t in my eyes.
But my mother wasn't laughing at all. She was crying. \"I'm so sorry,\" she sobbed softly. \"I let you down. I let my little boy down.\"
She sank down on the bed and began to weep like a little girl. I was dumbstruck. I had never seen my mother cry. To my understanding, mothers weren't supposed to. I wondered if this was how I looked to her when I cried.
I desperately tried to recall her own soothing words from times past when I'd skinned knees or stubbed toes, times when she knew just the right thing to say. But in that moment of tearful plight, words of profundity abandoned me like a worn-out shoe.
\"It's okay, Mom,\" I stammered as I reached out and gently stroked her hair. \"We didn't even need those cookies. There was plenty of stuff to eat. Don't cry. It's all right. Really.'
My words, as inadequate as they sounded to me, prompted my mother to sit up. She wiped her eyes, and a slight smile began to crease her tear-stained cheeks. I smiled back awkwardly, and she pulled me to her.
We didn't say another word. We just held each other in a long, silent embrace. When we came to the point where I would usually pull away, I decided that, this time, I could hold on, perhaps, just a little bit longer.
那天下午，我坐在學校磚樓二樓的窗沿上，看著一輛輛經過的汽車，心不斷地往下沉。裴老師帶的四年級班的年終派對將在那天舉行，我已經盼了好幾個星期了。那個星期，裴老師還在黑板上弄了個倒計時牌。當這個令人望穿秋水的“派對星期五”到來的時候，我們一班九歲大的孩子們興奮得像炸開了鍋一樣。
在裴老師征召誌願者提供小甜餅的時候，我很開心地推薦了我母親。媽媽做的巧克力片在我們那個街區是最最好吃的。我知道它們肯定會在同學們中大受歡迎。可是兩點都過了，她還沒有出現。其他同學的母親大都已來過了，帶來了她們做的飲料、餅乾、薯條、蛋糕還有核仁巧克力餅。我的母親卻還不見蹤影。
“別著急，羅比，她很快就會來的。”當我孤苦無望地盯著下麵的大街時，裴老師對我說。我看了看牆上的鐘，它黑色的分針剛好跳到兩點半。
在我的周圍，喧鬨的派對正進行得如火如荼，而我卻不願從窗口這個觀察站挪動半步。裴老師用儘辦法對我好言相勸，我還是一動不動，不死心地期待著家裡那輛熟悉的汽車轉過街角，載著我那應該感到難為情的母親，懷裡抱著一罐她那出名的小甜餅。
三點的鐘聲把我從思緒中驚醒，我沮喪地從課桌上抓過書包，拖著步子出了門往家走。
離家步行隻有四個街區，在路上我就計劃好了怎麼報複。我要一進門就砰地狠狠把門關上，她迎向我的時候不要和她擁抱，並發誓再也不跟她說話了。
當我回到家，屋子裡空無一人。我到冰箱上找有沒有她留下的便條，她也許會解釋沒去的原因，可那兒什麼也沒有。失望和憤怒一頭襲來，我氣得下巴直抖。生平第一次，母親讓我失望了。
我上樓去，在自己的床上趴著。這時樓下傳來她進門的聲音。
“羅比，”她略顯焦急地喚我，“你在哪呢？”
我能聽到她著魔似地逐個房間找我。我仍舊一聲不吭。很快，她上樓了。腳步聲顯得越來越快。
。樣一在存不她當，動不動一頭枕著盯地然茫我。著坐上床在我著挨，間房的我到進她
”。樣這是就，了掉忘就忙一我，了掉忘我“，說她”，貝寶，起不對“
節章說小的新最現呈 ᴡᴛ.ᴘᴏᴏ
”。罰懲點她給要。了忘給你把她，了臉丟你讓她“，己自訴告我”，她諒原別“。動沒是還我
。聲大越來越，促急越來越著接，息聲無悄還始開。動顫身渾得笑她到得覺感我，笑始開她。事的到不想也麼怎我件一了做親母來下接
。望失和怒憤的裡睛眼我到看她讓，她著朝麵，身過翻我？來出得笑還她候時個這，信相敢不直簡我
”。了望失夥家小的我讓我，了望失你讓我“，著泣抽地輕輕她”，起不對“。哭在是她，笑有沒本根親母但
，裡眼我在。過哭親母見看沒從我。呆口瞪目我。泣哭地樣一孩女小個像始開，上床在倒癱她
