closer to the ground. Meanwhile, Rose was slipping in and out of consciousness, her contractions overwhelming her.
As the plane neared the ground, Drew knew it was time to take the leap of faith. With no control tower to guide them, it was all on him. The co-pilot, still a rookie, was on the verge of panicking but followed Drew’s calm lead. After several tense minutes, the plane finally touched down safely.
As soon as the hatch opened, an ambulance with EMTs and Rose’s husband raced toward the plane. They were followed closely by media vans and a few concerned civilians who had rushed to the airstrip, fearing a crash. Drew had done it—he landed the plane against the odds, and now Rose was on her way to getting the help she needed.
Bill gently carried his pregnant wife to the ambulance, overwhelmed with worry as they raced to the hospital. All he could do was pray that Rose, who looked exhausted and unwell, would be okay.
At the hospital, doctors quickly checked her vitals and realized she was too weak to deliver the baby naturally. They decided a C-section was the only option. Bill wasn’t allowed in the operating room, so he waited anxiously outside. After what felt like an eternity, he was finally called in to meet his new baby and see his recovering wife.
Relief flooded over him. He couldn’t believe how close he had come to losing them both. That day, Bill decided to quit his job, vowing never to leave his family for long periods again. When they returned to Omaha, it would be for good.
Out of gratitude, Bill asked for the name of the brave pilot who risked it all to help them. He and Rose agreed to name their baby after him.
As for Rose, it would be many years before she would ever set foot on an airplane again.
What did we learn from this story?
Human life is incredibly valuable. Drew made the right choice when he decided to land the plane at the abandoned airstrip to save both Rose and her baby. It reminds us that life is precious and should be protected at all costs.
Overthinking is not helpful. Rose might have made it back to Omaha without any issues if she hadn’t let her mind race after the turbulence. Her anxiety triggered stress, and her body reacted by going into labor early. This shows that overthinking often makes things worse instead of helping.
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