Here One Moment
by Liane Moriarty
Contents
Chapter 72
Overview
Leo reads about the deaths of Dr. Bailey and Dr. Bailey, an elderly couple whose ages at death matched the plane psychic's predictions exactly, deepening the pattern of correct predictions. Sue O'Sullivan calls Leo to discuss their shared unease, and they piece together the alarming timeline—Ethan in October, Leo in November, and the revelation that Allegra's twenty-eighth birthday was the day of the flight. Neve calls Leo in a panic, demanding he resign to avoid a workplace accident, sparking an argument that reveals her secret hatred of Leo's boss Lilith—who then appears in Leo's office at the worst possible moment.
Summary
Leo discovers news about the next two deaths linked to the plane psychic through a Google alert he had set up. The article reports on Dr. Bailey and Dr. Bailey, an elderly married couple of retired doctors from Hobart who were told they would die at ages one hundred and one hundred and one of old age. Both predictions came true: the wife died peacefully in hospital after a brief illness, and the husband died in his sleep the very next night. Their daughter describes them as scientific-minded people who found the predictions entertaining rather than alarming. Leo is moved by photos of their long shared life and feels envy on behalf of his own mother, who lost her husband and is still grieving despite others assuming she should have moved on. Leo has not told his mother or sisters about the psychic's prediction about him.
Sue O'Sullivan calls Leo at work, and the two discuss the growing pattern of correct predictions—the elderly doctors, the young girl Kayla's car accident death. Sue reports that her own cancer tests have come back clear, but both she and Leo admit to feeling spooked. Leo mentions that Ethan is predicted to die in a fight at age thirty in October, and that his own predicted workplace accident could come any time after his November birthday. When Leo mentions the flight attendant Allegra's prediction of death by self-harm at twenty-eight, Sue is alarmed, revealing it was Allegra's twenty-eighth birthday on the day of the flight.
Leo's wife Neve calls in a panic, demanding that he resign from his job immediately. She has seen the article about the doctors' deaths and is terrified that Leo's predicted workplace accident will come true. Leo tries to reason with her, arguing that the elderly couple's deaths were not hard to predict and that he cannot give up work. Neve counters with a recent news story about a crane collapse killing a man in his forties. The argument escalates until Neve shockingly calls Leo's boss Lilith a "manipulative, micromanaging bitch," revealing hidden resentment Leo never suspected. At that exact moment, Lilith herself appears in Leo's office doorway, smiling with a fleck of lipstick on her tooth, asking about a drainage issue.
Who Appears
- LeoPassenger predicted to die in a workplace accident at 43; reads about new deaths, talks to Sue, and argues with Neve about resigning.
- NeveLeo's wife; panics over new confirmed predictions and demands Leo resign, revealing hidden resentment toward his boss Lilith.
- Sue O'SullivanFellow flight passenger predicted to die of cancer; calls Leo to discuss their shared anxiety after more predictions prove correct.
- LilithLeo's boss; appears in his office doorway just as Neve calls her a 'manipulative, micromanaging bitch' on the phone.
- Dr. Bailey and Dr. BaileyElderly married retired doctors from Hobart who died at ages 100 and 101 as predicted, confirming the psychic's accuracy.
- AllegraFlight attendant predicted to die of self-harm at 28; Sue reveals it was her 28th birthday on the day of the flight.
- EthanMentioned by Leo as predicted to die in a fight at age 30 in October, next on the timeline.
- BridieLeo's daughter; previously upset by the car accident video, mentioned in Leo's conversation with Sue.