The Women: A Novel

Frankie becomes accustomed to the unrelenting pace of the 71st Evacuation Unit. For the first time, she tells her mother of the war’s atrocities in a letter. Barb tells her of a march in Washington DC, and Frankie wonders if the war is in vain. One day, the women are invited to a party by the pilot, Coyote. They board a jeep and are taken to a hotel in Saigon, where they have lunch in the French Quarter and shop. That night, Coyote welcomes them at the party. He asks Frankie to dance, and then introduces her to his captain: She is surprised to find it is Finley’s friend, Rye.

Frankie dances with Rye upon his request, then takes a drunk Barb to their hotel. She cannot sleep, so when she receives a call that a man is waiting for her on the rooftop bar, she goes thinking it will be Coyote. She is surprised to find Rye, who claims he is engaged. A few days later, some nurses throw a birthday party for Frankie. Coyote begs her to dance, and while she agrees, she voices disinterest in him.

On Christmas Eve, Frankie leaves the OR to find Barb standing over a dead soldier with no dog tags. She assures Barb that they can identify him, and they both note the media’s downplaying of the war. Coyote and Rye arrive via helicopter and take the women to a small tree that can serve as a Christmas tree. As Coyote and Barb retrieve drinks, Rye approaches Frankie, but she voices disinterest in him. The four enjoy a holiday meal, and the war’s ceasefire holds. They then walk outside, beneath a going-away banner for Barb. The next morning, Barb leaves before Frankie wakes, leaving a goodbye note.

Barb sends Frankie a letter, dismayed by anti-war sentiment and uncertain about what to do in civilian life. In late January, Frankie receives notice that her tour will end in March 1968. On January 31st, the hospital is hit by a mortar attack in the middle of the night. Frankie helps new nurse Margie make it to the OR, where they are met with mass casualties. The new doctor is stunned, so Frankie takes charge. When the rush is over, Rye appears, wanting to check on her. The two walk the hospital grounds together, many of the buildings destroyed. Among the dying, Frankie sees a soldier whom she removed a bullet from a few weeks ago. She talks to him as he dies, then vows to write his mother a letter. Rye sits beside her in her hooch until she falls asleep.

The next day, the hospital staff learn the mortar attack was the largest attack in the war to date: the Tet Offensive. Frankie is frustrated that the number of reported deaths and injuries is lower than the true number. Recognizing the inexperienced doctors and nurses around her, she commits to an additional year of service, informing her unhappy parents via a letter. As March approaches, she is ordered to recuperate in Hawaii.

When Frankie arrives in Kauai, Hawaii, she sleeps, enjoys a hot shower, and walks on a beach. She is startled to see families on vacation while the war continues. She swims, then lies on the beach—only to be interrupted by Rye. He learned Frankie was in Kauai, and reveals he ended his engagement. He invites her to dinner, and she agrees. Later, she calls Barb for advice, certain that Rye wants to have sex; Barb encourages her to approach the experience boldly. At dinner, Frankie and Rye talk about Finley, and Rye admits to having had a crush on her; however, he felt out of place with her wealthy family. After dinner, he brings a blanket to the beach, where they kiss.

The two spend their six days together, having sex and relieved to be away from the war. When Rye learns Frankie committed to an additional year of service, he urges her to change her mind. However, she insists the war is where she belongs.

Frankie returns to the hospital and receives a letter from Barb, whose brother was killed in an Oakland riot. Barb is frustrated, and Frankie can offer little consolation. She writes to her parents, voicing her frustration over the war’s escalation. One day, three escaped POWs arrive, two of them having carried the third on a stretcher for miles. The presiding doctor is certain the third man will die, but Frankie and the man’s friends talk with him as he dies. Soon, Vietnamese civilians arrive, having been struck by napalm. Frankie holds a baby who later dies.

Frankie asks to use a radio and contacts Rye, wanting to hear his voice. She heads to her hooch but cannot sleep; eventually, Rye enters, allowing her to sleep. Eventually, Frankie is promoted. At a party, she and Rye see each other for the first time in a month. They dance, then leave the party to talk about the war. Frankie tells Rye that she loves him.

Frankie’s final day in Vietnam arrives on March 14, 1969. She leaves a goodbye note for Margie, then boards a helicopter with Rye. They talk about how they will see each other in 27 days, when Rye is scheduled to leave Vietnam. Arriving at LAX, Frankie is surprised by the presence of anti-war protestors; one spits on her. No taxi is willing to pick her up, so she takes a series of buses to her parents’ house. Because Frankie wanted her return to be a surprise, her father is stunned but shows little interest in her, rushing to a meeting. Her mother assures her that they are happy that she is home, explaining that her father has had difficulties since Finley’s death. Frankie returns to her childhood bedroom, uncertain of her next step.

Frankie sleeps often but is plagued by nightmares of Vietnam. Her mother wakes her one morning for a hair appointment, as she will be attending lunch at the country club. At lunch, Frankie comments on her mother’s alcohol misuse, and she retorts her father does the same. A club member asks Frankie’s mother about Frankie’s study abroad in Florence, and Frankie is shocked that her parents lied about her service in Vietnam. She suddenly experiences a flashback and rushes out of the club. That night, she confronts her father and speaks sarcastically about the horrors she witnessed in Vietnam. Frankie’s parents silence her and she rushes to the beach, which reminds her of Finley, Jamie, and others lost.

Two weeks pass, and Frankie barely speaks to her parents. She calls Barb one morning for encouragement. They speak of Rye, and Barb suggests she plan a welcome home party for him. Frankie drives to Rye’s father’s garage to share her plan, but he refuses to speak to her. He then shows her a telegram that indicates Rye was killed in action. She returns home, gets into bed, and screams. Frankie’s mother enters and comforts her. Frankie remains in bed for the next two days, though her mother pushes her to move on.