第1章 一生之恋

Forever in Their Eyes

佚名/Anonymous

一天清晨，我在世界上人们最不想去的地方——长期看护所里，目睹了一段浪漫故事。那时，我父亲和另外三位先生同住一间房。虽然条件不是很好，但已是当时管理员所能提供的最好环境了。

在那次特殊拜访的前几天，一对老年夫妇被送进了这家看护所。因为没有多余的双人间，他们只好被分开。那位老先生，维斯特先生（化名），被安排住到我父亲的临床。而他的妻子，维斯特太太，则被安排到大厅另一侧的房间，和几位女士合住。

去看父亲的那个上午，我见到了维斯特先生。当时有三个护理员在照料他。自从住进看护所，他就没吃过一口东西。从护理员的神情中，我能看出他们很担心他。当一个护理员正用小勺哄他吃一种胶状食物时，另一个护理员则试着让他吸食一种营养汁，而第三个护理员则端着一杯水站在旁边。可是，维斯特先生却坚决不肯张嘴。

“来尝尝这个。”其中一个护理员取出一支棒棒糖，撕掉糖纸递给维斯特先生。然而他仍紧闭着双唇，不听任何人的劝说。最后，他自言自语地说了一些有关他妻子的话，而她就住在大厅的另一侧。

“去把维斯特太太找来，”护理员对助手说着，随手把棒棒糖也给了他。“或许维斯特先生肯为她而吃点东西。”

几分钟后，一位和蔼可亲的老太太坐着轮椅被推了进来，她手里拿着的正是那支棒棒糖。她的微笑极富感染力，维斯特先生也露出了灿烂的笑容。我突然觉得自己的存在仿佛侵犯了他们的私人空间，但是我却无法将视线从那对老夫妇身上移开。当维斯特太太轻拍维斯特先生的手并轻抚他的额头时，你可以真切体会到他们之间的那份爱。

维斯特太太温柔地劝说维斯特先生先吃点东西。令人惊讶的事情发生了，维斯特先生张开嘴津津有味地吃起那支棒棒糖，同时也享受着有妻子陪伴的欢愉。护理员喂他食物时，他始终带着笑意凝视着妻子。维斯特太太开始为他轻声哼唱。他原本严肃的脸顿时露出了轻松的表情。

我被感动得热泪盈眶。护理员拉上围帘，将他们围在其中，让他们尽情享用这段私人空间。我发觉，浪漫不仅仅是恋爱中的年轻人的专属，它会陪伴我们一生，并随着年龄的增长而变得愈加香醇。不一会儿，惬意的鼾声从旁边的床上传来。

现在，维斯特夫妇住在一个没有轮椅，没有看护室，没有任何限制的自由之所。他们不会再因为房间而分离，而他们的眼中也不再有泪水。我坚信他们的婚姻已经超越了“生死相许”的誓言成为永恒。那天，我不仅亲眼见证了一段难忘的浪漫故事，也从这对相亲相爱的老夫妇那倦怠而焦灼的眼神中，瞥到了永恒的瞬间。

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.