Two for the price of one买一送一

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.”

“我不會养猫的。”母亲整个上午都在这么说。

我点了点头。“对，我们只是看看。”

事实上，我母亲需要一些东西来填补她的空巢。我一年中的大部分时间都住在我的大学城，而我父亲在城里长时间地工作。今年夏天我在家陪伴她，但毕业后我会搬到工作需要的地方。所以，我坚持我们去动物收容所———只是四处看看。

母亲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开前门。她热情地接待了我们，并因我们考虑收养而表示感谢。

母亲很快阻止了她。“我们只是看看。”

“没错。”我向这位女士眨了眨眼睛。

她会意地点了点头。“那么，你们两个想看什么？”

母亲毫不犹豫地说：“一只短毛猫，不是小猫。友好。没有健康问题……”对于一个不想要猫的人来说，母亲肯定知道她想要什么。

我们走进一个小房间等着。这位女士很快带着一只黑白相间的猫回来了。它有着明亮的绿色眼睛。

“这只刚进来。”

母亲点头。“它叫什么名字？”

“抱抱。”女士回答，“它有18 个月大了。”

她把“抱抱”放在我母亲的怀里。我能看出它的名字是怎么来的。

“抱抱”马上用它毛茸茸的脸在我母亲的脸颊上蹭了蹭，并发出咕噜声。

母亲和我抚摸着“抱抱”，然后我们试着轻轻地把它放下，然后再把它抱起来。它非常开心，尤其是被抱着的时候。

我母亲看着我耸了耸肩。“我想我要养一只猫了。”

在支付了费用和去了宠物店一趟后，母亲在一只她“不打算买的”猫身上花了将近1000 美元。

我们把它带回家的那天，“抱抱”花了点时间探索屋子的每个角落。母亲耐心地坐在沙发上等待。当“抱抱”调查完这一区域后，它跳到母亲的腿上，吻了一下她，然后坐下来休息。我和母亲瞪大眼睛，互相看了一眼。一切都真的真的很顺利。

头两个星期我们都在猫身上瞎忙乎。每次它喵喵叫的时候，我们都会把它抱起来。

但是，到了第三周，情况发生了变化。

我去抱“抱抱”，它像是很疼一样发出惨叫。我松开手，站在那里盯着。“好吧，”我想，“它不想被抱住，它让我知道了。没什么大不了的。”我又回去看书了。几个小时后，我已经忘记了这件事情，直到母亲试着抱它。“抱抱”的喵喵声更大了。然后，它跑向猫床躺了下来，对母亲一点也不感兴趣。

母亲有些担忧。“我们会密切注意它的。”我告诉母亲。

第二天早上，我醒来发现我母亲待在猫床旁边，眼中含满泪水。

“抱抱”呼吸急促，无精打采。“有点不对劲。我们需要带它去看兽医。”

尽管我很恐慌，但我还是设法把“抱抱”的整个猫床抬起来，尽量少打扰它。我慢慢地、小心翼翼地把它放进车里。

在开车途中，母亲泪流满面。

“如果它没能熬过去怎么办？”

我听见自己说：“它会的。我们快到了。”

汽车还没完全停下来，母亲就打开车门冲出去了。

兽医冲了过来，正把“抱抱”从猫床里抱出来，这时我母亲尖叫道：“哦，天哪，它吃了一只老鼠！”

有一个黑色的东西从“抱抱”身上掉了出来。

兽医伸手去拿。“不，它生小猫了。”

我很高兴———小猫！

母亲脸色发白———小猫？

“抱抱”舔舐着它新降生的孩子，安定了下来。

最后，母亲伸手去开门。“我需要透个气。”

我们静静地等着兽医检查完它们。在两只猫都得到了健康证明后，我们回家了。

接下来的几个星期里，我们一直看护着“抱抱”和它新降生的孩子。我们给它取名为“塔克”。每当我正忙着照顾可爱的小塔克时，“抱抱”知道它的孩子得到了很好的照顾，它就会爬到我母亲的腿上休息一会儿。

我爱上了两只猫，但母亲怎么想？她连能不能养一只猫都不确定，更不用说两只了。

就在夏天结束前，我在花园里找到母亲。“抱抱”待在它平时的位置，蜷缩在母亲的腿上，而“塔克”就在旁边，玩弄着它妈妈的尾巴。

我是时候问这个问题了。“你打算怎么办？”

母亲抬头看着我，耸了耸肩。

“我猜我要养两只猫了。”

Notes

1. company 陪伴

2. insist  坚决要求；坚持

3. shelter  人或动物；收容所

4. grin  露齿的笑；咧着嘴笑

5. unlock  开……的锁

6. adoption 采用；接受

7. wink  眨眼示意；使眼色

8. hesitate  犹豫；不愿意

9. issue 议题

10. instantly 立刻；马上

11. rub  摩擦

12. furry 毛茸茸的

13. cheek  脸颊；面颊

14. pur  发出喉音；咕噜咕噜叫

15. gently 温柔地；轻柔地

16. shrug   耸；肩

17. fee  费用

18. explore 考察；探索；探查

19. lap  大腿面；膝上

20. fuss 瞎緊张；瞎操心；瞎忙乎

21. bellow  惨叫；吼叫

22. listless 无精打采的

23. vet  兽医

24. panic  使……恐慌；使……惊慌失措

25. disturb  打扰；妨碍

26. shriek 尖叫；尖声说

27. delighted  高兴的

28. arrival 到达；到来