Platform Two

Ana looked at the shop. Jess was inside, at the back, choosing crisps. Ana didn’t think any more. She ran up the stairs, across the little bridge over the trains and down to the other platform.

安娜看着那家商店。Jess在里面，在后面选薯片。安娜没有多想。她跑上楼梯，穿过火车上方的小桥，走下了另一边的站台。

Mick was still at the ticket machine. He didn’t hear her. On the screen, Ana could see the words: SINGLE. MANCHESTER PICCADILLY. £14.70. His finger was over the button, but he wasn’t pressing it.

Mick还在自动售票机前。他没有听到她。在屏幕上，安娜看到了这些字：单程。MANCHESTER PICCADILLY。14.70英镑。他的手指放在按钮上方，但是没有按下去。

“Mick,” she said.

“Mick，”她说。

He turned round fast. His face went white, then angry. “I told you. Leave me alone.”

他很快地回头。他的脸变白了，然后很生气。“我跟你说过。别管我。”

“You’re going to Manchester. Now. Tonight.”

“你要去曼彻斯特。现在就去。今晚就去。”

“Yes. And it’s not your business.” He turned back to the machine and took out his wallet. His hands were shaking, a little, like his father’s. The wallet fell out of his hand onto the ground.

“对。这不关你的事。”他转回身面对机器，拿出了钱包。他的手有一点在抖，像他父亲的手一样。钱包从他的手里掉到了地上。

Cards and coins went everywhere. And a small old photo. It landed at Ana’s feet, face up. She picked it up before he could.

卡和硬币掉得到处都是。还有一张小小的旧照片。照片掉在安娜脚边，正面朝上。在他之前，她把它捡了起来。

It was a photo of a young man in a white apron. He was tall, with dark hair and a big, happy smile. In his arms, there was a baby with red hair. Behind them was a shop window, and over the window was a sign with big letters: BELL & SON.

那是一张照片，里面是一个穿白围裙的年轻男人。他很高，头发很黑，脸上带着开心的微笑。在他怀里，有一个红头发的小婴儿。在他们身后是一家店的窗户，窗户上方有一个大字招牌：BELL & SON。

Ana looked at the photo. Then she looked at the tired man in front of her, with the grey beard and the old coat. It was the same man. Fifteen years older, and with no smile. But the same man.

安娜看着照片。然后她看着面前这个很累的男人，他有灰白的胡子，穿着旧大衣。是同一个人。老了十五岁，脸上没有微笑。但是是同一个人。

“Michael,” she said quietly.

“Michael，”她轻声说。

He didn’t say no this time. He stood there on the platform and looked at the photo in her hand. For a long time, he didn’t say anything. Then he took a deep breath.

这一次他没有说不。他站在站台上，看着她手里的照片。有很长时间，他什么都没说。然后他深呼吸了一下。

“Yes,” he said. “I’m Michael. Michael Bell.”

“对，”他说。“我是Michael。Michael Bell。”

It was very strange to hear it. Ana guessed it a week ago, but now it was true. She gave him the photo. He put it back in his wallet very, very carefully.

听到这句话感觉很奇怪。安娜一个星期前就猜到了，但是现在是真的了。她把照片给了他。他非常非常小心地把它放回了钱包里。

“The card,” Ana said. “On Walter’s birthday. With no stamp. That was you.”

“那张卡片，”安娜说。“在Walter生日那天。没有邮票的那张。那是你送的。”