Chapter 9 - The New Horizon
Eleanor walked back to Emily, holding the plastic badge and the silver wings in her hand.
The terminal noise seemed to fade into the background. Outside the towering glass windows, the storm was finally beginning to break. The heavy grey clouds were parting, allowing long shafts of golden late-afternoon sunlight to pierce through the rain, illuminating the tarmac in brilliant orange and gold.
Eleanor stepped up to Emily, taking the silver wings and pinning them back onto the lapel of her uniform jacket.
"Efficiency is easy to hire, Emily," Eleanor said gently, smoothing down the lapel with her thumb. "Empathetic leadership is nearly impossible to find."
She held up the plastic identity badge, looking at Emily’s photograph.
"Tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, a car will pick you up at your apartment," Eleanor continued, her tone businesslike yet brimming with warmth. "You will be flown to our corporate headquarters in Manhattan. Effective Monday, you are being appointed as the Director of Passenger Welfare and Operations for the entire North Atlantic network."
Emily’s breath caught in her throat. Her hands flew to her mouth as tears of shock and relief finally spilled over her eyelashes. "Director...? Ma'am, I... I don't know what to say... I'm only twenty-four, I don't have an executive degree—"
"You have something far more valuable, my dear," Eleanor said, placing the badge into Emily’s hands and wrapping her fingers around it tight. "You have an unshakeable moral compass. Everything else can be taught."
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Eleanor turned toward the gate corridor, where her private security detail was now arriving in dark suits to clear a path for her.
"Get some rest tonight, Emily," Eleanor added over her shoulder, looking back with a bright, radiant smile. "We have a lot of work to do to fix this airline."
