搖響青春的風鈴 第25章 未發芽的鬱金香 (1)
    That'sWhatFriendsDo

    蘇珊娜·埃勒/SuzanneEller

    Jacktossedthepapersonmydesk—hiseyebrowsknitintoastraightlineasheglaredatme.

    「What』swrong?」Iasked.

    Hejabbedafingerattheproposal.「Nexttimeyouwanttochangeanything,askmefirst,」hesaid,turningonhisheelsandleavingmestewinginanger.

    Howdarehetreatmelikethat,Ithought.Ihadchangedonelongsentence,andcorrectedgrammar—somethingIthoughtIwaspaidtodo.

    It』snotthatIhadn』tbeenwarned.Theotherwomen,whohadservedinmyplacebeforeme,calledhimnamesIcouldn』trepeat.Oneco-workertookmeasidethefirstday.「He』spersonallyresponsiblefortwodifferentsecretariesleavingthefirm,」shewhispered.

    Astheweekswentby,IgrewtodespiseJack.ItwasagainsteverythingIbelievedin—turntheothercheekandloveyourenemies.ButJackquicklyslappedaverbalinsultonanycheekturnedhisway.Iprayedaboutit,buttobehonest,Iwantedtoputhiminhisplace,notlovehim.

    Oneday,anotherofhisepisodesleftmeintears.Istormedintohisoffice,preparedtolosemyjobifneeded,butnotbeforeIletthemanknowhowIfelt.IopenedthedoorandJackglancedup.

    「What?」hesaidabruptly.

    SuddenlyIknewwhatIhadtodo.Afterall,hedeservedit.

    Isatacrossfromhim.「Jack,thewayyou』vebeentreatingmeiswrong.I』veneverhadanyonespeaktomethatway.Asaprofessional,it』swrong,andit』swrongformetoallowittocontinue,」Isaid.

    Jacksnickerednervouslyandleanedbackinhischair.Iclosedmyeyesbriefly.Godhelpme,Iprayed.

    「Iwanttomakeyouapromise.Iwillbeafriend,」Isaid,「Iwilltreatyouasyoudeservetobetreated,withrespectandkindness.Youdeservethat,」Isaid.「Everybodydoes.」Islippedoutofthechairandclosedthedoorbehindme.

    Jackavoidedmetherestoftheweek.Proposals,specs,andlettersappearedonmydeskwhileIwasatlunch,andthecorrectedversionswerenotseenagain.IbroughtcookiestotheofficeonedayandleftabatchonJack』sdesk.AnotherdayIleftanote.「Hopeyourdayisgoinggreat,」itread.

    Overthenextfewweeks,Jackreappeared.Hewasreserved,buttherewerenootherepisodes.Co-workerscorneredmeinthebreakroom.

    「GuessyougottoJack,」theysaid,「Youmusthavetoldhimoffgood.」Ishookmyhead.「JackandIarebecomingfriends,」Isaidinfaith.Irefusedtotalkabouthim.EverytimeIsawJackinthehall,Ismiledathim.Afterall,that』swhatfriendsdo.

    Oneyearafterour「talk」,IdiscoveredIhadbreastcancer.Iwas32,themotherofthreebeautifulyoungchildren,andscared.Thecancerhadmetastasizedtomylymphnodesandthestatisticswerenotgreatforlong-termsurvival.Aftersurgery,Ivisitedwithfriendsandlovedoneswhotriedtofindtherightwordstosay.Nooneknewwhattosay.Manysaidthewrongthings.Otherswept,andItriedtoencouragethem.Iclungtohope.

    Thelastdayofmyhospitalstay,thedoordarkenedandJackstoodawkwardlyonthethreshold.Iwavedhiminwithasmileandhewalkedovertomybedand,withoutaword,placedabundlebesideme.Insidelayseveralbulbs.

    「Tulips,」hesaid.

    Ismiled,notunderstanding.
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