相伴终生

 　　Life together

　　相伴终生

　　就在这对70多岁的老夫妇离婚的当晚，丈夫手握没有拨通给她的电话永远离开了她。尽管很悲伤，老夫人仍不得不亲自动手清理他的遗物。当老夫人认真细致地翻着一个抽屉时，她发现了一张保险单。保险日期从他们结婚之日起算起，毫无疑问，保险受益人是她。在这个文件夹里，还有一份她丈夫亲手写的遗嘱，里面写道……

　　One fine day, an old couple around the age of 70, walks into a lawyer's office. Apparently¹, they are there to file² a divorce³. Lawyer was very puzzled⁴, after having a chat with them, he got their story.

　　This couple had been quarreling all their 40 over years of marriage nothing ever seems to go right.

　　They hang on because of their children, afraid that it might affect their up-bringing. Now, all their children have already grown up, have their own family, there's nothing else the old couple have to worry about, all they wanted is to lead their own life free from all these years of unhappiness from their marriage, so both agree on a divorce.

　　Lawyer was having a hard time trying to get the papers⁵ done, because he felt that after 40 years of marriage at the age of 70, he couldn't understand why the old couple would still wants a divorce.

　　While they were signing the papers, the wife told the husband. “I really love you, but I really can't carry on anymore, I'm sorry.”

　　"It's OK, I understand." said the husband. Looking at this, the lawyer suggested a dinner together, just three of them, wife thought, why not, since they are still going be friends.

　　At the dining table, there was a silence of awkwardness⁶.

　　The first dish was roasted⁷ chicken, immediately, the old man took the drumstick for the old lady. "Take this, it's your favorite."

　　Looking at this, the lawyer thought maybe there's still a chance, but the wife was frowning⁸ when she answer. "This is always the problem, you always think so highly⁹ of yourself, never thought about how I feel, don't you know that I hate drumsticks?”

　　Little did she know that, over the years, the husband have been trying all ways to please her, little did she know that drumsticks was the husband's favorite.

　　Little did he know that she never thought he understand her at all, little did he know that she hates drumsticks even though all he wants is the best for her.

　　That night, both of them couldn't sleep, toss¹⁰ and turn, toss and turn. After hours, the old man couldn't take it anymore, he knows that he still loves her, and he can't carry on life without her, he wants her back, he wants to tell her, he is sorry, he wanted to tell her, "I love you."

　　He picks up the phone, started dialing her number. Ringing never stops. He never stop dialing.

　　On the other side, she was sad, she couldn't understand how come after all these years, he still doesn't understand her at all, she loves him a lot, but she just can't take it any- more. Phone's ringing, she refuses to answer knowing that it's him. "What’s the point of talking now that it's over. I have asked for it and now. I want to keep it this way, if not I will lose face. "She thought. Phone still ringing. She has decided¹¹ to pull out the cord¹².

　　Little did she remember, he had heart problems.

　　The next day, she received news that he had passed away. She rushed down to his apartment, saw his body, lying on the couch¹³ still holding on to the phone. He had a heart attack when he was still trying to get thru her phone line.

　　As sad as she could be. She will have to clear his belongings¹⁴. When she was looking thru the drawers, she saw this insurance policy¹⁵, dated from the day they got married, beneficiary is her. Together in that file there's this note.

　　"To my dearest wife, by the time you are reading this, I'm sure I'm no longer around, I bought this policy for you, though the amount is only $100k, I hope it will be able to help me continue my promise that I have made when we got married, I might not be around anymore, I want this amount of money to continue taking care of you, just like the way I will if I could have live longer. I want you to know I will always be around, by your side. I love you."

　　Tears flowed like river.

1 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

2 file   

n.档案，公文箱，锉刀；v.列队行进，归档，申请；[计算机]文件

参考例句：

• Fran came in holding a blue file.弗兰拿着一个蓝色的文件夹进来了。
• The door won't fit;you'll have to file it down.这门关不上，你得把它锉一锉。

3 divorce   

n.离婚；分离；vi.离婚；vt.离婚；脱离

参考例句：

• Did he divorce his wife or did she divorce him?是他要和妻子离婚，还是妻子要和他离婚？
• None of us like the divorce of word and deed.我们都不喜欢言行不一。

4 puzzled   

adj.迷惑的；困惑的

参考例句：

• The student was puzzled about what to do next.这个学生对下一步做什么伤透了脑筋。
• I was somewhat puzzled at his unwillingness to help.他不愿意帮忙让我有点困惑。

5 papers   

n.文件，纸币，论文

参考例句：

• I want to check with my secretary before I sign the papers.在签署这些文件前，我要与我的秘书商议。
• The lawyer read all the papers relating to the case.律师阅读了与该案有关的全部文件。

6 awkwardness   

n.笨拙；粗劣；难为情；尴尬

参考例句：

• His awkwardness made him fumble with the key. 由于尴尬不安，他拿钥匙开锁时显得笨手笨脚。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I tried to smooth over the awkwardness of this first meeting. 我试图掩饰初次会面时的不自然。 来自辞典例句

7 roasted   

a.烤好的

参考例句：

• I love the delightful odour of freshly roasted coffee beans. 我喜欢新烘咖啡豆的清香气味。
• They roasted his new book. 他们狠狠地挖苦他的新书。

8 frowning   

n. 皱眉, 不悦 v. 皱眉头, 不同意

参考例句：

• What are you frowning at me for? 你为什么朝我皱眉头？
• Why are you frowning at me? 你为什么对我皱眉头？

9 highly   

adv.高度地，极，非常；非常赞许地

参考例句：

• It is highly important to provide for the future.预先做好准备非常重要。
• The teacher speaks very highly of the boy's behaviour.老师称赞这个男孩的表现。

10 toss   

n./v.突然抬起，摇摆，扔

参考例句：

• Let's toss to see who pays it.让我们来掷钱币决定谁付账吧。
• The matter made him toss in the bed.那件事使他在床上翻来覆去。

11 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

12 cord   

n.绳，线；纺织品；小电线；腱

参考例句：

• I wear a safety cord all the time.我一直带着安全绳索。
• I pulled the cord,and I felt a strong jerk.拉住绳索，我强烈的恐惧。

13 couch   

n.睡椅，长沙发椅；vt.表达，隐含

参考例句：

• Lie down on the couch if you're feeling ill.如果你感觉不舒服就躺到沙发上去。
• The rabbIt'sprang from its grassy couch.兔子从草丛中跳出。

14 belongings   

n.私人物品，私人财物

参考例句：

• I put a few personal belongings in a bag.我把几件私人物品装进包中。
• Your personal belongings are not dutiable.个人物品不用纳税。

15 policy   

n.政策，方针，保险单

参考例句：

• This policy is very tough.这个政策是很强硬的。
• The country has always pursued a policy of peace.该国一直奉行和平政策。