Here One Moment
by Liane Moriarty
Contents
Chapter 27
Overview
At the Sydney Airport baggage carousel, Eve and Dom's fellow passengers break into animated conversation about the woman's death predictions, sharing reactions that range from fear to dismissal. Eve inadvertently embarrasses Dom by mentioning her "intimate partner homicide" prediction in front of a young woman named Kayla, who immediately looks at him with alarm. After a warm encounter with retired doctors the Baileys, who treated Eve as a child, Eve resolves to mentally lock away the prediction's three troubling words and focus on her honeymoon.
Summary
Eve and Dom arrive at Sydney Airport's baggage carousel, still in their wedding attire, which now feels out of place among indifferent travelers. Eve notices Dom is quiet and distant, seemingly preoccupied with something he hasn't shared. A young woman named Kayla Halfpenny approaches Eve to ask about the woman on the plane, whom Kayla believes was a psychic. Eve dismisses the lady as simply eccentric, comparing her to Junie, a local conspiracy theorist who sits outside Eve's workplace. Kayla reveals she was told she'd die in a car accident and is upset because she's already afraid of flying.
When Eve casually mentions her own prediction—intimate partner homicide—Kayla's eyes immediately dart to Dom with fear, causing him visible embarrassment. Eve feels terrible and tries to clarify that Dom is nothing like that. Their conversation sparks a larger discussion among the passengers at the carousel. A woman in a leopard-print jumpsuit says she was told she'd die of alcoholism. Others share their predictions, ranging from fearful to dismissive. Two women with sunglasses and a fake flower note that real psychics consider it unethical to predict causes of death, and mention a man with a broken arm who was made to cry. A large, muscular man with a buzz cut urges everyone to forget the whole thing, insisting it means nothing, but the crowd continues chatting.
The conversation ends abruptly when the carousel starts moving and bags begin appearing. Passengers quickly collect their luggage and leave without goodbyes. Eve and Dom are among the last waiting, along with an elderly couple who turn out to be retired doctors Brian and Barbara Bailey. Eve realizes she visited their red-roofed medical practice as a child and used to fake stomachaches for their jelly beans. Dr. Brian produces a bag of jelly beans from his pocket and offers her some. Dr. Barbara gives Eve honeymoon health advice about drinking water and preventing cystitis.
Their bags finally arrive, and Dom helps the elderly couple with their luggage. A gray-haired woman—the Baileys' daughter—arrives to collect them, having waited at the wrong terminal. Eve is moved by the sight of parents and their adult child still relating as family despite all being quite old. As Eve and Dom head to the taxi line, Eve thinks she spots "the lady" getting into a taxi but doesn't mention it to Dom, who is finally looking more cheerful. Eve resolves to lock away the three words of her prediction—intimate, partner, homicide—in separate mental boxes and never think of them again.
Who Appears
- EveNewlywed bride still in her vintage wedding dress; dismisses the prediction but inadvertently embarrasses Dom by sharing it.
- DomEve's new husband; quiet and agitated about the prediction, embarrassed when Kayla looks at him with fear.
- Kayla HalfpennyYoung woman from Hobart who approaches Eve; was told she'd die in a car accident and is frightened by the prediction.
- Dr. Brian BaileyElderly retired doctor who treated Eve as a child; charmingly offers her jelly beans from his pocket at the carousel.
- Dr. Barbara BaileyElderly retired doctor and Brian's wife; gives Eve honeymoon health advice about preventing cystitis.