As most college students looked forward to a break from school over the Christmas holidays, a number of anti-war incidents occurred on several campuses that involved members of the present administration. Defense Secretary McNamara was mobbed by about one hundred anti-war demonstrators while addressing a small group of students on Harvard University's campus; and when General Earle Wheeler, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addressed a gathering at Brown University, some one hundred and sixty students walked out to protest his defense of the United States' involvement in Vietnam.
Noah and Ross had returned home from basic training with orders to leave for Saigon at the beginning of the year. Although expected, their friends and families were devastated by the news.
Noah and Leigh decided to go home for Christmas to see their families before Noah had to leave the country, and Ross made plans to split the time he had left with his two sets of grandparents, Angela and Randolph.
Leigh tried handling the news as best she could but when she began imagining all the things that could possibly happen to Noah in Vietnam, she became a mass of tears whenever she was alone though she tried putting on a brave face whenever he was around. But she couldn't hold anything back the last night they spent together before he left. Noah had made love to her with a passion that was distinctively his, making memories the two of them would feed off from until he returned. Then he held her in his arms while she cried, and for a brief time tears had formed in his eyes knowing just how much he would miss her.
When she began crying fresh tears he leaned down and kissed them away and held her tighter. “Things are going to be okay, sweetheart. I'll be fine. I promise.”
Leigh shook her head as more sobs shook her body. “You can't promise me that because you don't know that for sure. I'm so afraid,
Noah. I love you so much. I don't know what I'll do if you don't come back to me.”
“Shhh, don't think such a thing, baby. I'll be back. You are the most important person in my life. You
are
my life. I will come back to you, Leigh.”
But what Leigh thought and what she couldn't ask was
how
would he come back. She wanted him to be alive when he returned. She didn't want Uncle Sam returning him to her in a body bag. “I heard the Vietcongs are mean and vicious and that they would use anything or anyone to kill an American, even their women and children. How can you fight a war against people like that?”
He heard the fear in her voice and knew he had to arrest her fears. “I've been trained and I'm ready to do whatever I have to. My year in 'Nam will be up before you know it. When I return you'll have finished school and then we'll start looking for a place wherever I'll be stationed next. And don't forget you'll get a chance to come to Paris when I'm up for R and R. You'll like that, won't you?”
She nodded through her tears. “I love you so much, Noah.”
“I know, baby, and I love you just as much.” In all the years they had been together, he had never seen her so broken up; not even when Zachary had died. Somehow he had to assure her that things would be okay. He pulled her tighter to him where his heart was pressed against hers. Her face was wet, drenched with tears, but this was the face he wanted instilled in his memory on those nights when he would be just miles outside of enemy lines, not knowing if the breath he took would be his last.
Again, he felt his own eyes beginning to dampen, but he had no shame in crying because tomorrow he would be leaving behind the most important person in his life, the woman he loved. He took his hands and cupped her face and leaned forward to kiss her. He wished this night would last forever. “No matter what happens, Leigh, always remember that I love you and I would go fight a thousand wars if it meant a better future for you and our children. There won't be a day or night that I won't think of you. And as long as the Lord gives me the strength to do so, I'll come back to you. I swear it.”
He kissed her again and then he made love to the woman who would always be in his heart. They made love all that night, over and over again and when morning came and the sun shone brightly through the window, they both knew their love would always shine just as brightly and would sustain them through the coming months.
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It was two weeks later and Ross and Randolph were spending the last days before Ross was to leave with their grandparents on Glendale Shores. Angela had come down for a few days and again to Randolph's surprise she seemed genuinely concerned about his brother.
The night before he was to leave Ross went into Randolph's bedroom after their grandparents went to bed. Both Gramma Mattie and Grampa Murphy had talked to him about keeping himself safe and not trusting any of the Vietnamese, not even the women and children.
The two brothers stood across the room facing each other, knowing there was a lot they both wanted to say but also knowing there was no need. From the time their parents had brought them into the world they had been taught to love each other and to look out for each other. They both remembered the times before their parents' death and the good times they had shared as a family. Then afterward, at the ages of twelve and ten together they had stood before their parents' caskets and said their final good-byes, promising to always be there for each other. Each had held the other up during that very difficult time and the times following when there was that custody fight. Neither cared which set of grandparents they would end up with as long as the two of them were not separated. There was a strong bond between them. Not only were they brothers, they were the very best of friends.
Ross was the first to cross the room to Randolph with tears unashamedly filling his eyes. It would be the first time the two of them would be separated for a long period of time. “I'm going to miss you, Rand.”
Randolph smiled sadly at Ross as tears filled his own eyes. “Same here, brother. But the year will be up before you know it and you'll be home, and I'll be almost finished with law school.”
Ross nodded. “Because we are brothers, at least you won't ever have
to go to Vietnam and for that I'm grateful. If either of us have to go it seems right that it be me.”
“Why?” Randolph asked jokingly, as tears continued to fill his eyes. “Because you're the oldest?”
Ross didn't say anything for a briefest moment, then he said softly, “No, because I'm the weakest.” His voice cracked when he added, “If anything were to ever happen to you, Rand, I don't think I'd be able to handle it.”
Without hesitation Randolph reached out to his brother and the two men, similar in both height and build, embraced each other as only two brothers could. And at that moment they realized just how blessed they were to share the same blood.
March 1967
The semester passed rather quickly and in less than two months Jenna and Leigh would be graduating. Jenna had received a letter from Ellie a month ago telling her that she had given birth to a beautiful little girl whom she had named Johnnetta, after Johnny. She had appreciated the way he had been able to put the past behind them and befriend her during the time she had truly needed a friend.
Leigh had also gotten a letter from Ellie in which she apologized for the way she had treated Leigh while they'd been roommates at Howard. Leigh had written Ellie back letting her know she accepted her apology. Not one to hold a grudge, Leigh had decided the best way to handle the situation was to wipe the slate clean. As far as she was concerned, Ellie had gone through enough and had learned from her past mistakes.
Leigh received letters from Noah on a frequent basis and couldn't wait to see him and let him know she was pregnant when she went to Paris in June. She had taken some over-the-counter medication for a cold, not knowing that certain medications could counteract the
effectiveness of the birth control pill. After two missed periods she had gone to the doctor who confirmed her suspicions. Although this was not the way they had planned it, she was ecstatic.
Jenna knew that Randolph was also receiving frequent letters from Ross and many times he read them to her. In Ross's letters he told them of the magnificent beauty of some of the places and the stink and filth of others. He told them of the people who you couldn't trust and the women who sold themselves cheap just to get a puff from a cigarette. From his letters they knew about the harsh Asian sun that could literally bring a man to his knees if the bigger-than-life mosquitoes didn't suck all your blood first. Then there was the hardship of having to dig deep holes in the ground which at times were the only cool place to be found, and how at night you had to be alert and on your guard against an enemy who claimed the night as his own.
Jenna knew Randolph missed Ross and was counting the days until he returned. Angela, although nice enough to her whenever Randolph was around, snubbed her otherwise. Jenna mentioned the woman's behavior to Randolph a few times and he told her not to worry about it.
Jenna was excited about her job offer from Smith and Riley, one of the largest architectural firms that had offices all over the world. They had offered her a chance to work at their Memphis office after graduation in May. Since Memphis wasn't that far from Knoxville and the starting salary was more than she had expected, Jenna accepted the offer. Not everyone had a job lined up after graduation so she felt blessed about it.
She and Randolph had talked about how they would handle being apart after she graduated. It was decided that she would work at Smith and Riley and then they would marry once he finished law school next spring.
At the end of March, Jenna and Randolph caught a bus to Chicago, along with one hundred other students from Howard, to participate in a march led by the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Over five thousand anti-war demonstrators, both black and white, participated. Leigh had wanted to participate but Jenna and Ross talked her out of it, telling her she might place the baby in danger if any violence broke out.
On April fourth Jenna and Randolph celebrated their birthdays together at the same hotel they had the year before. That night while the aftershocks of the pleasure they'd shared subsided, they held each other and whispered words of love.
“I don't know how I'm going to handle it after you move to Memphis, baby.”
Jenna smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face against his shoulder. “You'll be so busy your final year of law school, you'll be glad to have me out of your hair for a while.”
He shook his head as he drew her tighter into his arms. “Don't even think that. I'm going to miss you like hell. You know how hard it was for me last summer when we were apart.”
She nodded. It had been hard for her, too. “Time will fly by quickly and before you know it Ross and Noah will be back home, and Leigh will have had her baby. Things are going to be wonderful,” she said, smiling happily.
Randolph lifted his hand and caressed her cheek. He wanted to share in her happiness but something held him back. “I hope so, baby. I truly hope so.”
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A week later Randolph sat in his bedroom and reread the letter he had received that day from Ross.
March 30, 1967
Rand,
I hope this letter finds you well. Happy birthday to you and Jenna. Give her a kiss for me and tell her I appreciate the care packages she's sending me. Toiletries are greatly appreciated over here and the cans of insect repellant are a blessing.
I have so much good news to share with you that I don't know where to start. So I guess I'll just go ahead and say it. I'm in love. Yes, I know it's hard to believe but I am. And it happened just the way you said it had with you and Jenna. I saw her and wham, it was like I had been hit by a freight train or something. She works at the hospital here in Saigon. She's the most beautiful woman I've ever
seen. Her mother is Japanese and her father was Vietnamese. When we first saw each other, it was like some sort of soul connection. It wasn't anything I wanted to happen, and knowing I'm engaged to Angela was reason enough to fight the attraction. And for thirty long and hard days I fought it. But the more I fought it, the more attracted to her I became, so I've given up the fight. She's the one, Rand. She's the woman I love and want to marry. Her name is Gia. I know I have to tell Angela and break off our engagement. She deserves better than a Dear John letter from me so I plan to wait until I have R and R in a few months and call her from Rome. When I return to the States in January I intend to bring Gia home with me as my wife. I know Grandmother Julia will have a cow but she can have triple cows for all I care. For Gia I'll gladly face her wrath and then some. I love Gia just that much. Be happy for me, Rand, because loving Gia has truly made me happy.
Take care and I'll do the same.
Your brother,
Ross.
Randolph reread the letter a third time. And later when Jenna came over he let her read it as well. Like he had, she read it a second and a third time.
“He definitely sounds like a man in love, doesn't he?” she asked smiling.
Randolph shrugged. “Yeah, I suppose.”
Jenna stared at him over the rim of the eyeglasses she used for reading on occasion. “Aren't you happy for him, Randolph? He's in love.”
Randolph sighed. “Yes, I'm happy for him but I was just thinking about Angela and how she's going to handle a broken engagement.”
“I doubt she'll handle it well but would you rather Ross marry someone he didn't love?”
Randolph's lips tightened. “No, I've never wanted that for him.”
“Well, okay then. You've said yourself many times that he didn't love Angela. And you've always had doubt as to whether Angela loved him.”
“Yeah, but I may have been wrong about her feelings for Ross. I think she really cares for him.”
Jenna lifted a brow and wondered when Randolph had reached that conclusion. Personally, she didn't think Angela cared for anyone but herself. “Don't worry about it, Randolph. Things will work out. I'm sure when the time comes, Ross will handle the situation with Angela with as much diplomacy as he can under the circumstances.”
Randolph nodded, knowing she was right. Angela was Ross's concern and not his. He just hated seeing anyone getting hurt. And he definitely didn't want to think about how his grandmother would react if Ross married a woman from another country, especially someone part Vietnamese.
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“Have you gotten a letter from Ross recently?”
Ross looked over at Angela. They had just gotten out of the Judicial Law class they shared and were walking across the courtyard. He knew that she had another class that day but he was through and was heading for home. A part of him had hoped she would not ask him about Ross. “No, not lately,” he said.
She looked over at him. “Neither have I. Aren't you worried?”
Yes, but not for the reason you think.
“I try not to worry, Angela.”
“I suppose that would be best.” She glanced down at her watch. “I have a few extra minutes before I have to rush off to my next class. Do you want to grab something to eat?”
Randolph shook his head. “Sorry, but I can't. Jenna is waiting at my place with lunch already prepared.”
Angela schooled her features to hide her anger. “Oh. Maybe another time then?”
“Sure. I'll see you later.” Randolph quickly walked away. He knew the only reason Angela wanted to have lunch with him was so she could talk some more about Ross, and Randolph didn't want to be put in the position of having to continue to outright lie to her. He was fiercely loyal to his brother but hoped Ross broke the news to Angela soon.
The next day, following his conversation with Angela, Randolph received another letter from Ross.
April 20, 1967
Rand,
Sorry it's taken so long to write since the last letter but I'm sure you've heard by now that things are really starting to heat up over here. I hate it when I have to go out on patrol. One wrong step could be your last because mines are buried all over the place. Last week I saw a guy I had just eaten breakfast with get his head blown off. Oh my God, Rand, it was like one minute he was there and another minute he was missing his head. And if that wasn't sad enough, Danny was only eighteen, just a kid. That morning at breakfast he'd told me that his mom was still his favorite girl. He had just mailed off his Mother's Day card to her last week.
No matter what you've heard about how bad it is over here, I want you to know it's a thousand times worse. I hate it here, Rand, but Gia has made it so much better for me. In her own way she has helped turn hell into paradise. I love her so much. That night after seeing Danny blown up that way, I went to Gia and she comforted me while I nearly threw my guts up. It's hard to remember at times that we're still human even if those damn 'Congs aren't. I said a prayer for Danny. The kid didn't deserve to die that way.
Ross
A week later was graduation day and Jenna and Leigh proudly walked across the platform to receive their degrees. Four years of hard work had finally paid off. Both Jenna's and Leigh's parents, as well as Leigh's in-laws were there for the joyous occasion. Jenna had been touched that Randolph's grandparents in South Carolina had sent her a graduation present and wasn't surprised that his Grandmother Julia still refused to acknowledge her existence.
Leigh was getting excited about her trip to Paris. Jenna had packed already for Memphis. She was supposed to begin work in a week. The night before she was to leave, Randolph took her out to dinner and
gave her his graduation present to her. A beautiful diamond engagement ring. In the restaurant in front of everyone, he got down on his knees and asked her to marry him. Through all the tears that ran down her face and with all the love she had in her heart, she accepted. There was no doubt in Jenna's mind that it was the happiest night of her life.
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Three days later, Jenna's happiness was overshadowed with gloom when the news media reported that the Oakland police along with federal agents had raided the Oakland Black Panther Party office, arresting fifteen members and killing eight. In the exchange of gunfire between police and party members, a federal agent was killed.
Johnny was the person the police had arrested for the shooting death of the FBI agent.