ACT II

There’s your teddy bear, Max. 這是你的玩具熊，Max。

He just loves that teddy bear 他就喜歡這個(gè)玩具熊

that Grandpa Philip bought for him. 祖父Philip給他買的。

I took him to Philip’s office yesterday for a checkup. 我昨天帶他到Philip的辦公室去做檢查。

You should have seen the look on his face 真該看看他臉上的表情

when Molly gave him the injection. 當(dāng)Molly給他打針時(shí)。

Oh, did he cry? 噢，他哭了嗎?

No. 沒(méi)有。

My dear little boy just looked up at me as if to say, 我親愛(ài)的小男孩只是仰頭看著我好像在說(shuō)

"Mama, what are they doing to me? Help!" “媽媽，他們?cè)趯?duì)我做什么?救命呀!”

How did you feel? 感覺(jué)怎么樣?

Tell the truth. 告訴我實(shí)話。

Didn’t you feel terrible? 沒(méi)有感到可怕嗎?

I sure did. 我的確有。

I held him closely. 我緊緊地抱著他。

I kissed the top of his dear little head. 我吻著他可愛(ài)的小頭頂。

He looked up at me. 他仰頭看我。

He tried to smile. 他設(shè)法要微笑。

Being with him helped. 和他在一起有幫助。

Helped him? 幫助他?

Or helped you? 還是幫助你?

Being a mother is not easy, 當(dāng)一個(gè)母親真不容易，

if that’s what you mean. 是這個(gè)意思吧。

Speaking of being a mother, 談到當(dāng)母親

I’ve been meaning to ask you 我一直想問(wèn)

what you were thinking about regarding going back to work. 你是否打算回去工作。

I know Rita Mae called. 我知道Rita Mae打電話給你了。

I can imagine what is going through your head. 我能想像你的頭腦正在考慮什么事。

I’m sure you can, Ellen. 說(shuō)的沒(méi)錯(cuò)，Ellen。

There are so many things to consider. 是有許多事情要考慮。

One thing that makes it easier for you 有一件事可以使做起決定來(lái)比較容易

is that you have us. 就是有我們幫忙。

Max will always have a family member to watch over him 家里總會(huì)有一個(gè)人照顧Max

while you’re at work. 在你工作的時(shí)候。

I didn’t have that when Richard and Susan were born. 在Richard和Susan出生時(shí)我可沒(méi)有人幫忙。

What did you do? 那你怎么辦呢?

I chose to continue with my career as a music teacher. 我選擇繼續(xù)我的音樂(lè)教師的事業(yè)。

We hired a woman to watch Richard and then Susan, 我們雇用一名女士來(lái)照顧Richard 后來(lái)又照顧Susan，

and I continued with my career. 而我則繼續(xù)我的事業(yè)。

Do you think you made the right decision? 你認(rèn)為你的決定正確嗎?

I think I did. 我想是的。

But when Robbie was born, 但當(dāng)Robbie出生后,

I decided to give full-time attention to raising Robbie. 我決定全力撫育他。

I felt differently at that time. 那時(shí)我的感覺(jué)又不一樣了。

And you gave up your career as a music teacher? 那么你就放棄了音樂(lè)教師的事業(yè)?

Not exactly. 不完全。

I continued to teach piano lessons at home. 我繼續(xù)在家教鋼琴。

How did you feel about being away 對(duì)出外工作有何感想

when Susan and Richard were babies? 當(dāng)Richard和Susan還很小時(shí) ?

I think I did the right thing 我覺(jué)得我做了一件對(duì)的事

for them and for myself and for Philip. 為他們也為我自己和Philip。

We needed the money. 我們當(dāng)時(shí)需要錢。

Remember? 記得嗎?

Well, we do too, Ellen. 嗯,我們也需要,Ellen。

Everything I earn helps us towards getting that house 我的每一筆進(jìn)帳都可幫助我們得到那幢房

we want and need. 我們盼望而且也需要的。

I can’t wait till he’s just a little older. 我迫不及待地希望他長(zhǎng)大些。

Our toy company makes the most wonderful toys for kids. 我們玩具公司為小孩子們?cè)熳畎舻耐婢摺?/p>

Max thanks you. Max,謝謝你。

I thank you. 我也感謝你。

And Richard thanks you. Richard也會(huì)感謝你。

Now may I please say hello? 現(xiàn)在我可以說(shuō)聲你好嗎?

Hello. 你好。

Hello. 你好。

I miss Max and think about him all week long. 我想念Max一整個(gè)星期都在想他。

We talk about him at dinnertime. 我們吃晚餐時(shí)總談起他。

Will you please try to relax? 能不能放輕松些?

I’ve never seen you so wound up. 我從來(lái)沒(méi)有看過(guò)你如此緊張。

You seem to be enjoying the pressure. 看起來(lái)好像很樂(lè)于承受壓力。

The truth is, I am. 事實(shí)上,我的確如此。

My job is not an easy one, 我的工作不輕,

but I really enjoy it. 但我確實(shí)樂(lè)在工作。

That is exactly what I wanted to talk to you about, Susan. 這正是我想要跟你談?wù)劦?Susan 。

What’s the problem? 什么問(wèn)題啦?

Marilyn’s career. Marilyn的事業(yè)。

Well, my choice of careers. 是的,我的事業(yè)抉擇問(wèn)題。

Choice? 抉擇?

My career as a fashion designer 我以時(shí)裝設(shè)計(jì)為事業(yè)

versus my career as a mother. 或是以當(dāng)個(gè)母親為事業(yè)。

Why does it have to be one or the other? 為什么非得有這個(gè)就沒(méi)有那個(gè)?

That’s what I said. 我也是這么說(shuō)。

How’s that? 那怎么成呢?

Why can’t you do both? 為什么不能兩樣一起?

She’s right. 她說(shuō)得對(duì)。

Both? 一起?

Well, that’s what I do. 是啊,我正是這么做的。

I have a job, and I have Michelle. 我有工作,我也有Michelle。

I take care of both to the best of my ability. 我盡我所能把兩方面都照顧好。

It’s not easy, but what is? 這不容易,但什么事又容易?

And that’s what I did. 我也這樣做的。

I did both with Richard and Susan, 有Richard和Susan時(shí)我這樣,

and I did both with Robbie. 有Robbie時(shí)我也這樣做的。

I thought you stayed home with Robbie? 我還以為你是跟Robbie呆在家里的?

I did. 是的。

But I was lucky enough to have a career as a music teacher 但我很幸運(yùn)擁有一個(gè)音樂(lè)教師的事業(yè)

which I could continue at home. 可以在家中繼續(xù)從事。

Why can’t you work at home, Marilyn? 為什么不能在家中工作呢, Marilyn?

You’re very talented. 你非常有才華。

Designing dresses is a career 設(shè)計(jì)時(shí)裝是一種職業(yè)

you could establish out of your home, 可以在家中開(kāi)創(chuàng),

couldn’t you? 不是嗎?

I don’t know why I didn’t think of it. 我不知道為什么我沒(méi)有想到這一點(diǎn)。

It seems so simple now. 現(xiàn)在事情顯得很簡(jiǎn)單了。

For a year or two 在一兩年內(nèi)

I could stay at home with Max and do my dress designs. 我可以和Max呆在家里從事我的服裝設(shè)計(jì)。

And you could make your dresses at home. 可以在家做衣服。

Sounds like a great way to solve the problem. 聽(tīng)起來(lái)好像是個(gè)解決問(wèn)題的好辦法。

That could solve your problem, Marilyn. 這樣可以解決你的問(wèn)題, Marilyn。

I’m going to call Rita Mae at home 我會(huì)打電話到Rita Mae家

and ask her to come by and talk about it. 請(qǐng)她過(guò)來(lái)談?wù)勥@件事。

She wants to see Max, anyway. 畢竟她也想看Max。

I think that really answers your questions, Marilyn. 我覺(jué)得這確實(shí)解決了你的問(wèn)題, Marilyn。

You can do it. 你可以這樣做。

Do your designs at home--here. 在家里設(shè)計(jì)服裝。

And let Rita Mae do the selling at the boutique. 而讓Rita Mae在時(shí)裝店負(fù)責(zé)銷售。

And you can both benefit financially. 你們倆都獲得金錢上的利益。

I’m going to call Rita Mae right now. 我現(xiàn)在就打電話給Rita Mae。

Oh, Susan, thank you so much 噢, Susan, 謝謝你。

for coming all this way from the city to talk to me about it. 從城里大老遠(yuǎn)趕來(lái)和我談這件事。

I hope you don’t mind 希望你不介意

having taken so much time away from your busy schedule. 我在你忙碌的生活中用了這么多時(shí)間。

Are you kidding? 你在開(kāi)玩笑嗎?

I don’t mind at all. 我一點(diǎn)也不介意。

As a matter of fact, 事實(shí)上,

I came to spend some time with my favorite nephew. 我來(lái)是為了和我心愛(ài)的侄兒相聚一些時(shí)間。

I think you should call Rita Mae right now. 我想你現(xiàn)在就打電話給Rita Mae。

I think your idea of working at home is perfect. 我覺(jué)得你在家里工作的主意太好了。

I don’t know what I would do without you. 我真不知道沒(méi)有你們我怎么辦。

I’m lucky to have you all. 我真的覺(jué)得擁有你們很幸運(yùn)。

We are lucky to have you, Marilyn. 擁有你是我們的幸運(yùn), Marilyn。

And so is Max. 也是Max的幸運(yùn)。

Being a mother is not easy.

Being a mother is not easy.

It’s not easy to be a mother.

Caring for a child takes a lot of time.

It takes a lot of time to care for a child.

But playing with a baby is so much fun.

It’s so much fun.

Dododododo.

It’s so much fun to play with a baby.

And working at home would be wonderful.

It would be wonderful.

Dodododododo.

It would be wonderful to work at home.

I don’t know what I would do without you.

I’m lucky to have you all.

It’s great to be in this family.

Dodododo.

It’s great.

Being in this family is great.

It’s always so easy for me to find someone who will listen.

Dodododo.

It’s always so easy for me.

Finding someone who will listen is always so easy for me.