Absolution

Part 3 is a short addendum to Tricia’s letter, which revisits her last days in Vietnam. Shortly before Tricia and Peter leave, Charlene takes Tricia on an impromptu errand with Minh-Linh. The women drive Tricia to a house in a run-down area of Saigon. Inside, Minh-Linh greets a middle-aged woman, whom Tricia assumes to be an old friend. There are several children tending the house, the oldest of which is a tall, serious adolescent girl. The girl brings out a six-month-old baby with a large birthmark, whom Minh-Linh calls “Suzie,” and places her into Tricia’s arms. Charlene tells Tricia, “she’s yours” (302). In tandem with Minh-Linh, she has arranged to have Tricia adopt Suzie for free.

A dazed Tricia exits the house with Charlene, Minh-Linh, and baby Suzie. Charlene drops Tricia off at her house. When Tricia worries about Peter still having months left on his assignment, Charlene coolly informs her that Peter has quit his job and booked Tricia a return ticket without informing her. Tricia is humiliated; in the present, she admits that her humiliation led her to invent an alternative version of events in the earlier portion of her letter.

Tricia spends a happy afternoon with Suzie, bathing and dressing her.