Walter，生日快乐

Walter从Ana手里拿走牌子。他不看牌子。他把牌子放回面粉后面，放在暗处。然后他从盒子里拿出一把长工具。

Walter takes the sign from Ana’s hands. He doesn’t look at it. He puts it back behind the flour, in the dark. Then he takes the long tool from the box.

“门。”他说。他们做完了门。九点的时候，门又关上了。Walter说了晚安，走上楼去。他没有说那个牌子的事。

“The door,” he says. And they finish the door. At nine o’clock, it closes again. Walter says good night and goes upstairs. He doesn’t say anything about the sign.

星期五放学以后，Jess走进厨房。她说话声音很小。“Ana，明天是爷爷的生日。他七十二岁了。你能帮我吗？我想做一个蛋糕。”

On Friday, Jess comes into the kitchen after school. She speaks very quietly. “Ana. Tomorrow is Grandad’s birthday. He is seventy-two. Can you help me? I want to make a cake.”

“一个生日蛋糕？好啊！但是Walter在面包房里。他能看到我们。”

“A birthday cake? Yes! But Walter is in the bakery. He can see us.”

“星期六下午不会。星期六下午，他总是上山。去Mary奶奶那里。”

“Not on Saturday afternoon. On Saturday afternoon, he always goes up the hill. To Grandma Mary.”

星期六下午，Walter出门了。Ana和Jess开始做蛋糕。她们有面粉、鸡蛋、糖、黄油和巧克力。蛋糕做不好。第一个蛋糕下面是黑的。第二个蛋糕很扁。

On Saturday afternoon, Walter goes out. Ana and Jess start the cake. They have flour, eggs, sugar, butter and chocolate. It isn’t a good cake. The first cake is black at the bottom. The second cake is very flat.

“我们在面包房工作，”Jess说，“我们不会做蛋糕。”她们笑得很开心。墙上有巧克力。

“We work in a bakery,” Jess says, “and we can’t make a cake.” They laugh a lot. There is chocolate on the wall.

第三个蛋糕还可以。Jess在上面用白巧克力写字：HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDAD。那些字不是很直。

The third cake is OK. On top, Jess writes in white chocolate: HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDAD. The letters are not very straight.

蛋糕在烤箱里。Ana问：“Jess，仓库里有一个老牌子。上面写着BELL & SON。谁是儿子？”

The cake is in the oven. Ana asks, “Jess, there is an old sign in the store room. It says BELL & SON. Who is the son?”

Jess停下来。她的脸变冷了。“没有儿子。爷爷有一个孙女。就是我。只有我。”

Jess stops. Her face goes cold. “There is no son. Grandad has a granddaughter. Me. That’s all.”

“但是那个牌子……”

“But the sign…”

“Ana。求你了。今天别问。”Ana没有再问。

“Ana. Please. Not today.” And Ana doesn’t ask again.

五点的时候，Walter回来了。Priya在那里，Daniel也在。Jess关了灯。“生日快乐！”他们都说。Ana拿来蛋糕。

At five o’clock, Walter comes back. Priya is there, and Daniel too. Jess turns off the light. “Happy birthday!” they all say. Ana brings the cake.

Walter看着蛋糕。他看着上面的字。“谁做这个蛋糕？太难吃了，”他说。但是他吃了两大块。他的眼睛很高兴。

Walter looks at the cake. He looks at the letters. “Who makes this cake? It’s terrible,” he says. But he eats two big pieces. And his eyes are happy.