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第29章 一只矶鹞ASandpipertoBringYouJoy2（第1页）

第29章一只矶鹞ASaYouJoy（2）

Ihadfottenthedwasstartledeared。“Hello，Mr。P，”shesaid。“Doyoulay？”“Whatdidyouhaveinmihatwingeofaknow，yousay。”“Howaboutcharades？”Iaskedsarcastically。Thetinklifain。“Idon’tknowwhatthatis。”“Thewalk。”Lookiicedthedeliessofherface。“Wheredoyoulive？”Iasked。“Overthere。”Shepoiowardarowofcottages。“Wheredoyougotoschool？”“Idon’tgotosysayswe’reonva。”Shechatteredlittlegirltalkaswestrolledupthebeach，butmymiherthiforhome，Wendysaidithadbeenahappyday。Feelingsurprisier，Ismiledatherandagreed。

Threeweekslater，IrushedtomybeaastateofnearpaninomoodtoeveWendy。“Look，ifyoudon’tmind，”Isaidcrosslywhenwithme，“I’dratherbealooday。”Sheseemedunusuallypaleandoutofbreath。“Why？”sheasked。Ituroherandshouted，“Becausemymotherdied！”andthought，“MyGod，whywasIsayingthistoalittlechild？”“Oh，”shesaidquietly，“thenthisisabadday。”“Yes，”Isaid，“aerday，andthedaybeforeandalljustgoaway！”“Didithurt？”sheinquired。“Didwhathurt？”Ieratedwithher，withmyself。Istrodeoff。

Amonthorsoafterthat，wheothebeach，shewasn’tthere。Feelingguilty，ashamedandadmittingtomyselfImissedher，wentuptothecottageaftermywalkahedoor。Adrawnlookingehedoor。

“Hello，”Isaid。“I’mRobertPeterson。Imissedyirltodayandwonderedwhereshewas？”“Ohyes，Mr。Peterson，pleaseein。Wendyspokeofyousomuch。I’mafraidIallowedhertobotheryou。Ifshewasanuisamyapologies。”“Notatall—she’sadelightfulchild，”Isaid。“Weweek，Mr。Peterson。Shehadleukemia。Maybeshedidn’ttellyou。”Struckdumb，Igropedforachair。Ihadtocatchmybreath。“Shelovedthisbeasheaskedtoe，we’tsayno。Sheseemedsomuchbetterhereandhadalotofwhatshecalledhappydays。Butthelastfewweeks，shedeedrapidly…”Hervoicefaltered，“Sheleftsomethingforyou…ifonlyIdit。CouldyouwaitamomentwhileIlook？”Iupidly，mymindraething，tosaytothislovelyyoungwoman。ShehandedmeasmearedehMR。Pprintedinboldchildishletters。Insidewasadrawinginbrightofayellowbeach，abluesea，andabrownbird。Uhrinted。ASAYOUJOY。

TearswelledupiookWendy’smotherinmyarms。“I’msosorry，I’msosorry。I’msosorry，”Imutteredoverandover，aher。

Thepreciouslittlepictureisframednowandhangsinmystudy。Sixwordsoneforeachyearofherlife—thatspeaktomeofharme，andundemafromachildwithsea-blueeyesandhairthecolorofsand—whotaughtmethegiftoflove。Lifeissoplicated，thehustleandbustleofeverydaytraumasmakeuslosefocusaboutwhatistrulyimportant。Thisweek，besuretogiveyourlovedorahug;andbyallmea，evenifitisoostopaheroses。