He blinked. “You’re going to ’Nam?”
“I am. But the next part’s even harder to believe. The only way they’ll let me go is if I have a bodyguard.”
Daniel was entirely focused on Marion. From the corner of her eye, Marion saw Sassy beaming.
“I’m sorry,” he said calmly, though she sensed the elation behind his neutral expression. “What, exactly, are you telling me?”
“I’m not telling you anything.” She took a deep breath, still holding his gaze. “I’m asking you.”
He lifted his chin, the quietest sort of smile coming to his lips. “Then ask.”
It was harder than she thought it would be. The absolute best thing would be for Marion to have Daniel by her side, and they both knew it. But what she was asking of him, especially after all his troubles, went way beyond—despite the fact that he wanted to go back to his unit more than anything.
“I am asking an impossible question. I know you’re ready to jump in headfirst, but I need to know something vital. Only you can answer it. Daniel, are you well enough to go with me? I would need to know I could count on you every step of the way.”
He did not leap in with an exuberant yes, as she’d half feared he would. Nor did he show uncertainty, as he had every right to do. Instead, tranquility descended upon him like a veil.
“Vietnam will do all it can to kill you, Marion. I will be your shield.”
PART THREE
You don’t have to save me, you just have to hold my hand while I save myself.
—Unknown
thirty-threeMARION
— March 1968 —
Marion stood paralyzed at the Toronto Airport departure gate for Canadian Pacific Air Lines, sweat rolling down the sides of her face. The passengers behind her had chosen not to wait any longer, so she had become an island, jostled between two rivers of impatient travelers. She apologized to every one of them, but she couldn’t make her feet move either forward to board or back to the safety of the waiting area.
Daniel was late. Had something happened?
Marion was living a nightmare of her own creation. Ever since the idea had dropped into her head that she should go to Vietnam, she had been flitting around like a chickadee, uncertain where to land. The whole idea of boarding a plane and flying thousands of miles to get to a jungle where hospitals were blown up all the time had seemed exciting and heroic. Now it just seemed stupid. And if Daniel didn’t show up, she’d be doing it all on her own.
“Hey.” Daniel’s face appeared in her peripheral vision. “Sorry I’m late.”
She turned to face him. “It’s okay,” she managed breathlessly. “I’ve decided not to go.”
He glanced toward the desk, where the line of passengers was dwindling.Everyone else was already on board. “Too bad, Doc. We’re up. Can’t hold up the entire plane.”
Still, her feet felt rooted to the weathered carpet. The first stop in their journey would be Japan. It struck her that her life would be complete without seeing Japan.
“We’re gonna be fine, Marion. What’s scaring you?”
“To start, I’ve never been on an airplane before.”
“This is the easy part of the trip.”
“That does not fill me with confidence.”
“Well, we’re not walking to Vietnam.” She jumped when his hand curled over her shoulder. “What did you tell me, months ago? Something about taking deep breaths and picturing yourself on solid ground, I believe. Picture yourself sitting in a relatively comfortable seat beside me, possibly getting a glass of wine from a stewardess, if they’re serving. You don’t even have to sit by the window if you don’t want.”
“My ticket says I’m sitting by the window,” she said, reaching for any excuse she could find.
“Let me see. Aha.” He kept ahold of it and handed her his ticket instead. “Now it says you aren’t. So you can choose. Come on, Marion. Time to practice what you preach. They’re waiting.”
She kept her eyes squeezed shut and her hands like claws over the armrests as the Boeing 707 rocked and bumped, picking up speed on the runway. Then she felt a sense of lift in her stomach. Almost like the elevator on Isabella, but way stronger.
