小说园

第13章 他在某一个角落等我charlie2（第1页）

mydaughterorItriedtoickCharlieuandholdhim，hewouldquicklyscamerawayandheadstraightbacktowherehewasleastwanted。Charliewasanacrobattoo。ManytimesmyhusbandwasalmostbroughttotheointofheartfailurewhenCharliewouldsilentlycreeubehindthereclinerandjumovermyhusband’sheadandintohisla。AsmanytimesasCharliedidthis，myhusbandwasneverrearedfortheoverheadassault。TherewasonegamethatCharliewouldlaywithmydaughterandme，butittookalotofcoaxing。WewouldstandinfrontofCharlieandwaveournightgrownsbackandforth。Charlie’stailwouldbegintosway。Thenhewouldositionhimselfforthelaunchbyrockingbackandforth。EventuallyitendedwithusscreamingandrunningthroughthehouseandCharlieinhotursuit。Charliehadaarticulardislikeforallfemales，Ithink。IhadaladythatcameonceaweektocleanformeandCharlieclearlyhatedher。OnemorningshearrivedbeforeIhadfinisheddressingforwork，andhadgoneustairstogetthebedlinens。Charliewaswaitingforherjustinsideoneofthebedroomdoorways。Theattackwasswiftandtheresultwasabloodcurdlingscreamthatwouldwakethedead。Fromthatdayon，IhadtomakesurethatCharliewasoutofthehousebeforethecleaningladywouldcomeinside。Evenso，Charliewasnotthroughwithher。Heknewthatshewouldcomeoutsidetoutthetrashinthegarbagecan。Charliewasatient。Hewaited，andhenailedheragain。Nowsherefusedtotakethetrashout。

Charlielivedhisliferettymuchlikebewantedto。Ifhefeltromantic，hewouldscourtheneighborhoodinsearchoffemalecomanionshi。MysisterhadafemaledogandwantedCharlietomatewithherdog。Whenthetimewasright，IgrabbedCharlie，uthiminthecarandoffwewenttomysister’s。Oncethere，weclosedthegaragedoorandstoodbacktowatchtheromanticsceneunfold。NeverhaveIheardsuchgrowlingandhowling！Backandforththeywentunderthecars，dartinghereandthere，itsoundedliketheywerekillingeachother。ThisisnotworkingIthought。IndignantthatCharliewouldsurnherdog，mysistersaid，“Yourdogisobviouslygay。”

“No，notatall。”Irelied，“Charlieisjustalittlechoosy。Wejustneedtoutasmallaersackoveryourdog’shead，that’sall。”

CharlieandIwenthome，bothalittlehuffy。Somuchforthat。NeveragainwouldIutCharlieuforsuchridicule。Then，weekslater，mysistercalled。Herdoghadoneloneu，andhelookedexactlylikeCharlie！

AsCharliegotolderhesloweddownconsiderably。Hewasmorecontenttojustswishhistailwhenhesawabirderchednearby，ratherthangoforthehunt。Hedidn’tlaythegamewithmydaughterandmeanymore。Icouldlookintohiseyesandtell，somethingwasjustnotright。Afterathoroughexaminationfromthevet，IwasinformedthatCharliehadkidneyfailure。HisadvicewastoutCharlieoutofhismisery。Thereisnocurehesaid。

Breakingthenewstomaydaughterwasnoteasy。ShewasateenagerandtoutCharlietosleewasunthinkable。EverydayshewouldtakeCharlietothevetandhewouldbehydrated。Thiswentonforalmostamonth，butCharliedidn’tgetbetter。ImadeabedforCharlieintheutilityroom，hislitterboxsatunused。Charliewastooweaktogetoutofhisbed。Theonlytimehewasoutofitwaswhenhewenttothevet。

MyhusbandandIknewthatweshouldutCharlieoutofhismisery，butmydaughtercriedandutusuchafussthatwealwaysbackedoff。NeveragainwillIletananimalsufferthatlong。Charlieneededtogo。Weneededtoletgo。

EvenmyhusbandwhorofessednottolikeCharliewasdeterminedtoroerlyburyhim。HehadbeguntobuildacoffinforCharlie。ThenoutoftheblueCharliecameoutoftheutilityroom。Itwasthefirsttimehehadwalkedinovertwoweeks。HeslowlycameutomeandIickedhimuandheldhiminmyla。Forthefirsttimeheletmestrokehisheadwithouttryingtogetaway。Wesatlikethisforwhatseemedlikeaverylongtime，andthenCharliedecideditwastimetoleave。SlowlyhewalkedtothebackdoorandasIlethimout，heausedonthedeckashewatchedmyhusbandbuildingthecoffin。Hedescendedthestes，thenturnedandlookedbackatmeonemoretime，andthenhewasgone。

Charlieknewthathishourhadcome，hesaidhisgood-byes，andthendidwhatallofGod’screaturesdo。Hewenttohisrestinglace。Hislittlecoffinwasturnedintoalanterandovertheyearshasbeenthehomeformanybrightgeraniums，butitstrueuroseistoremindusofCharlie。