WhenIwasyoung,myfatherusedtogrowcarnations(康乃馨).Hiscarnationswerered,pinkandwhite.Everyonewhosawthemadmiredthemfortheirbeauty.
Hetookcareofthemwithsomuchloveand 36 .Everydayhecamehomefromwork,hewent straight toseethem.He 37 watchingthemeveryday.Wethekidsdidtoo.Butheusedtotellus,“Nooneshouldtouchmyflowers.”
Onedaymyyoungersister,wholovedmydadverymuch,hadwantedtohelphimandshe 38 thecarnationsfromtheirstems(枝干)onebyoneandarrangedthem 39 .Shebelievedthathewouldbevery 40 toseethemthatway.
WhenmomandIrealizedwhatmysisterhaddone,webecamecompletelyhopeless.However,mysisterhadnoideawhynooneshowedheranyappreciation.Whenmydadarrivedhewent, 41 ,straighttoseetheflowers.Whenhesawhisflowers lying onthefloorlikedeadanimals,hewas 42 atfirst.Helookedtowardsthestreet,toseeifitwasanyofthe 43 childrenwhocouldhavedoneit.Thenheenteredthelivingroomandlookedatmominsilence.
Finallymom,whoalwaystaughtusto 44 nomatterwhat,lookedatdadandsaid:“Wehavenobadneighborsinourarea”.Thenwithanicetoneshecontinued:“Nooutsiderdidthisgreatjob,onlyyourlovelydaughterClémence.”Mydad’sface changed into 45 andthenhesaid:“DoIhaveabetter 46 thanmylovelydaughter?”Myyoungersistersmiledand 47 dadtightly.