Mandy自从和老朋友们重新见面后,整个人陷入了一种迷幻状态,似乎她虽然在这个世界上好好地活着,但似乎有一半魂魄留在了某个遥远的,偏僻的,古早的,隔离的,陌生的,熟悉的时空里。
洛可嘉第一个察觉到她的迷离疑惑,似乎她总是在问,“我是谁”、“我为什么在这里”、“这是哪里”、“这些人都是哪来的”、“原来的我呢?”
走丢了……
她的每一个微笑都在说,“我好困惑”、“我错了吗”、“我怎么办”……
在孙先生拜访后第二天,Mandy摔了Nichole心爱的大熊猫勺子,第三天她忘了去接Oscar放学,第四天她忘了烧饭,那两天洛妈和洛老爹由热旺陪着去费城玩儿了。
洛可嘉忍无可忍,决定跟Mandy好好谈谈。
“Youarenotyourselfthesedays.”saidLock,lookingdirectlyintohereyes.
“Idon‘tquietfollowyou.”returnedMandy,turningthepagesinfrontofherratherrampantly.
“Youwantedtofindyourlostselfasateenager,didn‘tyou”Lockwasruthless.
“That‘ssountrue.”Mandywouldnotlookatherhusbandintheeye.
“Wannaatalk”lockretreatedalittlebitbuthisgroundswerefirmlyheld.
“Theyhaven‘tchangedmuchsincewelastsawoneanother.”atlastMandydecidedtospilloutallthatwaslingeringonhermind——bearingtheweightiswearisome.
“TheyWhomintheworlddoyoureferto,thosewhoarenotennabledtoloveoracquireafamily”Lockdemanded.
“Don‘tbesorude.”Mandywasfinallycheeringupalittlebit.
Locklaughed,“Ibetmostofthemwouldtradewhattheypossessforthelifeyouareliving,evenifthereisahandicappedmaninthepicture.”
Mandysmiledforthefirsttime,“Nonsense.Howdareyou.....”
Lockpickeduphismobile,“Minerva,howmanyphotosofthekidshavewegot”
TheAIpoppedupfromnowhereonthescreen,“Sinceyouaskedsir,thefamilyalbumhastakenupatleastthreequartersofthestorage,whichmeansthereareoveronethousandphotostotally,andthatseriouslylaggestheprocessingspeedofthemobile.That‘swhyIsuggestdeletinghalf......”
“Thanks,Minerva.That‘swhatIneedtolearnforthemoment.”LocknoddedtotheAI,asifshecouldsee.Actullyshedidnoticethat,shewavedbackhappilyandwasoff.
LocksaidtoMandyassincerelyaspossible,“Ibelievewhatyouhavealreadyownedweighsmuchmorethanwhatyouthoughthadlost.”
Mandylamented,“HowdoyouknowthisisthebestformeIcouldhaveledanotherlife.....”l
“Idon‘tthinkit‘stherightattitudeforlife.Itseemsyouwillalwaysberegrettingoveryoureachandeverychoiceordecision.”Therewasanedgetohisvoice,buthestayedcool,“Stopcomparingwithothers‘livesandstopmoaningformore.Thefishermanandhiswifeshouldhavebeencontentedwithwhattheyhavereceivedfromthegoldfishandthey‘dbetternotbegformorethantheydeserved.”
Mandyremarkedwithadangeroustone,“AreyoutellingmeIdon‘tdeservethebestoflife”
Locksensedsomething,“Don‘ttwistit.YouknowwhatImeant.Youwouldneverbeabletofigureoutwhatthebestiswhenyouweresixteen.”
Mandymurmuredasifshehadbeeninadream,“HowIwishtobesixteenagain,carefree.”
Lockcamenearertoher,andhuggedher,leavinghiswheelchairbehind,“Thepointis,whateverhappenstoyou,fromnowontosixtyorninety,youwillalwayshaveus.”
Mandyburstintotears,“Ihavenothingexceptyouandthekids.Ifeelcold.Thisworldlooksatmewithviciouseyes.”
“Youcanalwayscountonus,”Lockpromised,“Igiveyoumyword.There‘snopartingofusuntilonedies.Staypositiveandcherisheveryminute.”
MandyleanedagainstLock‘sshoulder,totallyforgettingheshouldnothavestoodupandsupportedherweight.“Iwon‘tfallforit.TheylookasifworriedformebutIguesstheyreallyenjoyedthemselvesseeingmealmostcrashed.”
shelookedatLockandwassuddenlystartled,“Iwasalmosttakenin.......Ishouldn‘thavetoldthemhowIbrokedown......Iwouldneverletthemreceivethewrongmessageasifmylifewereajoke.”
“Don‘toverrespond.”Locksaid,“Theyareyourfriends,andtheyshowedconcernsaboutourlife.Themorepatheticwelook,thefunnieritwouldbewhentheyknowwhatwe‘rereallylike.”
“Yes,someofthemdidtrytoruinmyself-esteemandnearlyconvincedmetopitymyself.Howcanonebesomean”
Locksuggested,“I‘vecomeupwithanidea.Whydon‘tweholdaparty”Hehesitated,“Doesanyofthemhaveafamily”
“No,noneofthemdo.Peopledon‘tgetmarriedthesedays,Iguesstheyareafraidtogivecommitments.”Mandyformedasmileasthoughshefeltsorryforherfriends.
“So,thatsettleseverything.”Locksmiledback,“Weinviteabunchofkids.”
“DoweknowotherkidsbesidesthoseinOscar‘skindergarten”Mandyasked.
“Oh,ofcoursewedo,”announcedLock,“Thereareplentyofkids,Asian,Latino,andblackinthechildren‘shospital.Thiswillbeafund-raisingpartyfordisabledchildren,andmeaswell.”Locksatbackintothewheelchairasquicklyashiskneesallowedtocarryhim,whichamusedMandylikehell.
“Sincetheyaresokind,suretheydon‘tminddonatingsomedollarsforthegoodcourse”Lockquestioned.
“That‘sreallyniceofyou.Allofmyfriendswouldbeverythankfuliftheyareofferedachancetoshowthattheyreallycareforthehandicapped.”Mandybitherlips,tryinghardnottolaugh.
“IsuddenlyrememberIhaveoneortwoacquaintancesonthepress.”Locksneered,“Theywoulddietoseemeonthemoveagain.”
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