Two for the price of one買一送一

Annette M. Clayton

“Im not getting a cat.”Mom hadbeen saying that all morning.

Inodded.“Right， were justlooking.”

The truth was that my mother neededsomething to fill her empty nest. Ilived in my college town for most of theyear， and my father worked long hours inthe city. I was home this summer to keepher company1， but after graduation Idmove to wherever my job took me. So， Iinsisted2 we go to the animal shelter3—just to look around.

Mom and I got there early， just asa lady with kind eyes and a wide grin4was unlocking5 the front door. Shegreeted us warmly and thanked us forconsidering adoption6.

Mom quickly stopped her.“Werejust looking.”

“Thats right.”I winked7 at the lady.

She gave me a knowing nod.“So，what would you two like to look at？”

Mom didnt hesitate8.“A shorthairedcat， not a kitten. Friendly. No healthissues9...”For someone who didnt want acat， Mom sure knew what she wanted.

We walked into a small room andwaited. The lady quickly returned with ablack-and-white cat with bright green eyes.

“This one just came in.”

Mom nodded.“Whats her name？”

“Cuddles，”the lady answered.“Sheseighteen months.”

She placed Cuddles into my mothersarms. I could see how she got her name.Cuddles instantly10 rubbed11 her furry12face against my moms cheek13 andpurred14. Mom and I petted Cuddles， andthen we tried gently15 setting her downand then picking her back up again. Shewas perfectly happy， especially when held.

My mom looked at me and shrugged16.“I guess Im getting a cat.”

After paying a fee17 and a trip to thepet store， Mom spent nearly $1，000 on thecat she“wasnt going to get”.

The day we brought her home，Cuddles took her time exploring18 everycorner of the house. Mom sat patiently onthe sofa， waiting. When Cuddles hadfinished surveying the area， she jumped onMoms lap19， gave her a kiss， and settledin for a rest. Mom and I gave each other awide-eyed look. Everything was going really，really well.

We spent those first two weeks fuss -ing20 over the cat. We picked her up everytime she meowed.

But， by the third week， somethinghad changed.

I went to pick up Cuddles， and shebellowed21 as if in pain. I let go and stoodstaring. “Okay，”I thought， “she doesntwant to be held， and she let me know. Nobig deal.”I went back to reading my book.A few hours later， I had forgotten about thewhole thing until Mom tried holding her.Cuddles meowed louder. Then she ran forher cat bed and lay down， not a bitinterested in Mom.

Mom was worried. “Well keep aclose eye on her，”I told Mom.

The next morning， I awoke to find mymom staying next to the cat bed. Her eyesfilled with tears. Cuddles was breathinghard and listless22. “Somethings wrong.We need to get her to the vet23.”

Although I was panicking24， I managedto lift Cuddlescat bed to disturb25her as little as possible. Slowly andcarefully， I put her into the car.

During the car ride， Mom was lettingthe tears flow freely.“What if she doesntmake it？”

I just heard myself saying， “She will.Were almost there.”

The car hadnt even come to a fullstop when Mom opened the door andrushed out.

The vet rushed in and was liftingCuddles out of the cat bed when my momshrieked26，“Oh， my god， she ate a rat！ ”

Something black was falling out ofCuddles.

The vet reached for it. “Nope. Sheshaving kittens.”

I was delighted27—kittens！

Mom went pale—kittens？

Cuddles licked her new arrival28 andsettled down.

Finally， Mom reached for the door.“Ineed some air.”

We waited， mostly in silence， as thevet finished examining them. After bothwere given a clean bill of health， weheaded home.

We spent the next few weeks watchingover Cuddles and her new arrival， who wenamed Tuck. When I was busy givingattention to sweet little Tuck， and Cuddlesknew her baby was well looked after， shedclimb onto my moms lap for a rest.

I was in love with both of them， butwhat did Mom think？ She wasnt sureabout getting one cat， let alone two.

Just before summer ended， I found mymom in the garden. Cuddles was in herusual place， curled on Moms lap， andTuck was right there beside them， playingwith his mothers tail.

It was time for me to ask the question.“What are you going to do？”

Mom looked up at me and shrugged.“I guess Im getting two cats.”

“我不會養(yǎng)貓的?！蹦赣H整個上午都在這么說。

我點了點頭?！皩?，我們只是看看?！?/p>

事實上，我母親需要一些東西來填補她的空巢。我一年中的大部分時間都住在我的大學城，而我父親在城里長時間地工作。今年夏天我在家陪伴她，但畢業(yè)后我會搬到工作需要的地方。所以，我堅持我們?nèi)游锸杖菟皇撬奶幙纯础?/p>

母親和我早早就到了那里，正巧一位眼神和善、笑容可掬的女士正在打開前門。她熱情地接待了我們，并因我們考慮收養(yǎng)而表示感謝。

母親很快阻止了她?！拔覀冎皇强纯?。”

“沒錯?！蔽蚁蜻@位女士眨了眨眼睛。

她會意地點了點頭。“那么，你們兩個想看什么？”

母親毫不猶豫地說：“一只短毛貓，不是小貓。友好。沒有健康問題……”對于一個不想要貓的人來說，母親肯定知道她想要什么。

我們走進一個小房間等著。這位女士很快帶著一只黑白相間的貓回來了。它有著明亮的綠色眼睛。

“這只剛進來?！?/p>

母親點頭?！八惺裁疵?？”

“抱抱。”女士回答，“它有18 個月大了?！?/p>

她把“抱抱”放在我母親的懷里。我能看出它的名字是怎么來的。

“抱抱”馬上用它毛茸茸的臉在我母親的臉頰上蹭了蹭，并發(fā)出咕嚕聲。

母親和我撫摸著“抱抱”，然后我們試著輕輕地把它放下，然后再把它抱起來。它非常開心，尤其是被抱著的時候。

我母親看著我聳了聳肩?！拔蚁胛乙B(yǎng)一只貓了?！?/p>

在支付了費用和去了寵物店一趟后，母親在一只她“不打算買的”貓身上花了將近1000 美元。

我們把它帶回家的那天，“抱抱”花了點時間探索屋子的每個角落。母親耐心地坐在沙發(fā)上等待。當“抱抱”調(diào)查完這一區(qū)域后，它跳到母親的腿上，吻了一下她，然后坐下來休息。我和母親瞪大眼睛，互相看了一眼。一切都真的真的很順利。

頭兩個星期我們都在貓身上瞎忙乎。每次它喵喵叫的時候，我們都會把它抱起來。

但是，到了第三周，情況發(fā)生了變化。

我去抱“抱抱”，它像是很疼一樣發(fā)出慘叫。我松開手，站在那里盯著?！昂冒?，”我想，“它不想被抱住，它讓我知道了。沒什么大不了的?！蔽矣只厝タ磿恕讉€小時后，我已經(jīng)忘記了這件事情，直到母親試著抱它?！氨ПА钡倪鬟髀暩罅?。然后，它跑向貓床躺了下來，對母親一點也不感興趣。

母親有些擔憂?！拔覀儠芮凶⒁馑??！蔽腋嬖V母親。

第二天早上，我醒來發(fā)現(xiàn)我母親待在貓床旁邊，眼中含滿淚水。

“抱抱”呼吸急促，無精打采?！坝悬c不對勁。我們需要帶它去看獸醫(yī)。”

盡管我很恐慌，但我還是設法把“抱抱”的整個貓床抬起來，盡量少打擾它。我慢慢地、小心翼翼地把它放進車里。

在開車途中，母親淚流滿面。

“如果它沒能熬過去怎么辦？”

我聽見自己說：“它會的。我們快到了。”

汽車還沒完全停下來，母親就打開車門沖出去了。

獸醫(yī)沖了過來，正把“抱抱”從貓床里抱出來，這時我母親尖叫道：“哦，天哪，它吃了一只老鼠！”

有一個黑色的東西從“抱抱”身上掉了出來。

獸醫(yī)伸手去拿?！安?，它生小貓了。”

我很高興———小貓！

母親臉色發(fā)白———小貓？

“抱抱”舔舐著它新降生的孩子，安定了下來。

最后，母親伸手去開門。“我需要透個氣?！?/p>

我們靜靜地等著獸醫(yī)檢查完它們。在兩只貓都得到了健康證明后，我們回家了。

接下來的幾個星期里，我們一直看護著“抱抱”和它新降生的孩子。我們給它取名為“塔克”。每當我正忙著照顧可愛的小塔克時，“抱抱”知道它的孩子得到了很好的照顧，它就會爬到我母親的腿上休息一會兒。

我愛上了兩只貓，但母親怎么想？她連能不能養(yǎng)一只貓都不確定，更不用說兩只了。

就在夏天結束前，我在花園里找到母親?！氨ПА贝谒綍r的位置，蜷縮在母親的腿上，而“塔克”就在旁邊，玩弄著它媽媽的尾巴。

我是時候問這個問題了。“你打算怎么辦？”

母親抬頭看著我，聳了聳肩。

“我猜我要養(yǎng)兩只貓了。”

Notes

1. company 陪伴

2. insist? 堅決要求；堅持

3. shelter? 人或動物；收容所

4. grin? 露齒的笑；咧著嘴笑

5. unlock? 開……的鎖

6. adoption 采用；接受

7. wink? 眨眼示意；使眼色

8. hesitate? 猶豫；不愿意

9. issue 議題

10. instantly 立刻；馬上

11. rub? 摩擦

12. furry 毛茸茸的

13. cheek? 臉頰；面頰

14. pur? 發(fā)出喉音；咕嚕咕嚕叫

15. gently 溫柔地；輕柔地

16. shrug? ?聳；肩

17. fee? 費用

18. explore 考察；探索；探查

19. lap? 大腿面；膝上

20. fuss 瞎緊張；瞎操心；瞎忙乎

21. bellow? 慘叫；吼叫

22. listless 無精打采的

23. vet? 獸醫(yī)

24. panic? 使……恐慌；使……驚慌失措

25. disturb? 打擾；妨礙

26. shriek 尖叫；尖聲說

27. delighted? 高興的

28. arrival 到達；到來