Naomi felt the eyes of the passengers on her. She took a deep breath, ready to defend her position, but the pilot raised a hand gently, signaling for silence. His gaze shifted to Naomi, acknowledging her without accusation, then back to the mother.

“I’m going to have to ask for your boarding passes,” he said evenly. There was a brief pause as the mother handed over her tickets, her face flushed with entitlement. The pilot examined them, then turned to Naomi. “And yours, please,” he added.