1968

Chapter Thirty-Five: February 24th, 1969

Lorelei's point of view:

We arrived at the hotel in Saigon, sort of resembling the one we stayed at in Hanoi, just a little bigger. We had more freedom here as well, since we were in the north. Flynn told us that even though we could go out, we should still be careful and I should never go anywhere without Mihn or my mother. Well, he told Mihn that, not me. He and I still weren't talking from what happened yesterday. It was a little juvenile that we had to speak through people in order to relay messages, but neither of us were stepping up to the plate.

The day went on pretty normal. All of us helped unpack and settle it all into the hotel rooms. My mother was given a room all to herself, Mihn and I would share the second one. Everything was pretty relaxed once we were done with all the packing. There wasn't much else left for us to do but sit and talk. It was like we were a tourist family that were enduring a rainy day. I suppose this was better than getting killed by some guerrilla.

"What do we do now?" I asked. Mihn shook his head and chuckled as he sat down on the bed and began to read a book. I stared out the window and saw that, ironically, it was raining. Perhaps I'm psychic and when I think about something it happens? No, because I've wished for my father's leg back at least fifty times since it happened.

"Come here and I'll show you," he said to me. I turned to him and realized how sensual he was being. We hadn't done it in a while, what with all the stress and bustle. We hardly found time to even think about it, and by the end of the night we were just too tired to give it a second look.

I crawled along the bed and hovered over him, taking his lips and drinking them in as we kissed. I straddled my legs around him as I kept kissing him, romantically and smoothly holding him to me as we let the fire consume us.

•••

Hilda's point of view:

It wasn't until the next morning that the chips started to fall. Lorelei, Mihn and I were sitting in my room. Mihn was teaching me how to play cards and Lorelei was shuffling around in the little refrigerator the hotel had for something to drink. After the rain from last night the day had become scalding hot. We had two fans blowing in both directions, and we were continuously drinking all the cold liquids we could find that also contained ice. Lorelei had just finished her soda and went to find another. The silly girl never drank water like I told her to.

"Mom, there's nothing but bottles of water and beer! Why is there no more coca cola left?" Lorelei complained as she had her head sticking out of the fridge. I chuckled and shook my head as I played my turn with Mihn.

"You drank all of them honey. If you're not going to have water or beer then go and get some from the room service people," I replied. She sighed and stood from the floor, closing the fridge and making her way out of the room. She came back a few minutes later with a coke and an awestruck look on her face.

"What happened?" I asked.

"The woman, she's out there. That old woman, Jolie, she's in the hotel," Lorelei replied. My eyes widened and I went to look at Mihn. I had forgotten completely about when he told me of that woman named Jolie that spoke to Lorelei. Now she was here it only promised me that she was following us. Being at Hanoi, that was a coincidence, but being here, there's definitely a reason why. Now I was determined to find out.

"Where is she?" I asked, getting off the bed and leaving the cards behind. She had no time to stop me before I stormed out of the hotel room and went to chase down that insane woman. I didn't care what she wanted with me, but if she had any plans to hurt my child or her husband, then she was in for a world of pain.

I found the older woman walking down the hallways innocently. I chased her down quickly, yelling at her to stop. She turned around and eyed me, and when they widened she began to walk quicker. Why she wanted to distance herself, I didn't know. If she wanted to hurt me then she had every opportunity to do so. This could only mean she was here for a different purpose, and by God, I was going to find out.