Allegra and her brother Taj sit in a food court eating greasy burgers, a defiant ritual rooted in their childhood rebellion against their health-conscious mother. They've just bought birthday gifts for their parents. Taj asks about Allegra's back, and she confirms she's pain-free. She avoided surgery by pursuing acupuncture, physical therapy, and exercise, and by her twenty-ninth birthday she was back at work.

Allegra reflects on how her life has come together: at her birthday dinner, both Jonny and Anders were present with her family, something that once seemed impossible. Anders has forgiven her for secretly dating a pilot and even admits Jonny may not be so bad. Her parents stopped worrying about Cherry Lockwood's self-harm prediction after Cherry's public statement and a personal handwritten apology, though Allegra suspects her mother didn't truly relax until Allegra outlived the predicted age of death. Her mother then rewrote history, claiming she was never worried, and made a surprising remark—that if she had to guess which child might be susceptible to depression, she would have picked Taj, not Allegra, because of his constant happiness, comparing him to their grandmother.

This comment stayed with Allegra. She researched "smiling depression," learning that some sufferers mask their true feelings so well that even those closest to them have no idea. Now, sitting across from Taj, she studies him carefully. He says he's fine, even "ecstatic," but he's vague about his personal life and seems to deflect her questions. Allegra also reflects on the unexpected death of the caftan-wearing passenger who caused her back injury, and Taj's blunt reaction to the news.

Allegra has applied for a scholarship program through the airline to train as a pilot, inspired by her introductory flight with Jonny. She recognizes that Jonny loves her in a way she's never experienced—someone who is happy simply to see her happy. Drawing on a lesson Jonny shared about the difference between a pilot and an aviator—that an aviator applies only as much pressure as needed—Allegra decides to gently reach out to Taj. She leans back, keeps her tone light, and simply says his name, opening the door for a deeper conversation about his well-being.