The Women: Chapter 9 Summary & Analysis

Frankie becomes more confident in the OR, putting aside her fear to help people survive. Patty Perkins, who’s leaving soon, shares her knowledge with Frankie, who also draws support from Barb and Ethel. One day in June, Frankie is assisting Jamie when more choppers arrive. With both the U.S. and Vietnam pushing into the Demilitarized Zone between Communist North Vietnam and the American-dominated South, casualties are increasing. Now, Barb interrupts with an urgent need. Jamie finishes his current patient and instructs Frankie to suture the surgery site. She protests, but he insists she can do it. There’s no time for fear. Frankie follows his direction and sews the soldier up. She has never felt prouder and senses this is who she “came here to be.”

The monsoon season worsens, making everyone’s work more difficult. One day, Frankie and Jamie lose a patient at the end of their shift. Frankie thinks of the casualties as “her boys.” She has adapted to the OR, carrying supplies in every pocket and learning the nuances of Jamie’s demeanor. They can read each other’s emotions well and rely on each other for comfort. Frankie knows Jamie misses his Wyoming farm and that Sarah sends him baked goods every week. He doesn’t write back often enough, unable to share his despair. Frankie actively fights her romantic feelings for Jamie but can’t deny the intensity of their bond.

Frankie and Jamie leave the OR and wade through the constant storm. Unable to remember when she last ate, Frankie grabs donuts from the mess. Hearing a love song coming from O Club, Jamie tells Frankie he dreams of her. He wishes he had met her before Sarah. Afraid she will kiss Jamie, Frankie flees to the showers before returning to her hooch. Mail is waiting for her: a package of sweet treats and a letter from Mom. The American protests have become more violent, with boys burning draft cards, women burning bras, and race riots.

People at Mom and Dad’s country club are questioning the ethics of the war. The International War Crimes Tribunal has accused the U.S. of bombing Vietnamese civilian targets, including schools. Frankie replies to Mom’s letter, still censoring the worst things she’s seen. She writes about the monsoons and Ethel’s imminent departure from Vietnam. Frankie doesn’t know how she’ll make it without her friend. Hearing another chopper, Frankie abandons her letter to help with incoming casualties. She is off-shift, but they are short-staffed. Jamie is also in the OR, doing the same.

In July, Barb organizes a MEDCAP trip to St. Elizabeth’s Orphanage. Frankie has feared helicopters since Finley died. Now, she sits and dangles her legs out the door, determined to overcome her fear. The chopper lands near the orphanage before leaving the nurses and doctors and then departing. The local children are excited to see the Americans because they bring candy. The nurses and Jamie administer vaccines and tend the children’s wounds. An English-speaking nun approaches Frankie and leads her to a room containing a small, feverish girl who refuses to eat. The nun says her village was bombed. The girl—who they call Mai—was found by American medics in her dead mother’s arms. Frankie knows her grief for Mai will stay with her.

Frankie gives the nun medication for Mai’s injuries and offers Mai a lollipop. The girl licks it but doesn’t smile. When Frankie turns to leave, Mai grabs her ankle. Frankie rocks Mai until the girl falls asleep, thinking of all the orphans war creates. When Jamie finds her, he tells Frankie Mai will remember her kindness for the rest of her life. Back at the hospital, sitting on the beach, Barb asks Frankie what’s wrong. She and Ethel have become like sisters to Frankie, despite their differences. Frankie tells her friends about Mai. The newspapers they receive at the compound don’t tell the truth about the war—the only explanation for Mai’s experience is that Americans are bombing civilians in South Vietnam.