《剑桥双语分级阅读小说馆:意外人生(第4级 适合高一、高二年级)》:
What do you do when a big hole suddenly appears in your life? You either fall into it,or you start to fill it up.
Jacky was buried back home in England.To me,it all seemed to happen in a bad dream.Everything that happened after that seemed like a dream too.
There were a lot of papers to fill in,meetings to go to and trips back to England.But there was one thing clear in my head: I wanted to stay in Como.Jacky would have wanted me to stay.That was a good dream I didn''t want to let go of.My family and Jacky''s family thought I should return to Britain,to be with the people I knew well,people who cared about me.I knew that was not right.That felt like I was running away.I had to return and do things my own way.
So,two weeks after Jacky was buried,I went straight back to Como and back to work.I worked hard.I often worked all day and then stayed at the office late.Sometimes I took my work home in the evening.I even took over some of Jacky''s work to help the company and to fill up more of my empty time.
At weekends I drove somewhere in the mountains and skied all day until I was exhausted.People were kind.I got lots of invitations from the people I worked with,but I didn''t accept many of them.I went on short holidays alone,holidays that I had already planned with Jacky...
I suppose the friendship with Sandra started in February.Sandra had worked in Jacky''s team.She didn''t look a lot like Jacky,but...perhaps I was just lonely.I knew her well enough to say Ciao'' in the office and I''d gone out with the team for a pizza before the Christmas holidays.Once or twice I''d found myself looking at her.Once she''d seen me and given me a smile in return.
But I wanted to be alone with my memories of Jacky.One night in January I was walking home from work and met Sandra.We talked as we walked along the winter streets.And when we said goodbye ten minutes later-a warm handshake in the cold evening-I realised that my heart was beating faster than usual and my face was hot.I felt like a boy out on his first date!
Then I forgot all about Sandra again.In February I took over Jacky''s marketing team.At our first meeting,when I walked into the room,there was Sandra,sitting right in front of me.I almost couldn''t speak at first.
Sandra was very helpful during the meeting-the kind of person all managers need when they''re new to a group.And at the end ofthe meeting she stayed behind when the others had gone.She came up to me.
Paul,'' she said,I wanted to tell you how very sorry I am about Jacky.''And then she did a surprising thing.She kissed me lightly on my cheek and was gone,leaving me with the smell of her perfume and the feel of her soft lips on my skin.I felt very confused.
That night at home I cried for the first time since Jacky''s death.I cried for hours,thinking about my whole life with her,all the good moments,and the emptiness I knew I''d really been trying to cover up.I have never cried as much before or since.