3-85

85.

I wasn’t sure what to call her, or what exactly she did. All I knew was that she claimed to have

“powers.”

I recognized the high-percentage chance of humbuggery¹. But the woman came with strong

recommendations from trusted friends, so I asked myself: What’s the harm?

Then, the minute we sat down together, I felt an energy around her.

Oh, I thought. Wow. There’s something here.

She felt an energy around me too, she said. Your mother is with you.

I know. I’ve felt that of late.

She said: No. She’s with you. Right now.

I felt my neck grow warm. My eyes watered.

Your mother knows you’re looking for clarity. Your mother feels your confusion. She knows

that you have so many questions.

I do.

The answers will come in time. One day in the future. Have patience.

Patience? The word caught in my throat.

In the meantime, the woman said, my mother was very proud of me. And fully² supportive. She

knew it wasn’t easy.

What wasn’t?

Your mother says: You’re living the life she couldn’t. You’re living the life she wanted for you.

I swallowed. I wanted to believe. I wanted every word this woman was saying to be true. But I

needed proof. A sign. Anything.

Your mother says…the ornament³?

Ornament?

She was there.

Where?

Your mother says…something about a Christmas ornament? Of a mother? Or a grandmother?

It fell? Broke?

Archie tried to fix it.

Your mother says she had a bit of a giggle⁴ about that.

1 humbuggery   

欺骗

参考例句：

2 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

3 ornament   

v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物

参考例句：

• The flowers were put on the table for ornament.花放在桌子上做装饰用。
• She wears a crystal ornament on her chest.她的前胸戴了一个水晶饰品。

4 giggle   

n.痴笑，咯咯地笑；v.咯咯地笑着说

参考例句：

• Both girls began to giggle.两个女孩都咯咯地笑了起来。
• All that giggle and whisper is too much for me.我受不了那些咯咯的笑声和交头接耳的样子。