Clara had gotten up early on Christmas day, noticing to her relief that the symptoms of her cold had almost vanished completely. She had already made the shortbread fingers on the previous evening so all she really needed to do was to prepare the turkey and eggnog before John arrived at lunch time. However she hadn't calculated that John would be early. Just as she had put the turkey into the oven there was a knock on her door.
Clara straightened the skirt of her dress and went to open it. John held up his guitar and amplifier and smiled broadly at her.
“I brought some music,” he announced happily.
“You're also early,” Clara said, trying to sound cross when she actually wasn't. She would have just spent the remainder of the morning reading the book her colleague had given her.
“I thought you might need some help,” John said as he stepped inside her apartment and set the guitar down next to the coffee table.
“The food is all done but you can help me set the table,” Clara suggested and John nodded, following her into the kitchen.
“Smells good,” he commented as she handed him two plates but then his gaze dropped to the already laid out cookies, “You made shortbread?”
His face lit up and Clara smiled, pleased with herself that he seemed happy about that.
“Yes, I wanted to make something that reminded you of home but most Scottish food sounds really. . .”
“Disgusting?”
“Yeah,” Clara smiled weakly, “Sorry. How do you eat things like that? Like Haggis? Ew!”
John shrugged as he carried the plates to the dining table. “I don't know. Maybe that's just one more reason why I left Scotland.”
Clara sat down on her bed and took a deep breath. “Why did you leave Scotland?” she asked, “We've been friends for a month now and I hardly know anything about you.”
John sighed. “That's a really long story.”
“Well,” she said, gesturing for him to sit down next to her, “We've got at least an hour until the turkey is done.”
He inhaled sharply and slowly walked towards the bed to sit down. Clara waited patiently for him to begin but it took him a long time.
“My life in Scotland was really boring, to be honest,” he began, “I was born in Glasgow. I grew up. I went to school. You already know that I became a doctor. I got married, had children and-”
“Wait,” Clara interrupted him. She didn't know why it surprised her, “You had children?”
John nodded. “They died along with my wife in the bombing of Glasgow while I was in London for a conference. After their funeral I packed my things and I haven't set foot into Glasgow since.”
“You ran,” she realized, “That's why you came here, too. Whenever something bad happens you pack your things and you run from it.”
“I guess you could say it like that,” John agreed with a sad smile, “The woman that died. The memory is all a bit fuzzy. I don't remember much. I don't even remember what she looked like. But she was under my care and I should have done something to save her and I couldn't. Since I didn't deserve to call myself a doctor any longer I came here, not knowing what else to be. Until I met you.”
“How did I change that?” Clara asked, laughing nervously.
John seemed to ponder his words for a moment. “I saw you and I knew what I wanted to be – your friend.”
Clara suddenly felt his gaze boring into her and she knew what he was about to ask her so she quickly looked away. She wasn't ready yet. Not for the whole story. Not on Christmas. Some things were still too painful to talk about.
克莱拉起床早在圣诞节那天,注意到她的救济,她感冒的症状几乎完全消失了。她已经过脆饼手指上早先的晚上,所以她真的需要去做的就是准备的土耳其和蛋奶酒之前约翰在午餐时间到达了。然而她没有计算,约翰将早期。正如她曾把火鸡放进烤箱有人敲她的门。克莱拉伸直她的裙子,去打开它。约翰举起他的吉他和放大器,广泛地对她笑。"我带一些音乐,"他高兴地宣布。"你还早,"克拉拉说,试图以健全跨时她其实不是。她将只是花,上午剩下的读这本书,她的同事给了她。"我想你可能需要一些帮助,"约翰说,他一踏进里面她的公寓和吉他放在咖啡桌。"都是食物,但你可以帮我摆桌子,"克拉拉建议和约翰点了点头之后她进了厨房。"味道很好,"他的评论说 ︰ 她递给他两个板块,可是他的目光降至已经奠定了把曲奇饼,"你做饼干吗?"他的脸照亮和克拉拉笑了笑,满意自己,他看起来很开心的。"是的我想要提醒你的家园而最苏格兰食物的声音真正的东西......""恶心"?“Yeah,” Clara smiled weakly, “Sorry. How do you eat things like that? Like Haggis? Ew!”John shrugged as he carried the plates to the dining table. “I don't know. Maybe that's just one more reason why I left Scotland.”Clara sat down on her bed and took a deep breath. “Why did you leave Scotland?” she asked, “We've been friends for a month now and I hardly know anything about you.”John sighed. “That's a really long story.”“Well,” she said, gesturing for him to sit down next to her, “We've got at least an hour until the turkey is done.”He inhaled sharply and slowly walked towards the bed to sit down. Clara waited patiently for him to begin but it took him a long time.“My life in Scotland was really boring, to be honest,” he began, “I was born in Glasgow. I grew up. I went to school. You already know that I became a doctor. I got married, had children and-”“Wait,” Clara interrupted him. She didn't know why it surprised her, “You had children?”John nodded. “They died along with my wife in the bombing of Glasgow while I was in London for a conference. After their funeral I packed my things and I haven't set foot into Glasgow since.”“You ran,” she realized, “That's why you came here, too. Whenever something bad happens you pack your things and you run from it.”"我猜你可以像这样说,"约翰悲伤微笑着表示同意,"死了的女人。内存是所有有点模糊。我不太记得。我甚至不记得她的样子。但她是受我的照顾,我应该做些什么来拯救她和我不能。因为我不配再称自己为一名医生我来到这里,不知道还能是什么。直到我遇到你。"我如何的改变?"克拉拉问道,紧张地笑。约翰似乎思考了一会儿他的话。"我看见你,我知道我想要的 — — 你的朋友。克拉拉突然感觉他无聊到她的目光,她知道他正想问她,所以她马上转移视线。她还没准备好。不是为整个故事。不是在圣诞节。有些事情仍然是太痛苦,谈论的。
正在翻譯中..
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