奇书网

第7章 人间天使（第2页）

每周，我都会在花园里采一些鲜花，送给玛丽。

Iamiiesaeeers。Mylifehasbeendifficultbut，bythegraasurvivor。

Mygirlsamuchoftheirchildhoodiersandlivi。Thoughweweretogethersixyears，Inevermarriedthegirls'father。He'tholdajobandalthoughIamahardworker，withoutacollegeeduowasosupportus。Hespentmostofmymoneyonhardliquor，andhedidn'tefordays。

&erhethreateokillme（hewasaviolentdrunk），Ipackedupmybabiesandingsandheadedforabetterpartoftown。IfiguredIwouldgivemygirlsagoodedu，eveoliveo。

Imaofindajobasawaitressatalocalcoffeeshop，andIenrolledmygirlsinagoodpubliyjobdidn'tpayenoughforrent，sowemovedfromsheltertoshelter。Iwasnervousabouttheaddress，soIgotapostoffidusedtheaddressfortheschoolpaperwork。

edwewerehomeless。Mygirlswenttoschooleveryday。Iftheshelterwasnearby，wewalked。Ifwehadto，>

Mygirlsresehemgotofriends'housesasmuchaspossible，aobuythemspecialgifts。But，mostly，thelittlemoneyayfortheirfuture。

actthatwewouldnottellanyonewewerehomelessbecauseIwassurethisfineschoolwouldn'tallowmydaughtersremainiftheykoursituation。

Oneday，severalyearslater，ohegirlscamebacktotheshelterandtoldmeherfriend'smotherhadihreeofusoverforsuppertheevening。Imaalktothedirectoroftheshelterintoallowihekittobakecookies。

Wekhedoorofabeautifultwo-storyhome。Itotlessandary，themother，reciativeofthecookies。Wehadawonderfulevening，andIknewIhadfoundafriend。

Afewdayslater，Leticia，myyou，e。AndsaidthatMaryhadaskedforourphonenumber。Shewaocallmetogettogether。Leticiatoldherwewerehavihephones，andshewouldhavemecallher。Ihatedthatmygirlshadtolie。

IcalledMaryandagaiogetheratherhouse。SheandIbecamegoodfriends。ItlytoldherthatIwaohaveherovertoourplace，butthenIwouldlieandsaywewerehavihelandlordofourapartmentbuildingorthatsomethingwasn&#，likethestove，theairic。

MarytothecoffeeshoponedayandaskedifIdmybreakwithher。Wetookawalk，aoppedatavathouseafewblotheroad。IthadaFnoutfrontaadorablelittlehome。

Marysaid，"Doyoulikethisplace？"

"Oh，verymuch！"Iexclaimed。"Butit'swayoutofmyleague。"

"Whydon'twedfindout？"Marysaid。Thisupsetme。ItoldherthatthemostIcouldaffordwas$350amonth。

Noonewouldrelittle—especiallythishouse。

&day，MarytothecoffeeshopwithabiggrinonherfadaFninherhands。Shewassoexcitedthatshe'tholdbaews。"Ispokewiththeowhousea？They&#thehousefor$350amonth！Itoreperfectforyouandthegirls。"

Itoldher，"That'simpossible。Housesrentforthreetimesthatmuthisneighborhood。"

Sheexplaiheownersdidn'treallyheyjustneededsomeonewhoreciatelivingthereandecialcareofit。

Afewweekslater，wemovedin。WemasomefurheSalvationArmy。Shari，myoldest，tookwoodshopinsadeusafiable。WefixedthepladIevenplantedsomeflowers，whichmademefeellikeIlantingmyroots。Ihopedtostayhereftime，raisemygifts，andallatoeto。

Butsecrets，I'vefound，don'tusuallystayseonth，Ihadmailedmyreitwasduringtheholidays，andIdidn'twantittobelate，soIdecidedtodropitoffattheappropriatepostofficebox。

IwasstandihepostoffiIheardafamiliarvoiceaskfefromtheboxwhereIse。Ipeekedaroundthelineandwasshoary！

&humbingthroughhermailwhenItouchedherarm。Tearswerestartingtoforminmyeyes，andIcouldbarelyspeak。"Mary，isityourhousewe&#in？Didyoudothisforus？"

&herarmaroundmyshoulderaside。Bythetimewereachedthesidewalk，Iwassobbing。Iamaverystrongwomanandtearsdon'teeasily。Ihavebeenthroughalotinoonehadeverbeensokind。

MarytoldmethatLeticiahadslippedaerwewerehomeless。Shesaidsheneverwouldhaveguessed。Thegirlswerealwayssodwelldressed。Shesaiditwasherandherhusband'sfirsthome，andite，thattheyhadowhehtime，anditaidfor。Sheandherhusbandhadtalkedaboutitathehousetous。Shehadn'twaoknowbecauseshewasafraidIwouldthinkit>

Shariisgraduatingfromhighschoolthisyear，andbecausewewereabletosaveenoughmoney，sheisgoingtocollege。

MaryismyEarthAngel，andIwaoknoreciateherkindnessay，andthatIloveher。

IbringMaryfreshflowerseveryweekfrarden。