Episode 93: Inevitable...

Mai swept into the Times building to pick up Bill at two minutes to noon, much like she had the first night they'd met at the Embassy.  

She was dressed in a stunningly beautiful traditional cream Ao Dai and cheekily called "NơI bạn có tình yêu của tôi không?" (where are you my love?) before turning and almost running directly into John who was coming to see what the commotion was all about.

John stood there, his mouth open and his eyes as big a saucers before Bill came to his rescue and smiling a little sheepishly introduced John to Mai.

As they spoke Phuong invisibly slide out of the room behind Bill and squeezed past the scrum in the hall before anonymously exiting the building.

Mai had brought a picnic lunch for them to enjoy down by the Hoàn Kiēm Lake and invited John to join them, blushing he could hardly refuse Bill's beautiful friend and accepted her kind invitation.

Instead of driving the short distance Mai sent her driver and bodyguard ahead to choose an appropriate spot for them to dine on the grass over looking her favourite spot - Tháp Rùa (Turtle Tower).

Like most days when "Hanoi Rose" walked on the streets everyone, men and women alike stopped to admire her beauty, it was as if the earth stood still until she had passed by. 

Episode 92: Pattaya

With her last ounces of energy Lea had been able to charm the taxi driver into taking them to Pattaya without the deposit, and upon arrival at Alessio's business associates home was able to quickly secure the funds to see him on his way including a fat tip.

They were completely exhausted after the four hour plus taxi ride from the airport, which on top of their detention and general ordeal was almost too much to bear and it was clear that Lea was completely frazzled and at the end of her tether.

Sensing a meltdown of major proportions, Alessio was able to coax her out of her damp, smelly clothes and then physically carried her to the outdoor shower, turning on the water he noted that the shower was surrounded by the most beautiful Frangipani bush, its flowers a deep, vibrant red, but Lea was just too exhausted to notice.

After 30 minutes he had begun to worry and so went to investigate.  He found Lea wedged into the corner of the shower in a fetal position sound asleep with the water still running.

Turning off the water he squatted down and took her in his arms, as he carried her toward the large guest bed she roused and put her lips close to his cheek a whispered...I love you. 

Alessio smiled

Episode 91: Torn

Since arriving into Hanoi John had been trying to decide if the best course of action would be to just close the Hanoi bureau altogether, especially after this latest incident.  He remembered the first correspondent that he'd sent to Hanoi only too well, the guilt remained ever present in his mind as he remembered Bill's predecessor and his still unsolved murder...  

He chided himself "I should have closed the bloody desk then..." he thought.  But now with both Bill and Lea in the line of fire it was almost too much to bear.

He was conflicted because he knew Asia was where the action was, and whether he liked it or not Bill was the only guy that could manage the intricacies and nuances of this country.  He'd proved it time and again with his insightful and clear commentary on the new Vietnam.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place again...