Fortunate Sons

Chapter 44: Reflections

The days continued to be peaceful for Taylor, Sue and the others with everyone coming and going as they wished. Sue and Dr. Pearlman were more than pleased to see that Taylor's wounds were close to being perfectly healed but when they folded back up, they left a small patch of soft, dark blonde fuzz instead of the familiar black back tattoo.

Tri kept everyone on their toes with her boundless energy with Taylor, Sue and all her uncles running after her as she burned it all off in the small backyard. It seemed that nothing could happen to break the peaceful respite, nothing to interrupt their break from duties. All seemed completely and utterly perfect.

Taylor and Sue had just put Tri to sleep one cool and rainy night but were startled by a sudden knock at the kitchen door. Taylor answered and was puzzled to find none other than Colonel Swyft standing before him, soaking wet and stern faced as ever.

"Sir?"

"I need to talk to you."

Colonel Swyft entered the house and grabbed a seat at the kitchen table across from Taylor. From the minute he walked across the threshold of the door, Taylor knew that something was wrong. He felt it seeded deep within the Colonel's mind, buried in the shallows and slowly oozing to the surface. Bad enough that he had come to the house on a night like this, but Taylor knew he wouldn't have come if it wasn't important.

"I just got off the phone with Hoa Che, the provincial governor," Swyft said, his grave tone making Taylor fearful of what Swyft had to tell him.

"And??"

"The NVA are advancing close to Than Ahn," Swyft told him. "Che thinks that they're going to come down from either Hanoi or Khe Sanh."

The color in Taylor's face drained until he was white. "How long do we have?" he asked.

"A week at most," Swyft replied. "If we're lucky a week and a half but we need to use our time wisely and get everyone out. Lucky for you, you're going home."

"No," Taylor said abruptly.

"Taylor!"

"Sir listen to me!" Taylor replied firmly, his face burning knowing he could be punished for insubordination. But to his surprise, Swyft flinched a little.

"Go on," Swyft said. "I'm listening."

"I have a girl and a young daughter here in Than Ahn and I'm not leaving them behind," Taylor said icily. "If this city falls to the communists the NVA will execute them and everybody else that remains."

Swyft felt a pang of guilt knowing what Taylor would be leaving behind. He too had detested the communists after what had happened to his wife's family before she had escaped from China and had come to America. For a moment, Swyft didn't see another one of his subordinate soldiers seated in front of him. Swyft saw with his own eyes a reflection of himself.

Jeez Bob.....he thought. Is this any different than when Rachel swam all the way from China to Hong Kong? What would you do if you were in the kid's shoes now? What would you do if your wife and five kids were still stuck in China? He's not just a soldier Bob......he's you.

"I'll do what I can Taylor," Swyft said. "You'll still have to go home."

"Promise me one thing?"

"Shoot."

"You get my girls out of here any way you possibly can," Taylor replied. "I don't care how you do it, but you make sure they get out and as far away as possible before they come."

"I'll take them as far as Saigon and further if I can," Swyft said. "I've got about a week of furlough coming up and if need be I'll go with them."

"You don't have to."

"No," Swyft said. "You were right before. These are the same people who want to paint their homes with American blood and they'll go to any means necessary to do it. I knew a girl a long time ago who got out of China but had to leave her parents behind. I don't want you to go through that with Sue."

"Yes sir," Taylor murmured.

"And don't worry," Swyft said. "I'm not going to have you whacked for being honest with me. An honest soldier is better than a dishonest one."

When he left, Taylor was still dismayed. The thought of leaving behind everyone was worse than he could imagine, leaving him burning to rebel against orders and go with Sue into Thailand. He had been so consumed by the thought that he hadn't even noticed Sue sitting on the stairs.

He made his way over to her and knelt close to where she was perched, both locking eyes and quiet as the grave. "One way or another," Taylor murmured hoarsely. "One way or another."

They threw their arms around each other as though their lives depended on it. Even if the world ended tomorrow, Sue wouldn't have cared. All that mattered to her was that she was with Taylor. Even if it was for a short while longer.