1970

Chapter Nine: October 5th 1969

Flynn's point of view:

A rush ran through me as I realized today was the day I would have the chance to go home. It was just on time and I was lucky that I didn't have any interruptions to block it. I took this, since almost nothing I do works out perfectly, as a sign brought on by the closest thing we had to fate. This was its way of saying that it was time for me to solve things with Elora permanently, never letting anything else get in the way of what I wanted with her. We had exchanged letters, about whatever it was, all of them friendly and with all the love a letter could give you. Sometimes, that was an abundant amount.

Throughout the whole of the plane ride back to America, I thought of what I was going to say to Elora, what I would tell her and with what words. How was saying something so difficult? Why did I feel like it had to be so perfect that it blew her mind away? She wasn't that high maintenance, but to me, she deserved the best and twice as much.

"Hello, Flynn, how are you?" I heard the sweet voice of Hilda radiating through my ears as she came to sit down in the seat across from me. She was like an angel with a gun. Sometimes I wondered if she was God's guardian of earth, placed there to protect all that stood in danger and to nurture all she loved and cared for. That was the full impression I had with her when we fought in this country together. Mihn was around as well but he did more of the base work with the generals while Hilda and I worked in the field.

"I'm alright, how are you, Hilda?" I asked politely. She said she was good and she handed me a small bottle of water, or what seemed to be water. When I took a swig and found it was vodka, my eyes widened in surprise at her. Hilda simply laughed at my awestruck expression.

"My apologies, I thought it may take the edge off. You will be talking to Elora today, won't you?" She asked. I didn't spit out the vodka when I first tasted it, but I just about did when she asked me that question. How is it that the woman managed to find everything out? This was a damn family of interrogators and spies that really knew what they were doing!

"Are you that analytic or am I just predictable?" I asked. She chuckled and shook her head at me.

"Neither. Lorelei told me what happened when you were staying with us. The time you slept in the bed with her and when you said goodbye early that morning you left for Vietnam. Sounds to me like you have feelings for her," Hilda replied. I had no idea Lorelei knew about what happened back in Washington. Had she seen us doing it both times? How did she manage to do that? I would have to ask her about that when I arrived back in Washington and I had the chance to speak with her. That was probably easier said than done considering the fact that she and I were not on good terms by any means. She would most likely be at her apartment most of the time if I was going to be at her parent's house.

"If you want me to stay away from her, I will. I know I'm not exactly the ideal match for her. I'm covered in tattoos and I'm not exactly ivy-league in anything other than the army and killing people," I explained. She scoffed and waved it off like it was the silliest thing she had ever heard.

"My husband was the exact same, save the tattoos. He didn't know anything outside the army and him and my father are very close. As long as you have the ability to love, protect and take care of her with all you have, then I am sure you are just as deserving of her affection as any other, maybe even more if you play your cards right," she replied with a laugh. I chuckled back as I turned to the window, looking out into the horizon as the sun made its way in the sky.

"I just don't know," I replied.

"Just be spontaneous. I can tell you as her mother that she likes a surprise. I'm sure if you do something that has to do with that, then she will fall right into your hands--not literally," she replied. I laughed at her joke and nodded in approval. Maybe Hilda was right. If anyone knew her daughter, it would be her. I decided that I would take her advice and do what she told me to.