1968

Chapter Three: June 13th 1968

Lorelei's point of view:

"Morning," I sang as I approached the dining room table, still wearing my nightgown and a black robe on my body. I sat at the head of the table, my father on the other side. Jacob and my mother sat at both sides, happily eating away at their breakfast. The cook, her name was Lily, I believe, served me a plate of eggs and toast for breakfast. I thanked her heartily and she curtsied as she walked off to do whatever she did when she wasn't cooking.

"Tonight we have our first mission," I heard my father say as he ate his toast. I leaned back lazily in the chair as I ate the food on my plate. I was relaxed whereas Jacob looked alarmed. He knew why we were here, and that was to help win this war. Missions were to be expected.

"I thought we wouldn't start anything for a couple of weeks?" Jacob asked. I observed them silently as I ate all my breakfast, I didn't realize how hungry I was until I started eating.

"It doesn't. Today's a minor one, and literally. We're excavating a mine," my father replied. I chuckled when he made a pun and Jacob fought off a laugh while running his hand through his thick, dark hair.

"Why would we excavate a mine, Jack? Does it have something to do with the war?" My mother asked him, holding his hand on the table where they sat. I didn't really mind their intimacy, seeing as they had been through thick and thin together for years. I would've expected it to happen, but I couldn't help but wonder what it felt like to have someone love you like that. My dad has always said how he would do absolutely anything for my mom, he said he loved her at least three times a day. I thought she was very lucky to have someone like that.

"Actually, it does. The mine has been abandoned since before World War Two, but that doesn't mean Vietnam has no use for it. Word is Americans are being held up there, don't know why, guess they didn't fit the bill for a POW camp. Tonight we're going to get in there, try and find them," my father explained. I nodded, the whole thing seemed quite exciting. I felt myself in an anticipated trance.

"I'm in! It sounds like fun," I said. He shook his head, Jacob, I mean. My face went down when I knew he wasn't for going to the mine.

"That sounds even more dangerous than battle, to be perfectly honest. Do you really think it's the best idea?" Jacob said. I felt like I needed to say something to him. Mother would just laugh and tell him it wouldn't be as bad as he thought, and dad would just say he didn't have a choice.

"It's what you signed up for, Jacob. You didn't expect something like this to be thrown at you?" I asked. Jacob glared at me like I had just slapped him in the face.

"I know what I signed up for. I just think it's a bad idea to go into a mine that was probably abandoned because it was too dangerous to work in. Excuse me if I want to live longer than eighteen," he argued. My eyes went a little wide at how defensive he was acting.

"You don't have to be like that," I said.

"You don't have to be condescending," he replied.

"You don't have to be an ass!" I said.

"Alright! That's enough out of you two," my mother scolded. I sat back in my chair and Jacob sighed as we took our eyes off each other. There were a few moments of awkward silence between the four of us at the table.

"Relax while you can. We have a big night. And you two," my father said, pointing to Jacob and I, "try to get along." I sighed and tried not to glare at Jacob.

Later on, I was outside sitting beside the pool in our house, lounging while I read I book. At this current moment, I was reading Pride and Prejudice. It was my favourite book, and I must have read it at least three times. It never ceased to have me spellbound within the pages inside the spine of the book. I didn't know why it was my favourite, it may have been because of how graceful the wording was. It also could have been its genre of romance. Yet I think the sole reason I loved it was the principle of the story. Two people, with flaws such as their own, come together despite their unwitting hatred of each other. Love had an odd way of finding its way around things.