Forever in Their Eyes

佚名/Anonymous

一天清晨，我在世界上人們最不想去的地方——長(zhǎng)期看護(hù)所里，目睹了一段浪漫故事。那時(shí)，我父親和另外三位先生同住一間房。雖然條件不是很好，但已是當(dāng)時(shí)管理員所能提供的最好環(huán)境了。

在那次特殊拜訪的前幾天，一對(duì)老年夫婦被送進(jìn)了這家看護(hù)所。因?yàn)闆](méi)有多余的雙人間，他們只好被分開。那位老先生，維斯特先生（化名），被安排住到我父親的臨床。而他的妻子，維斯特太太，則被安排到大廳另一側(cè)的房間，和幾位女士合住。

去看父親的那個(gè)上午，我見到了維斯特先生。當(dāng)時(shí)有三個(gè)護(hù)理員在照料他。自從住進(jìn)看護(hù)所，他就沒(méi)吃過(guò)一口東西。從護(hù)理員的神情中，我能看出他們很擔(dān)心他。當(dāng)一個(gè)護(hù)理員正用小勺哄他吃一種膠狀食物時(shí)，另一個(gè)護(hù)理員則試著讓他吸食一種營(yíng)養(yǎng)汁，而第三個(gè)護(hù)理員則端著一杯水站在旁邊。可是，維斯特先生卻堅(jiān)決不肯張嘴。

“來(lái)嘗嘗這個(gè)。”其中一個(gè)護(hù)理員取出一支棒棒糖，撕掉糖紙遞給維斯特先生。然而他仍緊閉著雙唇，不聽任何人的勸說(shuō)。最后，他自言自語(yǔ)地說(shuō)了一些有關(guān)他妻子的話，而她就住在大廳的另一側(cè)。

“去把維斯特太太找來(lái)，”護(hù)理員對(duì)助手說(shuō)著，隨手把棒棒糖也給了他。“或許維斯特先生肯為她而吃點(diǎn)東西。”

幾分鐘后，一位和藹可親的老太太坐著輪椅被推了進(jìn)來(lái)，她手里拿著的正是那支棒棒糖。她的微笑極富感染力，維斯特先生也露出了燦爛的笑容。我突然覺(jué)得自己的存在仿佛侵犯了他們的私人空間，但是我卻無(wú)法將視線從那對(duì)老夫婦身上移開。當(dāng)維斯特太太輕拍維斯特先生的手并輕撫他的額頭時(shí)，你可以真切體會(huì)到他們之間的那份愛。

維斯特太太溫柔地勸說(shuō)維斯特先生先吃點(diǎn)東西。令人驚訝的事情發(fā)生了，維斯特先生張開嘴津津有味地吃起那支棒棒糖，同時(shí)也享受著有妻子陪伴的歡愉。護(hù)理員喂他食物時(shí)，他始終帶著笑意凝視著妻子。維斯特太太開始為他輕聲哼唱。他原本嚴(yán)肅的臉頓時(shí)露出了輕松的表情。

我被感動(dòng)得熱淚盈眶。護(hù)理員拉上圍簾，將他們圍在其中，讓他們盡情享用這段私人空間。我發(fā)覺(jué)，浪漫不僅僅是戀愛中的年輕人的專屬，它會(huì)陪伴我們一生，并隨著年齡的增長(zhǎng)而變得愈加香醇。不一會(huì)兒，愜意的鼾聲從旁邊的床上傳來(lái)。

現(xiàn)在，維斯特夫婦住在一個(gè)沒(méi)有輪椅，沒(méi)有看護(hù)室，沒(méi)有任何限制的自由之所。他們不會(huì)再因?yàn)榉块g而分離，而他們的眼中也不再有淚水。我堅(jiān)信他們的婚姻已經(jīng)超越了“生死相許”的誓言成為永恒。那天，我不僅親眼見證了一段難忘的浪漫故事，也從這對(duì)相親相愛的老夫婦那倦怠而焦灼的眼神中，瞥到了永恒的瞬間。

Early one morning， I witnessed romance at one of the least-expected places in the world—a long-term care facility.At the time， my father shared a room with three other gentlemen.While it wasn't an ideal situation， it was the best the administrator could do at the time.

A few days before this particular visit， an elderly couple was admitted to the facility.Since there wasn't a double room available， they were forced to separate the couple.The gentleman， Mr.West (name has been changed) was placed in the bed beside Daddy.His wife， Mrs.West， shared a room with several other ladies down the hall.

When I went to see Daddy that morning， I met Mr.West.Three employees were working with him.He hadn't eaten a bite of food since he was admitted several days earlier.I could tell by the expression on the nurses'faces that they were worried about him.While one nurse was trying to get him to open his mouth with spoonfuls of gelatin， another nurse was trying to coax him to drink a health shake from a straw.The third nurse was standing nearby with a cup of water.Mr.West refused to open his mouth for any of them.

"Let's try this." one of the nurses said.She pulled out a lollipop， tore off the paper and offered it to Mr.West.His lips were clamped together tightly.He refused to listen to reason.Finally， he uttered something about his sweetheart， who was resting down the hall.

"Go get Mrs.West，" the nurse instructed her helper， while handing her the lollipop. "Maybe Mr.West will eat for her."

In a few minutes a kind-looking lady was wheeled into the room.She held the lollipop in her hand.Her smile was contagious and Mr.West smiled brightly.I felt as though I was intruding on a private moment， but I couldn't take my eyes off the couple.The love between them was obvious， as Mrs.West patted Mr.West's hand and then caressed his forehead.

With a soft voice， Mrs.West convinced Mr.West to eat.To everyone's surprise， Mr.West opened his mouth and began to enjoy the lollipop and his wife's company.While the nurses fed him， he stared at his sweetheart with a smile on his face.Mrs.West began humming a tune to him.The expression on his once solemn face became even brighter.

Tears filled my eyes.The nurse then pulled the curtain around the couple to give them some quality time alone to visit.I discovered that romance doesn't only exist when we're young and in love.Romance lasts a lifetime and grows stronger with age.Before long I heard snores of contentment coming from the bed beside me.

Today， Mr.and Mrs.West reside together in a place where there are no limitations， nursing homes or wheelchairs.There are no tears in their eyes or rooms dividing them.I am convinced that the West marriage went well beyond "till death us do part" and will last throughout eternity.Not only did I witness a memorable romance that day， I saw a glimpse of forever in a loving couple's tired and worn-out eyes.