With a POP! Tabitha and Martin appeared in a large, dingy room. The walls were grey and the room was filled with tables and bolted chairs. There were several men in grey prison jumpsuits, their feet shackled, talking with their visiting loved ones. Douglas was in the corner. There were bags under his eyes, his face was unshaven and his dirty hair was streaked with white and grey. His uniform looked a see too big and it hung awkwardly on his frame. The man in front of him was nearly unrecognizable from the hearty and arrogantly smug Douglas Richardson Martin had flown with for the past two years.
When Martin thought of Carolyn, he often thought of her as a sprightly ball of fierce energy. There was a certain go-get it posture of a proud and determined woman. The Carolyn before Martin was still proud. Her posture was erect. She held her head up high when she scanned the room, searching for Douglas amongst the masses of grey prison uniforms. But upon closer inspection as Carolyn walked towards Douglas, Tabitha and Martin, she smelled faintly of fried grease and there were food stains on her shirt. There was something dishevelled about her despite her proud stance. It hinted at long, tiring hours at an unrewarding job that chipped at her energy reserves.
When sat down across from Douglas, she continued her stiff posture. It was as though there were strings pulling her whole body taut and upright. She regarded him with a fixed expression of such cold disdain that Martin winced on Douglas's behalf. Douglas responded to the formidable woman in front of him by plastering on the most charming smile he could muster under her glare.
"Hello Carolyn, fancy seeing you here," greeted Douglas, attempting to sound like his usual jolly smug self, but failing miserably.
"Arthur sends his regards," Carolyn responded, her voice matching her stiff posture. "The boy has a true gift of forgiveness that I have never mastered. When I look at scum like you who have ruined my life and my business, I remember why it's prudent that I don't. Arthur has the luxury of forgiveness. He does not have to pay the legal bills associated with clearing my name as a co-conspirator of a drug-smuggling ring. Not to mention, I've lost all legal rights to run a charter airline company and I will never work for the British aviation sector again."
She glared at him, almost daring him to justify his actions. Instead, Douglas hung his head, looking at his thumbs. The silence hung between them thickly. Martin was tempted to say something to break the awful silence but he's seen the Jimmy Stewart film enough times to know that neither of them could hear him.
"How could you Douglas?" Carolyn asked finally. "I trusted you. Last week I sold GERTI for parts, at a much discounted rate too. My ex-husband offered a pittance more, but my self-preservation and damn pride wouldn't allow me to take it even if the extra 500 quid would have contributed nicely to our legal fees. Now Arthur works as a local shop boy at Tesco's and I've resorted to waitressing at the local Fox and Fiddle."
Douglas looked up, shocked. "That old dump?"
Carolyn frowned distastefully, as if she was holding back what she really thought. Martin had only seen that face when Carolyn dealt with a few choice passengers who that got the Knapp-Shappey special service.
"And now you're here in jail, facing felony charges. Was it worth it?" she asked, softly at first, then hardening when she repeated, "Was it worth it?"
"No, I'm afraid not," said Douglas. He sagged into his chair as if shrinking himself could make this nightmare disappear. But there was nothing but naked honestly when he looked at her and said "I'm very sorry. Carolyn, I will do my best to minimize any consequences that you suffer as a result of my...bad choices."
Carolyn snorted. "In a legal way, I hope. Perjury is still a criminal offense in court."
"No, I won't do that. The lies have failed me and they're frankly too much work. I'm quite sick of lying. Please believe me when I say…" he trailed off and looked away. Nothing was said while Douglas rubbed his eyes with his palm of his hand in a discreet attempt to hide the silent tears. It seemed like an uncomfortably eternity until Douglas was able to collected himself and look at Carolyn to say in a steady voice, "I'm truly sorry, Carolyn. I regret everything. Please believe me."
Douglas looked more contrite than Martin had ever seen him. His face was worn with grief. Though Martin would never admit it, he had always marvelled at Douglas's cleverness and smoothness. It was as if he was invincible. It was distinctly horrifying and sad to see him like this.
Carolyn face softened as she was caught off guard by the frankness of Douglas's response. She carefully searched his face suddenly the invisible strings holding Carolyn upright had been cut. Her shoulders relaxed and she slouched slightly in her chair. It was as though there was no energy left to hold in the anger any longer. All there was left was sad forgiveness.
She gave a tired sigh. "You've made a mess of it, Douglas. You stupid man. I should have known. I shouldn't have believed you. You were always too smooth for your own good. Now, if it's forgiveness you wanted, then you have it. And good luck to you. You will be eating tinned beans for a very long time if you ever get out of prison. Such is the fate of all who once worked at MJN Air because I stupidly trusted idiotic pilots with sticky fingers."
She got up from her uncomfortable chair.
"Now, we won't be seeing each other ever again." She held out her hand for Douglas to shake, which he did so weakly. "Goodbye, Douglas."
Carolyn left Douglas sitting there, his head in his hands with the almost inaudible sounds of sobbing emitting from him. For Martin, it felt like he was intruding in a private moment watching Douglas lose his composure because Martin knew Douglas would be mortified if he saw Martin witnessing him like this.
"Tabitha, what happens to Douglas?" asked Martin, dreading the answer already.
"His career as a pilot is over. His name is on a restricted list and his piloting license is permanently revoked. He will spend the rest of his life after prison in doing odd jobs, occasionally playing in a piano bar for a few hundred pounds a month. In another year he will succumb to his dormant alcohol addiction before dying penniless in a hospital a few years later.
"That's horrible," whispered Martin. "What about Carolyn?"
Tabitha smiled wryly with admiration for her. "Carolyn is made of sterner stuff. A true work horse, she is. Unlike Douglas, she's used to undignified work and swallows her pride, accordingly. Well, most of the time."
Martin smiled at that, slightly relieved to hear that. "So, we will be seeing her?"
"Of course," replied Tabitha easily. "This is the Jimmy Stewart tour after all. We're seeing all your co-workers. And after that, if you're still an idiot for emotional masochism, we'll see your family too."
Martin took one last look at Douglas, sitting there waiting for the guard to take him back to his cell. "Let's go," Martin said quietly. With that, Martin and Tabitha disappeared from the prison visiting area with a POP!