The rest of the flight was quiet. No more kicks. No smug looks. The mother said nothing. The boy watched cartoons and kept his legs tucked in. I sat back and closed my eyes, finally able to relax. My back ached, but my patience had won.
As we landed and the plane taxied to the gate, I watched people gather their bags. I stood, stretched, and made my way off the plane without looking back. It wasn’t about revenge. It was about drawing a line. Sometimes, adults need to parent — and when they don’t, the universe might just send them a cold reminder.