美丽英文（故事卷）

    干不完的家务活（2）

    “Don’t take the shortcut, Donna！” He shouted after me.

    A heart attack that past spring forced my husband to leave his job. l was in the middle of my twenty-second year teaching high school seniors, while

    The new arrangement was a disaster. Exhausted after a day of dealing with faculty meetings and students, all I wanted was a hot home cooked meal and a good night’s sleep.

    A microwave package greeted me at the table.

    One night, I was horrified to discover

    “l found out how to save on water, soap and electricity.” “Just wash everything together.”

    During the months that followed, his cooking somehow managed to get worse. At least I cooked us balanced meals, I wanted to say. But then I would remember the time , though I discovered later how he detested the sight of beets. So I wouldn’t say anything to him.

    As far as I was concerned, things couldn’t get much worse. So that rainy morning when I found a now-blue half-slip stuffed in a dresser drawer, I could only grit my teeth, l had it！

    Lord, can’t you help him with just the basics of taking care of us？ I stormed out of the house.

    Ten minutes later, ignoring ’s warning about taking the shortcut in bad weather, I turned off the main route.

    But as I rounded the corner a swirling mess gushed across my path. It can’t be that deep, I thought. But after a few feet, the car stalled. Almost 20 minutes passed, the car swayed. The chocolaty water surged. Please, God, I prayed, take care of me.

    Three long blasts of horn interrupted my praying. Looking over my shoulder, ！

    “Donna！I’m throwing a rope,” he yelled. “Hang on to it and walk straight toward me.”

    I opened the door, grabbed the rope. I slipped in the rushing water, “ I can’t！”I screamed, straining at the rope.

    “Yes, you can.” His voice was calm.

    If it had been anybody but , I don’t think I could have done it. But I trusted my husband. I didn’t exactly as he instructed, and finally fell into his arms. “Thank you,” I said, sobbing against his chest. “I’m sorry I got so angry with you. It’s just that ...”

    “Sssss ...” murmured. “It’s okay now. I’ve got you.”

    God had reminded me that understood a thing or tow about taking care of us after all.