She rolled back to cuddle me again, Anh, Yen is ok with me being with you; we talk about it all the time. I was shocked, to say the least, but she continued As for other boys, there is nobody like you, Anh, and nobody else I want other than you, Anh. Can we sleep now, Anh, my medicine makes me tired.”She leaned to me for a kiss, a deep, yet wife-like kiss, and lay back and I was sure was instantly asleep. Perhaps thankfully, I was certainly tired myself, and I fell away from all the questions and doubts and fears when no answers came I sleepily felt Ping cuddling me through the night, but it was romantically, rather than sexually, and I slept well until my alarm. I showered and dressed, but then had to wake Ping as she had classes I thought, but she drowsily said not until afternoon and so I left her there to sleep longer. Mrs. Phung might frown at me later, but she at least knew Ping if she happened to find her in my bed later! I made a coffee and went to work with Long. The morning was uneventful, other than the attire Quy was wearing, and her reminder I had said we would have dinner tonight; I nodded, trying not to stare at her legs below the shorter-than-normal skirt and above at her silk blouse. That was difficult as she seemed to make a point of appearing in my office for any minor thing, and I at last told her she looked very becoming and beguiling today. Is that all, Anh doesn’t sound so nice? I told her to go and check the Vietnamese-English dictionary! At 3.00pm, Trinh and her Company staffers were ushered into the meeting room.

I had nodded to her on arrival, but nothing more and went back to my own work, which included a call to Hanoi office to check on things, where Tinh answered the phone call very happily and asked when I would be back she, and her mother, missed me - and also to Da Nang, where I spoke to the new manager, also named Tinh, to make sure the promotion wasn’t weighing too heavily on her considering the circumstances of it, getting the position after Duc and his wife had been murdered; all was fine, and I talked quickly also with Liem, who also asked when I would be returning. But, in fact, both offices knew as Quy had already advised them of my travel dates, and the girls were just baiting me I knew. As I had mentioned to Trinh, when Anh Duc called me in, I knew it would be at the success of the meeting, and he said Steve, since this was your initial idea, and your suggestion Trinh’s Company as collaborators with us, I wanted you to know we have fitted it all together, and we have agreed to work as partners on this proposal. I looked around at everyone and smiled, noticeably at Trinh, and asked Duc Actually, it was Henry’s report which gave me the idea. Henry smiled. “So, we should draw up a confidentiality agreement, right? He nodded, and Trinh smiled at my prescience. Duc asked if I would join them for dinner in celebration, but mindful of my promise to Quy, I begged off, aware Trinh was losing her smile from the corner of my eye, but saying I had a prior engagement, and besides, as an accountant, I would be way out of my depth with engineers, architects and designers in any discussions; several laughed, but my boss persisted and I had to agree, and I left after noting I would have the draft agreement ready tomorrow. As I turned, Duc said Oh, Steve, ask Quy to join us also, ok? I nodded but he couldn’t be aware of how thankfully I made my nod, but I made my face glum as I approached Quy’s desk, telling her she and I couldn’t have dinner just the two of us tonight…as we both had to go with the group in the meeting room to celebrate. She was crestfallen initially, but perked up at the end, I’ll sit beside you, Anh, and take care of you, and we will be together at dinner anyway. Trinh will be there also, but I didn’t voice this thought. I told Quy I was going early I hoped to see Mrs. Phung and patch up any problems with her, and asked Quy to call me with the time and place for dinner. In response, she asked Why don’t I pick you up at your place, and Long could go home then? I agreed, packed up and went home, sending Long off early also. However, Mrs. Phung had already left, Ping’s underwear was gone, and I could only see a little bit of her ironing remaining in the basket, so matters must be ok I reasoned. I decided on a shower and changed into jeans and a shirt, and had a beer while I watched the news and waited for Quy.

As soon as I heard her pull up outside, I quickly turned off everything, grabbed my keys and ran out before she came inside, somewhat fearful to be honest as Quy seemed to be quite manipulative in the mould of Ha, my ex-wife and that was a scary thought, and I locked the house, joining her at the gate. Ready? I asked, getting straight on behind her. Oh, Anh, that was fast; did you come home early to change for me? I chuckled No, em, I wanted to see my housekeeper about things, but she had already gone, so I had time then to change; that’s all. Where is dinner? She told me and headed off down to the riverside, making sure I was holding on to her waist for safety, Anh and I couldn’t avoid staring at her legs clasped together at the knees in front, but alluring nevertheless in her skirt. Quy was beautiful, no doubt, but I couldn’t help but feel that perhaps her friendship with Ha over the years hadn’t been all to the good; maybe that wasn’t a nice thought, but she gave me a sense of manipulating me that so reminded me of Ha, I had cause to be wary. At the restaurant we were first, ensuring Quy certainly was going to sit beside me. I sat at the table’s end on one side, and Quy to my right, and she ordered my beer and one for herself, and they had just been served when the others began trickling in; Duc and Henry and an assistant to Henry, and then Trinh and her boss and others, and so it was 9 of us with Trinh taking the chair opposite me, but the head of the table at our end remained empty. Soon things settled, drinks ordered and food discussed and called for. The talking began on the project, and was mostly more technical than general, so it was natural that Quy and I spent more time conversing on different subjects ourselves, but I could tell Trinh wanted to be part of our conversation more than on the project. However, as the whisky took hold, topics became generalized around the table and jokes and laughter more the norm. Trinh leaned close to me, but spoke loudly enough she must have known Quy would hear Did you sleep well last night Anh? Naturally without mentioning Ping, I was able to answer truthfully Really well em; talking about work so late before you went home made me really tired! She smirked at me as I felt Quy looking at both of us questioningly, and by way of explanation, I turned to Quy and said Trinh had taken me home after a family dinner last night. Well, perhaps you will be tired after I take you home from a work dinner tonight, Anh, and you will sleep equally well. Oh dear, here we go again, I thought to myself, and rolled my eyes. Trinh was staring at me, and Quy was staring at Trinh, and I lifted my glass and made a general toast to the table, the two Companies, and the future there, that worked, I told myself as the girls were enticed to spread their conversation into the wider group, and I went to the toilet for a respite.

It was inevitable that, as the evening wore down, and I was ready to go home, Trinh would try to delay me, but as the lead architect for her Company, she had a higher obligation to remain, while Quy and I were non-technocrats, and could more easily excuse ourselves, which I/we did. I shook hands, kissed Trinh’s by way of trying to avoid pissing her off totally, and the other males cheered my gallantry, and we said good night’. It was still quite early, and Quy asked as we rode off, Where to, Anh? Home I replied, but we didn’t head directly in my house’s direction, so I waited for Quy to lead me wherever she had decided. It was not a great distance, especially on a bike, and soon I realized we were back at the club owned by her aunt, just by a roundabout route; when Quy pulled up outside, I removed my arms from around her waist as a parking attendant ran quickly over, recognizing Quy and took her bike away. She led me inside by the hand, and thankfully, it was not yet late enough for the music and strobe lighting to be going full blast, and we went to the bar and sat on stools to see her aunt. Quy ordered two beers, and I ordered ice, and her aunt came out soon after, hugging both Quy and more tightly perhaps I, and she led us upstairs to a private room; she opened the door, motioned us in and closed it without entering herself, though allowing a waitress to enter with a tray of beers and ice. It was cooler, quieter and almost empty, but not quite: two other girls were in the room, and the waitress coughed, hid her eyes as she put the tray down and fled! I also had looked away for a moment, but then assumed this was what I was supposed to see: 2 naked girls, faces hidden under hair. They were either very good actresses, or they were for my benefit as they were engaged in a very passionate embrace on the sofa lounge: lips locked, breasts crushed together, and thighs and legs twined so much it was almost impossible to put what with whom. I sat on the side of the table, away from the sofa, and studied the bodies. Within a few moments, I began to think…and then one lifted her head and smiled at me, as did the other who was on the bottom. They could have been twins, and twins of Ha they looked so like her; What are you girls here for? To excite you, Anh! replied one, and Quy said, Ha suggested you might enjoy being taken care of by me and others, Anh. That ruined it, Thanks, but if you girls are happy, that’s fine with me, but I am going home. Quy moved to stop me, but a look from me and she let go of my arm, and I left, catching a motorcycle taxi home and going to bed, mobile phone off. Why was I upset? Because sometimes others decided for me, and sometimes I rebelled. A good night’s sleep later, I headed to the office; Quy was there ahead of me, apologetic and contrite, professing understanding and she was, when she articulated her thoughts, quite correct; I smiled at her. “It’s ok, Quy; I just don’t like at times being manipulated Ha has done it for years, but I am stronger and wiser now, and I don’t fall for it as easily as before; I hope you, you particularly em, understand me. Would you mind making me a coffee please? I needed Quy pass the message along to Ha I had my suspicions that Quy was acting almost as an agent of Ha’s when she wasn’t here herself, and I wasn’t going to be sucked in, and I needed Quy know that.

She returned with my coffee, nary a word, and the day passed peacefully; I went home and enjoyed a quiet, uninterrupted evening: first in quite a while, though I did accept a call from Kim who asked if I wanted company; I declined for now. I also phoned Quy and told her I didn’t request to change my ticket first thing in the morning: I was going to Danang and Hanoi tomorrow, so book a pm flight and the hotel and advise the other offices; I had a meeting with Trinh am. I finished the evening off by checking the agreement I had readied for Trinh’s Company, and was satisfied it was fine, so after readying my travel bag, I had an amazingly early night and slept the longest I had for…who knows how long but I woke very early, unused to 8 hours straight sleep I guessed! I directed Long to Trinh’s office, where the meeting was scheduled at 0830, and it was very short as our document was not contentious, and they signed it eagerly in fact; Trinh seemed to note I wasn’t as upbeat as expected, and I told her to ask her Quy sometime, but I had to go as I was flying out to Danang and Hanoi later. I left her befuddled perhaps, but knowing she would get the story or parts of it from Quy, as I went to the office, gave the boss the agreement to also sign, and informed him I had changed plans and would be leaving soon. He seemed very happy with the agreement in front of him, and told me to go when I thought best, and I left after telling him to have the papers chopped and copies returned to Trinh’s Company. I was upset within myself and decided either my life had to change, or better still: Yen would come back and help me straighten it out…soon.

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