給母親的一份驚喜 a urrie t ther (第1/6頁)
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薩拉·A。裏弗斯
SarahA。Rivers
OnChristmasDay，allthejoysofclosefamilyrelationshiswereseenandfeltthroughoutourarentshome。Thesmellsofroastedturkey，southern-bakedhamandhomemadebreadhungintheair。Tablesandchairsweresetueverywheretoaccommodatetoddlers，teenagers，arentsandgrandarents。Everyroomwaslavishlydecorated。NofamilymemberhadevermissedChristmasDaywithourmotherandfather。
Onlythisyear，thingsweredifferent。OurfatherhadassedawayNovember26，andthiswasourfirstChristmaswithouthim。Motherwasdoingherbesttobethegracioushostess，butIcouldtellthiswaseseciallyhardforher。Ifeltacatchinmythroat，andagainIwonderedifIshouldgivehermylannedChristmasgift，orifithadbecomeinaroriateinmyfathersabsence。
AfewmonthsearlierIhadbeenuttingthefinishingtouchesonortraitsIhadaintedofeachofmyarents。IdlannedtogivethemasChristmasgifts。Thiswouldbeasurriseforeveryone，asIhadnotstudiedartortriedseriousainting。Therewasanundeniableurgewithinthatushedmerelentlesslytodothis。Theortraitsdidlooklikethem，butIwasstillunsureofmyaintingtechniques。
Whileaintingoneday，Iwassurrisedbyadoorbellring。Quicklyuttingallmyaintingmaterialsoutofsight，Ioenedthedoor。Tomyastonishment，myfatherambledinaloneneverbeforehavingvisitedmewithoutmymother。Grinning，hesaid，“Ivemissedourearlymorningtalks。Youknow，theoneswehadbeforeyoudecidedtoleavemeforanotherman!”Ihadntbeenmarriedlong。Also，Iwastheonlygirlandthebabyofthefamily。
ImmediatelyIwantedtoshowhimtheaintings，butIwasreluctanttoruinhisChristmassurrise。Yetsomethingurgedmetosharethismomentwithhim。Afterswearinghimtosecrecy，IinsistedhekeehiseyescloseduntilIhadtheortraitssetoneasels。“Okay，Daddy。Nowyoucanlook!”
Heaeareddazedbutsaidnothing。Gettingu，hewalkedclosertoinsectthem。Thenhewithdrewtoeyethematadistance。Itriedtocontrolmystomachfli-flos。Finally，withatearescaingdownonecheek，hemumbled，“Idontbelieveit。Theeyesaresorealthattheyfollowyoueverywhereandlookhowbeautifulyourmotheris。Willyouletmehavethemframed?”
Thrilledwithhisresonse，Ihailyvolunteeredtodrothemoffthenextdayattheframesho。
Severalweeksassed。ThenonenightinNovemberthehonerang，andacoldchillnumbedmybody。Iickeduthereceivertohearmyhusband，adoctor，say，“Imintheemergencyroom。Yourfatherhashadastroke。Itsbad，butheisstillalive。”
