At the Western Palace Summary

The narrator's mother, who is now entirely referred to as Brave Orchid, is waiting at San Francisco International Airport for her sister Moon Orchid to arrive from China. Brave Orchid, Moon Orchid's daughter and two of Brave Orchid's children have been waiting for nine hours already. Moon Orchid's daughter is sitting with Brave Orchid, but her own children are out wandering around the airport. Brave Orchid notices soldiers and sailors sitting around calmly waiting for their flight to Vietnam. Brave Orchid believes one of her sons is in Vietnam, but her children tell her he is in Japan and the Philippines. Brave Orchid asks her niece about whether she has seen the postmarks on her son's letters. Brave Orchid believes her children would send his letters to the Philippines to be postmarked before she gets them. Brave...