CHAPTER 1 It was one in the morning and Essie was making her way home, navigating the narrow and almost empty streets of Hanoi's Old Quarter. Most bars in the district close at midnight but some revellers were still out in groups. Despite the late hour, Essie didn't feel unsafe. She has been walking the same streets for years and everything from the flickering street lamps to the cobbled sidewalks and street shops were familiar. She was counting her tip for the night in her mind as she shifted the guitar case from one shoulder to the other. Monday's Acoustic Night was usually slower than Friday and Saturday, when tourists, expats, students and locals, flock most cafes and watering holes in the Old Quarter.

She was crossing the street when she saw a man standing over another man who seemed to have passed out on the sidewalk just two doors down her own apartment building. The man bent down, patted the guy's pockets and took what Essie thought to be a wallet and a mobile phone.

"Hey, hey! What are you doing?" Essie shouted and ran towards them, surprising the robber. Afraid of the neighbourhood waking up to Essie's shouting, the man took off in the opposite direction before Essie could reach them. She saw the guy sprawled on the sidewalk, reeking of beer and cigarette smoke. She looked around and saw no one there. Essie tried to wake the guy up but he was just moaning and flailing his arms. For a second, she thought about leaving the guy to his fate but her conscience couldn't really take it after witnessing him getting robbed. She was thinking of all of her limited options but it seemed there was just really one choice. She groaned when she realised she had to drag the man up to her fourth-floor apartment.

After almost a quarter of an hour, she successfully got the man inside her apartment, dumping him on a makeshift bed in her living room. Essie was gulping the water from her mug, wiping the sweat on her face and catching her breath. Thank god she was not out of shape, her daily runs paid off, but earlier, she felt damned when she realised the man was at least six feet. The man was able to stand, albeit wobbly, and she did her best to support him through the stairs with a lot of balancing and grabbing of handrails.

When she was finally able to catch her breath, she went to check on her guest, concerned about possible alcohol poisoning. Essie was cradling the man's head, attempting to give him some water. Whatever drove this guy to drink himself to oblivion and getting robbed, Essie was wondering. She was still feeling irritated about the man's lack of self-responsibility but she shifted her focus on getting him hydrated. No point in judging an unconscious man. She went to get a small basin in case the man decided to puke his guts. Essie glanced at the clock on the wall. It's already an exhausting early morning for both of them.

Hanoi, Love Child: Text

CHAPTER 2 Ryan slowly woke to the sound of something being grounded. His head was throbbing, his throat was dry as sawdust and his eyes hurt. He groaned and covered his head with his arms, trying to press his headache away. His mind was racing but trying to make sense of his situation was making his headache even worse.

The grinding stopped and the smell of coffee reached his numbed senses. Desperate for a cup now, he rubbed his eyes open. He looked around and realised that he was in some stranger's house, sleeping on a thin foam in their living room.

"You're awake." Ryan heard a soft voice and he tried to sit up. He was faced by a petite black-haired woman behind an old rectangular wooden table. She looked to be just about done brewing her coffee. She inspected him for a bit then walked towards a small fridge just behind her. She got out a water bottle, walked across the room and disappeared into what seemed to be her bedroom. The place looked to be a square studio apartment in an uncoordinated bohemian style and the bedroom section was partitioned and covered by thick white curtains spread across the whole width of the apartment itself.

Ryan saw the woman emerge from the curtains, walking towards him. He was still sitting on his makeshift bed, feeling like a sick child.

The woman sat on the old overstuffed brown sofa on his side. "Here, take this. It'll help with the headache." She handed him two aspirin and the cold water bottle.

"Thanks," Ryan said, obediently taking the medicine. The woman was a godsend!

"I'm remembering little from last night but I suppose I need to thank you." He said tentatively. He tried to stand up to test his strength. He wondered if he really drank a lot last night. "I would really like to know what happened and how I ended up here." He was feeling impatient.

The woman regarded him before explaining. "You were lying on the sidewalk and I tried to chase away the man who robbed you. I'm sorry but I think your wallet and phone are gone."

Ryan stared at the woman, slowly taking in her astonishing explanation. He sat down at the far end of the sofa and rubbed his face with his palms. How the hell did he end up on the sidewalk! And where was the tour guide he hired to accompany him?

"You can call me Essie.'' She said, still looking at him with her intelligent soft brown eyes.

"Thank you, Essie. I'm Ryan." He paused. "Do you mind describing the bloke you saw last night?"

Essie was now thinking hard, she had put the fiend at the back of her mind as she was busy dragging him last night. "He was wearing a white shirt and had low cut hair. He’s taller than me I think but, shorter than you. That's really all I can remember. I was a bit far from where you were. I had to run to get to you."

Ryan was seething when he heard her describe the tour guide he hired. He couldn't wait to get his hands on the backstabbing asshole. He didn't know who he messed with.

"I'm beginning to appreciate what you've done for me, Essie." Ryan managed to find his voice amid the anger building inside him. Of all the things he loathed, it was people taking advantage of him. He has been dealing with these kinds of suckers all his life.

"Don't mention it. I couldn't really leave you there after what happened so..."

"Oh some people could, believe me." Essie could hear a glint of anger and bitterness from his statement.

"Anyway, I'm sure you want to clean up. Bathroom's that way." Essie said instead, gesturing to the small corner at the side of the kitchen. She handed him an old large shirt, new toothbrush and soap she also got from her bedroom. Ryan raised his brow at the items she was handing him. He didn't expect this level of hospitality from a complete stranger.

Essie shrugged. "Just take them and use them as you please." She stood up and started toward the kitchen.

Ryan nodded, making his way to the small bathroom near the kitchen. He needed time to collect himself and figure out the situation he was in. He just arrived in Hanoi two days ago and he immediately hired the tour guide he met at one of the street bars he visited on his first night. He seemed to be fun and knowledgeable of the city so he asked him to tour him around privately. He decided against doing a background check on the man because he was supposed to be on a normal vacation, no over the top services his money can buy.

Except for the hotel he checked in, he ate at restaurants around the Old Quarter, sampled street foods, walked around and sat at benches on the sidewalk for a beer or coffee. If his dear mum would see what he was about, her skin would surely crawl. It's not that Margot Hancock was a snob, she was just really big on sanitation and hygiene and using washable chopsticks was unthinkable.

He knew he could easily call home for money to be wired to him but he needed to find out where that gnome hid and deal justice. He was almost sure one of his drinks was drugged last night because he knew he could handle his liquor and he didn't drink anything except beer. He decided to call Samuel later and ask for his help on this matter. But first, he has to find out where he was exactly and ask for directions to the hotel he was staying in.

Ryan's thoughts turned to Essie. He had decided to trust his gut and rule her out in having anything to do with what happened to him. She seemed quiet, observant, unassuming and detached but not so detached to leave a helpless guy on the side of the road. He felt jaded. He had always lived in a dog eat dog world and simple kindness and hospitality were lost to him. He decided to blindly trust someone and look where it got him!

He finished cleaning up and put on the old white cotton shirt Essie gave him. He smiled to himself, thinking about the dozens of shirts still unopened in his closet the size of Essie’s entire apartment. Maybe this was the experience he thought he needed when he first set out for his unconventional vacation?

He got out of the bathroom and into the kitchen. He saw Essie sitting in front of some potted plants outside her small and narrow balcony while sipping on a small mug.

“You’re done. Let’s eat!” She said cheerfully when she saw him standing there. She made her way to the kitchen and gestured for Ryan to seat at one of the mismatched wooden stools tucked below the table as she prepared their breakfast.

“If you were here long, you’d recognise this noodle soup called pho. It’s the national dish and the best cure for hangovers.” Essie explained.

Ryan looked at the bowl in front of him and sampled the soup. “Mmm yeah, I did have one of these for dinner the other day.” His stomach was still feeling a bit queasy but he figured the soup was good for him.

“How far is Sofitel from here?” Ryan asked.

“Not too far, about fifteen minutes walk I think. Are you staying there?”

“Yeah. I should probably get back so I can call my bank.”

“Okay, I can give you the directions while we eat.”

“That’d be great, thanks again. I owe you a lot.” Ryan said sincerely. Essie just looked at him and nodded.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?” Essie asked Ryan at the main entrance of her apartment building. She has done everything she could to patch him up from his drunken stupor but she still didn’t know how he ended up on the sidewalk last night. She was waiting for him to explain what happened during breakfast but he seemed to be brooding and she didn't want to pry.

“Yeah, don’t worry about me. You’ve done enough for me and I’ll be sure to pay you back.” Ryan assured her. He can’t wait to get back to his hotel and start hunting the gnome down.

“No need for that. Here, I’ve written the directions in case you forget. I’ve also written my number down.” Essie handed him the folded paper.

Ryan raised his eyebrow at the money folded with the paper.

“Just in case...” Essie said. Ryan did not argue. Never has a stranger given him money thinking he might need it. He wanted to laugh at the irony of the situation but he knew Essie was being sincere and he didn’t want to insult her. He didn’t tell her about himself so she couldn’t know he could buy her entire apartment building with his spare change.

Ryan stared at Essie as if he was seeing her for the first time and the last time. He was trying to memorise her face while trying to figure out the best way to return her kindness to him. He knew Essie might just be helping him because of her conscience but still, he could have died last night on the gutter.

“Thanks again, Essie. Take care of yourself.” Ryan finally said.

Essie nodded and watched him cross the street. She finally let out a sigh. She has done her best and she hoped he’ll be alright. If he was checked in at Sofitel, then he probably can afford a few more things. She started towards the stairs to her apartment when Ryan disappeared from her view. She didn’t notice the man across the street, watching her and Ryan surreptitiously since they were saying their goodbye.

Hanoi, Love Child: Text