The sun rose graciously. Delicately, she nestled herself in the heart of clouds.

Her beauty was caught

by the eyes of Mary, who had been letting her body soak in the perfume of summer while standing on
the beach. “Oh summer, oh life,” she moaned as though those words were signals of her indulgence in
the panorama that lay before her, and through every breath, melancholy was perceptible.

Conversely, beyond the sand, in the streets, there was a different scene; a mob in which men and
women upwardly brandished signs. On them, engraved the words: "End the war in Vietnam!" Cries of
longing for their beloved ones played inextricably in unison with the rattles of cars that pierced her
ears.

By the by, those words on signs formed a reminiscent of John in her mind, whom she met years
earlier, also a silly high school sweetheart of hers. As she thought about those days, she blushed and
her cheeks turned red, but a subdued feeling loomed in her heart, for he was then a soldier fighting in
Vietnam. He hadn’t written to her in weeks. What are the odds of misery coming between them? She
thought herself capable enough to do something rather than sobbing from sorrowful thoughts.

At the next moment, Jane arrived. Without exchanging any words but glances, they both went into a
nearby café with the lightest steps. Once they were seated, particularly close to the window, Jane
swiftly unfolded the newspaper, turning pages back and forth violently; she was in the pursuit of
finding any good news. That, however, didn’t come under Mary’s notice. She was at that time gazing
outward with her chin resting upon her palm and her head immersed in the doleful thoughts.

A profound stillness draped the day, as everyone drifted in reverie. Suddenly, the radio burst forth,
commanding attention. With the formal end of the war, cheers erupted, seizing the day with
merriment. Two girls, their faces alight, exhaled in relief. Tears adorned Mary's face, some teetering
on her lashes, some tracing down her cheeks. Would John's promise reunite them at last?

Such dismaying thoughts visited her head that night; never once she could attain a sleep even paltrily.
At every blink of her eyes, John's image shimmered in her head; mostly, it was him holding lovely
flowers, but sometimes, it was his dead body.

After the relentless night, the next morning, the warships were bound to set ashore. She set off as
usual that day, not aware of the news. It was only after receiving Mary’s message that she found out
about the arrival of the soldiers. “Already?” she questioned.

Along with many, she and Jane met each other in the face of the sea, gasping for air with its stifled
little waves crashing on the shore and leaving the iridescent rocks as they retreated.

Mary’s eyes roved about the dozens of ships, manoeuvring furtively through the water, but the sight
was too subtle for any assumptions about to be made. As the ships’ hulls kissed the sand, thousands
and thousands of soldiers lurched out. The reunification with their loved ones was an immediate
occurrence. Still, John was absent among them to her consternation. She darted here and there,
inquiring the soldiers, but none was keen to reply.

As her arm was riveted by a man claiming to know John from their time in Vietnam, Mary's urgency
surged, demanding answers about John's whereabouts. Yet, despite her haste, he hesitated, avoiding
eye contact, fingers fidgeting, wearing an unreadable expression. Mary, in contrast, felt her emotions
intensify, her face contorting with worry and anticipation. Then, with a sudden burst of courage, the
man swiftly removed his mask, revealing himself as John. In that moment, they embraced tightly, a
flood of relief and love washing over them, culminating in a tender kiss. Meanwhile, Jane observed
from a distance, a knowing grin spreading across her face as the sun, like the day before, illuminated
the clouds above.

As her arm riveted by the man claiming to know John during their time in Vietnam, Mary’s urgent
surged, demanding answers about John’s whereabouts. Despite her haste, he hesitated, avoiding eye
contact, fidgeting his fingers, wearing an unreadable expression. Mary, in contrast, felt her emotions
intensify, her face contorting with worry and anticipation. With a sudden burst of courage, the man
swiftly removed his mask, revealing himself as John. In that moment, they embraced tightly, a flood
of relief, and love washing over them, culminating in a tender. Meanwhile, Jane observed from a
distance, a knowing grin spreading across her face as the sun, like the day, illuminated the clouds
above.

Such dismaying thoughts revisited her mind that night, never once she could attain a sleep even
partially. At every blink of her eyes, an image of John shone in her head; mostly, it was of him
holding lovely flowers, but sometimes he was drenched in blood.

After the relentless night, the next morning, the warships were bound to set ashore. She set off as
usual that day, not aware about the arrival of soldiers. It was only after receiving