爱的天竺葵（翻译）

    作为家里七个孩子中的老五，我也上了哥哥姐姐们上过的公立学校。妈妈每年照例要去学校参加家长会，见同样的老师，说同样的话。唯一不同的是每年的孩子不一样而已。

    每个孩子都要参加学校的一项传统活动——母亲节前每年一度的植物拍卖会。

    上三年级的时候，我第一次被允许参加植物拍卖活动。特想在母亲节时让妈妈惊喜一下，可我荷包里没有一文钱。于是我就去和大姐商量，她给了我几元钱。赶到拍卖会上，我精挑细选，目光一下子就锁定在天竺葵上，确信自己的审美能力简直棒极了！

    悄悄地，我把天竺葵带回家，在大姐的帮助下，我们把它藏在楼上邻居家的阁楼里。心里好担心妈妈在母亲节前看见了它，但是，大姐向我保证说妈妈不会发现的，而事实上妈妈也确实没有看见它。

    母亲那天，我双手把天竺葵送到母亲面前的时候，我的心别提有多激动多骄傲了！我至今还记得妈妈看到我的礼物时的眼睛是那么亮！妈妈真的好开心好开心！

    我十五岁那年，我的小妹妹也上了三年级。五月初，她就满怀欣喜和神秘地跑到我面前，告诉我说学校要举办一次植物拍卖会，她想给妈妈一个惊喜。像大姐一样，我也给了她一些钱，她乐滋滋地跑开了。那天她紧张兮兮地把一株天竺葵夹在毛衣下带回家。“我仔细巡查了每一样植物，”她解释道，“而我买的是最棒的！”

    怀着一种似曾相识的甜蜜，我帮她把那株天竺葵也藏在邻居家的阁楼里，并且向她保证妈妈在母亲节前是不会发现这个秘密的。

    妹妹把天竺葵送到妈妈面前时我就在场，亲眼看到她们俩那充满自豪和欣喜的表情。这一切就像梦里一样，而且是我曾经做的梦里。妈妈注意到我的目光，给了我一个温柔甜蜜的微笑。我猛地回过神来，也裂开嘴笑了。

    此时此刻，看到妈妈亮起来的眼睛，一直在怀疑妈妈那么成功地从第六个孩子手里接过那珍贵礼物时怎样装得那么像模像样的我一下子明白了——妈妈一点也没有装！

    

    Geraniums of Love

    

    As the fifth of seven children, I went to the same public school as my three older sister and brother. Every year, my mother went to the same pageant and had parent-child interviews with the same teachers. The only thing different was the child. And every child participated in an old school tradition--the annual plant sale held in early May, just in time for Mother's Day.

    Third grade was the first time that I was allowed to take part in the plant sale. I wanted to surprise my mother, but I didn't have any money. I went to my oldest sister and she gave me some money. When I arrived the plant sale, I carefully made my selection. I agonized over that decision, inspecting each plant to ensure that I had indeed found the best geranium. Once I had smuggled it home, with the help of my sister, I hid it on the upstairs neighbor's porch. I was very afraid my mother would find it before Mother's Day, but my sister assured me that she wouldn't, and indeed she did not.

    When Mother's Day arrived, I was bursting with pride when I gave her that geranium. I remember how bright her eyes were, and how delighted she was with my gift.

    The year I was fifteen, my younger sister reached third grade. In early May she came to me full of wonder and secrecy and told me that there was going to be a plant sale at school, and she wanted to surprise our mother. Like my older sister did for me , I gave her some money and off she went. She arrived home full of nervous excitement, the geranium hidden in a paper bag under her sweater. “ I looked at every plant,” she explained, “ and I know I got the best one!”

    With a sweet sense of de ja vu, I helped my little sister hide that geranium on the upstairs neighbor's porch, assuring her that our mother would not find it before Mother's Day. I was there when she gave my mother the geranium, and I watched them both bursting with pride and delight. It was like in a dream I had already dreamed. My mother noticed me watching, and gave me a soft, sweet smile. With a tug at my heart, I smiled back. I had been wondering how my mother could pretend to be surprised at this gift from her sixth child, but as I watched her eyes light up with delight as she was presented with that most precious gift, I knew she was not pretending.