(CNN) Republican Sen. Susan Collins almost dropped her handbag Thursday as she gestured disbelief at word, delivered to her by reporters in the Capitol, that President Donald Trump would not sign the budget extension to keep government funded until February unless border wall money was added.

"Did he just say that?" she asked as she left a Republican lunch. "Ugh, are you ruining my life?"

Collins was already headed to the airport to return home to Maine and wait for the drama to play out, when word came, via House Speaker Paul Ryan, who had met with Trump, that a government shutdown now seemed more likely.

"Boy, we can't have government shut down. It's never good," she said. "How many times do we have to learn that?"

Collins and other GOP senators were told they would be given 24 hours' notice before a vote was called so they could fly back to DC.