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第25章 双重悲伤Double Sadness2（第1页）

第25章双重悲伤DoubleSadness（2）

“IkeepwaboutMartha，”mymothersaidaswesatialcformyfathertobeexamior。“Weleftherplayingintheyardanddidn’ttellhereregoing。Ihopeshe’snotsittings。”IwipedawaytearsthatwerestreamingdowI’mMartha。I’mrightherewithyou。”Itriedtoreassureher。“No，notyou。”mymotheratleMartha。”Fearsofabaa，envelopedusaswetriedtoadjusttomyfather’ssuddenincapacity。Thecallhadethenightbefore。Myfatherhadfallenandbrokenhiship;aoreplacethehipjointwasscheduledforthem。Afriendwasstayingwithmymht。“I’lleassoonasItheearlymplane。”Ipromised。Mymotherandfather，marriedforfifty-eightyears，hadneverhadaseriehoughmymotherhadbeeinglyfusediseveralmonths。“Andisyourmotherstillalive?”shehadaskedmeonmylastvisit，withasoterestintheyoungwomanshehadneverseehthedailyroutiedandthenearlytpanionshipofmyfatherremoved，herdisorientationwasmoresevere。“ButI’mworriedaboutMartha。”mymaiurdownforlunch。“Imgoingouttolookforher。”“ButI’mMartha。”

Itriedagaihagrewupaome。”“That’sridiothersaid。Shetuggedopedoor，wentouttothestreet，andstoodtensely。Lookingupanddowlegirlshewassureshehadseenjustthatm。。Thentothebackofthehouseandthroughthebacklottotheotherstreet。“I’mgoingtoaskthosepeopleoverthereifthey’veseeher，beinginglyfrantic，luraffidcrossthebusystreet。“Let’sgohomeandcallthechurchoffice。”Ipleaded。“Maybesomeoherehelp。”Onthewaybacktothehouse，mymothersaid，“It’sogoawaylikethatwithouttellingme。Ifoae!Seeingawaytorelievemymitation，Iscribbledanoteassoohehouse，awhereitcouldbedisier。“Mama，”itsaid，“IhavegoaywithMaryAnnforafeleasedon’tworry。I’mokay。Martha。”“Look，”Isaid，“here’sadoesitsay?”Mymotherreaditaloudslowlyaelybeganto。“Thankgoodness，”shesaid。“She’sallright。She’swithMaryAnn。”Withthetedowntofinishlundspeernooevenial，mymothertoldmyfatherthatMarthahadgoaywithMaryAnnforafewdaysbutthatshewasstillworriedabouther。

Myfathersaid，“Don’tgolookingforaha。Wealreadyhaveo’seday，Martha’sabseillverymuother’smind。“Whatshebedoing?”shewondered。“She’snevergoneofflikethatwithitwithmeaheadoftime。Besides，IwaothehospitaltoseeDaddy。”Iassuredmymotherthatherdaughterwouldesoon。“Besides，”Isaid，“Marthaisacleverlittlegirl。Shetakecareofherself。”“SheneedsadressforSunday。”mymothersaid。“It’sonlyThursday，”Ireplied，“Plentyoftime。”“Wheredidyoulearntotakeoverakitlikethis?”mymotheraskedasIfixeddinight。“It’soeandstaywithme。Doyouhaveafamily?”Haviedasapanion，ifnotadaughter，Isettledintoaihmymother。Fridaymwewenttothehairdresser，thechiropradthegrocerystore。IoverheardLyhehairdresser，saytomymother，“It’syhteretostaywithyou。”“That’snotmydaughter。”mymotherfided，“shehasthesameshe’snotmydaughter。”Lynnelookedquicklyatmetoseeifshehadmisuoodoneofus，andIgaveheraruefulsmile。Onthewayhomemymothersaid，“Lyyhter。”“Youdon’tmind，doyou?”Iasked。“wasn’tuntilmybrotherSaturdaythatIwasreizedaspartofthefamily。“Bobwilltakethisbed，andyousleepinyouroldroom。”mymothersaidthatnight。Itfeltgoodtobelegitimateagaihersaidtheday，“Marthahasbeehetime。

Therewasoworry。”“Buttherewasaherwailed。“Iwrotethenote，”Iexplaieittocalmyouwhenyouweresoanxious。”Andprehensionflientinmymraduallydimmingeyes。