三枝黃玫瑰

I walked into the grocery store not particularly interested in buying groceries. I wasnt hungry. The pain of losing my husband of 37 years was still too raw. And this grocery store held so many sweet memories.

Rudy often came with me and almost every time hed pretend to go off and look for something special. I knew what he was up to. Id always spot him walking down the aisle with the three yellow roses in his hands. Rudy knew I loved yellow roses.

With a heart filled with grief， I only wanted to buy my few items and leave， but even grocery shopping was different since Rudy had passed on. Shopping for one took time， a little more thought than it had for two.

Standing by the meat， I searched for the perfect small steak and remembered how Rudy had loved his steak. Suddenly a woman came beside me. She was blond， slim and lovely in a soft green pantsuit. I watched as she picked up a large pack of T-bones， dropped them in her basket， hesitated， and then put them back. She turned to go and once again reached for the pack of steaks.

She saw me watching her and she smiled.“My husband loves T-bones， but honestly， at these prices， I dont know.” I swallowed the emotion down my throat and met her pale blue eyes. “My husband passed away eight days ago，” I told her. Glancing at the package in her hands， I fought to control the tremble in my voice. “Buy him the steaks. And cherish every moment you have together.” She nodded her head and I saw the emotion in her eyes as she placed the package in her basket and wheeled away.

I turned and pushed my cart across the length of the store to the dairy products. There I stood， trying to decide which size milk I should buy. A quart， I finally decided and moved on to the ice cream section near the front of the store. If nothing else， I could always fix myself an ice cream cone. I placed the ice cream in my cart and looked down the aisle toward the front.

I saw first the green suit， then recognized the pretty lady coming towards me. In her arms she carried a package. On her face was the brightest smile I had ever seen. I would swear a soft halo encircled her blonde hair as she kept walking towards me， her eyes holding mine. As she came closer， I saw what she held and tears began misting in my eyes.

“These are for you，”she said and placed three beautiful long stemmed yellow roses in my arms. “When you go through the line， theyll know these are paid for.” She leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek， then smiled again.

I wanted to tell her what shed done， what the roses meant， but still unable to speak， I watched as she walked away， tears clouding my vision. I looked down at the beautiful roses nestled in the green tissue wrapping and found it almost unreal. How did she know？ Suddenly the answer seemed so clear. I wasnt alone.

“Oh， Rudy， you havent forgotten me， have you？” I whispered， with tears in my eyes. He was still with me， and she was his angel.

我走進這個雜貨店并不是特意買東西，我不餓。失去了共同生活三十七年的丈夫，我的心中至今依然感到深深的刺痛，而這個雜貨店曾留下過太多的甜蜜回憶。

魯迪經常和我來這兒，但幾乎每次都借故走開，去尋找些特別的東西。我知道他想干啥。我總是看見他手拿三枝黃玫瑰，沿過道走過來。魯迪知道我喜歡黃玫瑰。

我滿懷悲傷，只想買幾件東西就離開。自從魯迪去世后，就連買東西也感覺異樣了。買一個人的東西費時間，（因為）比原先買兩個人的東西時想得更多一點。

我站在售肉區旁，搜尋著最好的小牛排，（不由）想起魯迪對牛排是多么地愛吃。突然一位婦女來到我身邊。她身著淡綠色套裝，一頭金發，身材頎長，漂亮動人。我看到她拿起一大包T字骨嫩牛排放進車籃里，猶豫著，又放了回去。轉身要走時，她卻又伸手去拿那包牛排。

她見我瞧著她，笑著說：“我丈夫喜歡吃T字骨嫩牛排，但說實話，我不知道價格那么貴?！蔽曳€定了一下情緒，望著她淺藍色的眼睛，告訴她：“我丈夫八天前去世了?！逼沉艘谎鬯掷锏呐Ｅ虐?，我竭力抑制住聲音的顫抖，說：“給他買下這包牛排吧，珍惜你們共同擁有的每一刻?！彼c了點頭，在把牛排放進車籃里推車走開的時候，我能看出她眼里的激動。

我掉轉身，推著購物車從商店一端推到另一端，來到了乳制品區。站在那兒，我思忖著該買多少容量的牛奶。在最終決定一夸脫后，我接著走到靠近店的前部的冰激淋區。如果沒什么可買的，我一向給自己買一個蛋卷冰激淋。我把冰激淋放進購物車，順著過道望向店的前部。

我看到了那身綠套裝，隨后意識到是那位俏麗的女士朝我走來。她胳膊抱著一束東西，臉上帶著我所見過的最燦爛的微笑。她走向我的時候，我敢發誓一圈柔和的光環繞著她的金發，她的眼睛直視著我，她的目光令我目不轉睛地注視著她。她走得越來越近，我這才看清了她抱著的東西，淚水開始模糊了我的雙眼。

“這些是給您的，”說著，她把三枝美麗的長梗黃玫瑰放在我的懷里?！澳哌^那排顧客的時候，他們就會知道這些已經付過錢了?！彼竭^身，在我的臉頰上輕輕一吻，然后又露出了微笑。

我真想告訴她：她所做的對我意味著什么，這些玫瑰又意味著什么，但卻說不出話來。我目送著她走開，淚水模糊了我的視線。低頭瞅著安臥在綠色薄包裝紙里的美麗玫瑰花，我感覺這情景幾近幻夢。她是怎么知道的？突然間答案似乎一清二楚：我并非獨自一人。

“哦，魯迪，你沒有忘記我，不是嗎？”我喃喃自語，熱淚盈眶。他仍然和我在一起，而她就是他（派來）的天使。