Sometimes I really doubt whether there is love between my parents. Every day they are very busy trying to earn money in order to pay the high tuition for my brother and me. They dont act in the romantic ways that I read in books or I see on TV. In their opinion, I love you is too luxurious for them to say. Sending flowers to each other on Valentines Day is even more out of the question. Finally my father has a bad temper. When hes very tired from the hard work, it is easy for him to lose his temper.
有时，我真的怀疑爸爸妈妈之间是不是有真爱。他们每天忙于挣钱，为我和弟弟支付学费。他们从未像我在书中读到，或在电视中看到的那样互诉衷肠。他们觉得我爱你太奢侈，非常难说出口。更不需要说在情人节送鲜花如此的事了。我爸爸的脾气很坏。经过一天的劳累之后，他常常会发脾气。
One day, my mother was sewing a quilt. I silently sat down beside her and looked at her.
一天，妈妈正在缝被子，我静静地坐在她旁边看着她。
Mom, I have a question to ask you, I said after a while.
过了一会，我说：母亲，我想问你一个问题。
What? she replied, still doing her work.
那些问题?她一边继续缝着，一边回答道。
Is there love between you and Dad? I asked her in a very low voice.
我低声地问道：你和父亲之间有没爱情啊?
My mother sTOPped her work and raised her head with surprise in her eyes. She didnt answer immediately. Then she bowed her head and continued to sew the quilt.
妈妈忽然停下了手中的活，满眼诧异地抬起头。她没立即作答。然后低下头，继续缝被子。
I was very worried because I thought I had hurt her. I was in a great embarrassment and I didnt know what I should do. But at last I heard my mother say the following words:
我担忧伤害了她。我很尴尬，不了解该如何解决。不过，后来我听见妈妈说：
Susan, she said thoughtfully, Look at this thread. Sometimes it appears, but most of it disappears in the quilt. The thread really makes the quilt strong and durable. If life is a quilt, then love should be a thread. It can hardly be seen anywhere or anytime, but its really there. Love is inside.
苏珊，看看这类线。有时，你能看得见，但大部分都隐藏在被子里。这类线使被子坚固耐用。假如生活就像一床被子，那样爱就是其中的线。你不可能随时随地看到它，但它却实实在在地存在着。爱是内在的。
I listened carefully but I couldnt understand her until the next spring. At that time, my father suddenly got sick seriously. My mother had to stay with him in the hospital for a month. When they returned from the hospital, they both looked very pale. It seemed both of them had had a serious illness.
我仔细地听着，却没办法了解她的话，直到来年的春季。那时候，我爸爸得了重病。妈妈在医院里待了一个月。当他们从医院回来的时候，都看上去很苍白。就像他们都得了一场重病一样。
After they were back, every day in the morning and dusk, my mother helped my father walk slowly on the country road. My father had never been so gentle. It seemed they were the most harmonious couple. Along the country road, there were many beautiful flowers, green grass and trees. The sun gently glistened through the leaves. All of these made up the most beautiful picture in the world.
他们回来之后，天天的清晨或黄昏，妈妈都会搀扶着爸爸在乡村的小路上漫步。爸爸从未这样温和过。他们就像是天作之合。在小路旁边，有很多漂亮的野花、绿草和树木。阳光穿过树叶的缝隙，温顺地照射在地面上。这所有形成了一幅世间最好看的好的画面。
The doctor had said my father would recover in two months. But after two months he still couldnt walk by himself. All of us were worried about him.
大夫说爸爸将在两个月后康复。但两个月之后，他仍然没办法独立行走。大家都非常为他担忧。
Dad, how are you feeling now? I asked him one day.
有一天，我问他：父亲，你感觉如何?
Susan, dont worry about me. he said gently. To tell you the truth, I just like walking with your mom. I like this kind of life. Reading his eyes, I know he loves my mother deeply.
他温和地说：苏珊，不需要为我担忧。告诉你吧，我喜欢与你母亲一块散步的感觉。我喜欢这种生活。从他的眼神里，我看得出他对妈妈的爱之深刻。
once I thought love meant flowers, gifts and sweet kisses. But from this experience, I understand that love is just a thread in the quilt of our life. Love is inside, making life strong and warm..
我过去觉得爱情就是鲜花、礼物和甜蜜的亲吻。但从那一刻起，我了解了，爱情就像是日常被子里的一根线。爱情就在里面，使生活变得坚固而温暖。
