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第10章 友好的回报（第2页）

我和安很早以前就失去了联系。

她根本不认识我们的儿子，也不知道他得病。

她一定是在报纸上看到讣告了。

妈妈坐在我身边，我把卡片递给她，她也想起来了。

“这是一种友好的报答。”

妈妈说。

几天后，我和丈夫以及家人去公墓给约翰扫墓。

那瓶玫瑰还在高高的花圈和枝丫上放着。

“真奇怪，谁会送这些东西作为葬礼，”

有人说道，“它看上去像是祝贺新生的。”

“它是祝贺新生的，”

丈夫静静地说，“约翰诞生在永恒的国度了。”

我惊讶地看着他。

我知道，他这样一个从不坦率谈及此事的人，说出这话很不容易。

他拿出鲜花，递给我那只靴形瓷瓶，我捧着它，就像当年安所做的那样，用手指抚摸着它，思索着它所蕴含的种种意义。

我想，友谊并未随着岁月的流逝而消失；我想起记忆长河中的感激之情；还有更为重要的——新生的希望。

此时正是这些在慰藉我们的心灵。

Atthetimemysonwasbornin1956，Isharedahospitalroomwithayoungwomanwhoboreasononthesameday.Partlybecausemyparentsoselliheroomwassoohelovelystofroses.

Astheseventhflementwasbroughtin，Iwasbeginningtofeelunfortable，fornoflowershadarrivedformyroommate，Aheedgeofherbedandleanedforwardtoadmirethelatestbouquet.Sherettyyoungwomaherewassomethingabe，browmademethinkshehadknownto，toomuessforonesoyoung.Ihadthefeelingshehadalwayshadtoadmiresomeoneelse'sflowers.

"I'menjoyieofthis，"shesaidasthoughshehadreadmythoughtsandwastryingtoreassureme."Wasn'tItheluetogetyouforaroommate？"

Istillfeltunfortable，however.IfonlythereweresomemagiIcouldpushtotakeawaythesadnessinhereyes.Well，Ithought，atleastIseethatshehassomeflowers.Wheherethatday，Iaskedthemtosendhersome.

TheflowersarrivedjustasAnnandIwerefinishingsupper.

"Aforyou，"shesaid，laughing.

"No，notthistime，"Isaid，lookingatthecard."Theseareforyou."

Aheblossomsalosayinganything.Sheranherfingersacrossthepale-blueceramicbooteeandlightlytouchedeachofthesweetheartrosesledihtoehemonhermemory.

"HowIeverthankyou？"shesaidsoftly.

Iwasalmostembarrassed.Itwassuchalittlekindnessonmypart.Thesonborntomyhusbadayin1956turobeouronlychild.Fornearly21yearshefilledourliveswithloveandlaughter，makie.ButinApril1977，afteralong，painfulbattlewithcer，hediedquietlyinourarms.

AtthefuneralhomeIwasalohmysoninaroomfilledwiththestofroses，whenadeliverymanbroughtinati.Ididn'treadthetillater，aswerodetothecemetery."ToW.Joh;thecardsaid，"fromtheboyithyouatMemorialHospital，andhismother."

OnlytheheceramicbooteeIhadgiventoasadyoungwomansomanyyearsago，nowonfilledwithroses.AnnandIhadlotouch.Shehadneverknownourson，neverbeenawareofhisillhavereadthenoticeofhisdeathinaneassedthebesideme.She，too，remembered.

"Akiur;Mothersaid.

Afewdayslater，myhusbandandI，withseveralmembersofourfamily，weeryto'sgrave.Thebooteeofrosessatatitsfoot，toweredoverbytallrays.

&quethatanyonewouldsehioafu;someonesaid."Itseemsmoreappropriateforabirth."

"Therewasabirth，"saidmyhusbaly."Johnwasborer;Ilookedathimwithsurprise，knowingthosewordswerediffianwhohadneverspokesuchmatters.

&iedouttheflowersaheceramicbootee.Ihelditand，justasAnraceditwithmyfihinkingofallthemessagesited：theembersoffriendshipthatglhtheyears，gratituderememberedaall，thepromiseofResurre，whifortsusnow.