As I sat perched（栖息） in the second-floor window of our brick schoolhouse that afternoon, my heart began to sink further with each passing car. This was a day I'd looked forward to for weeks: Miss Pace's fourth-grade, end-of-the-year party. Miss Pace had kept a running countdown on the blackboard all that week, and our class of nine-year-olds had bordered on insurrection（暴动，叛乱） by the time the much-anticipated（预料，盼望） "party Friday" had arrived.
I had happily volunteered my mother when Miss Pace requested cookie volunteers. Mom's chocolate chips reigned supreme（主宰，称雄） on our block, and I knew they'd be a hit with my classmates. But two o'clock passed, and there was no sign of her. Most of the other mothers had already come and gone, dropping off their offerings of punch（冲压机，钻孔机） , crackers, cupcakes and brownies（棕斑，巧克力糕饼） . My mother was missing in action.
"Don't worry, Robbie, she'll be along soon," Miss Pace said as I gazed forlornly（可怜地，孤苦伶仃地） down at the street. I looked at the wall clock just in time to see its black minute hand shift to half-past.
Around me, the noisy party raged on, but I wouldn't leave my window watch post. Miss Pace did her best to coax me away, but I just stayed there, holding out hope that the familiar family car would round the corner, carrying my rightfully embarrassed mother with a tin of her famous cookies tucked under her arm.
The three o'clock bell soon jolted me from my thoughts and I dejectedly（沮丧地，灰心地） grabbed my book bag from my desk and shuffled out the door for home.
On the walk to home, I plotted my revenge. I would slam the front door upon entering, refuse to return her hug when she rushed over to me, and vow never to speak to her again.
The house was empty when I arrived and I looked for a note on the refrigerator that might explain my mother's absence, but found none. My chin quivered with（战栗，颤动） a mixture of heartbreak and rage. For the first time in my life, my mother had let me down.
I was lying face-down on my bed upstairs when I heard her come through the front door.
"Robbie," she called out a bit urgently. "Where are you?"
I could then hear her darting frantically from room to room, wondering where I could be. I remained silent. In a moment, she mounted the steps. When she entered my room and sat beside me on my bed, I didn't move but instead stared blankly into my pillow refusing to acknowledge her presence.
"I'm so sorry, honey," she said. "I just forgot. I got busy and forgot—plain and simple."
I still didn't move. "Don't forgive her," I told myself. "She humiliated（屈辱，丢脸） you. She forgot you. Make her pay."
Then my mother did something completely unexpected. She began to laugh. I could feel her shudder（发抖，战栗） as the laughter shook her. It began quietly at first and then increased violently.
I was incredulous（怀疑的） . How could she laugh at a time like this? I rolled over and faced her, ready to let her see the rage and disappointment in my eyes.
But my mother wasn't laughing at all. She was crying. "I'm so sorry," she sobbed. "I let you down. I let my little boy down."
She sank down on the bed and began to weep like a little girl. I was dumbstruck（吓得发懵的） . I had never seen my mother cry. To my understanding, mothers weren't supposed to.
I desperately tried to recall her own soothing（抚慰的） words from times past when I'd skinned knees or stubbed toes, times when she knew just the right thing to say. But in this moment of tearful plight（困境，境况） , words of profundity abandoned me like a worn-out shoe.
"It's okay, Mom," I stammered as I reached out and gently stroked her hair. "We didn't even need those cookies. There was plenty of stuff to eat. Don't cry. It's all right. Really."
My words, as inadequate as they sounded to me, prompted my mother to sit up. She wiped her eyes, and a slight smile began to crease her tear-stained cheeks. I smiled back awkwardly（笨拙地） , and she pulled me to her.
We didn't say another word. We just held each other in a long, silent embrace. When we came to the point where I would usually pull away（离开，脱身） , I decided that, this time, I could hold on, perhaps, just a little bit longer.
相关单词：reigned
reigned解释：vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式）
reigned例句：
Silence reigned in the hall. 全场肃静。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
Night was deep and dead silence reigned everywhere. 夜深人静，一片死寂。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
相关单词：supreme
supreme解释：adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的
supreme例句：
It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。
相关单词：crackers
crackers解释：adj.精神错乱的，癫狂的n.爆竹( cracker的名词复数 )；薄脆饼干；（认为）十分愉快的事；迷人的姑娘
crackers例句：
That noise is driving me crackers. 那噪声闹得我简直要疯了。
We served some crackers and cheese as an appetiser. 我们上了些饼干和奶酪作为开胃品。 来自《简明英汉词典》
相关单词：coax
coax解释：v.哄诱，劝诱，用诱哄得到，诱取
coax例句：
I had to coax the information out of him.我得用好话套出他掌握的情况。
He tried to coax the secret from me.他试图哄骗我说出秘方。
相关单词：jolted
jolted解释：（使）摇动， （使）震惊( jolt的过去式和过去分词 )
jolted例句：
The truck jolted and rattled over the rough ground. 卡车嘎吱嘎吱地在凹凸不平的地面上颠簸而行。
She was jolted out of her reverie as the door opened. 门一开就把她从幻想中惊醒。
相关单词：shuffled
shuffled解释：v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼
shuffled例句：
He shuffled across the room to the window. 他拖着脚走到房间那头的窗户跟前。
Simon shuffled awkwardly towards them. 西蒙笨拙地拖着脚朝他们走去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
相关单词：vow
vow解释：n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓
vow例句：
My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。
I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。
相关单词：darting
darting解释：v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔
darting例句：
Swallows were darting through the clouds. 燕子穿云急飞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
Swallows were darting through the air. 燕子在空中掠过。 来自辞典例句
相关单词：frantically
frantically解释：ad.发狂地, 发疯地
frantically例句：
He dashed frantically across the road. 他疯狂地跑过马路。
She bid frantically for the old chair. 她发狂地喊出高价要买那把古老的椅子。
相关单词：humiliated
humiliated解释：感到羞愧的
humiliated例句：
Parents are humiliated if their children behave badly when guests are present. 子女在客人面前举止失当，父母也失体面。
He was ashamed and bitterly humiliated. 他感到羞耻，丢尽了面子。
相关单词：shudder
shudder解释：v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动
shudder例句：
The sight of the coffin sent a shudder through him.看到那副棺材，他浑身一阵战栗。
We all shudder at the thought of the dreadful dirty place.我们一想到那可怕的肮脏地方就浑身战惊。
相关单词：crease
crease解释：n.折缝，褶痕，皱褶；v.(使)起皱
crease例句：
Does artificial silk crease more easily than natural silk?人造丝比天然丝更易起皱吗？
Please don't crease the blouse when you pack it.包装时请不要将衬衫弄皱了。
相关单词：sobbed
sobbed解释：哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说
sobbed例句：
She sobbed out the story of her son's death. 她哭诉着她儿子的死。
She sobbed out the sad story of her son's death. 她哽咽着诉说她儿子死去的悲惨经过。
相关单词：desperately
desperately解释：adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地
desperately例句：
He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。
相关单词：soothing
soothing解释：adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的
soothing例句：
Put on some nice soothing music.播放一些柔和舒缓的音乐。
His casual, relaxed manner was very soothing.他随意而放松的举动让人很快便平静下来。
相关单词：plight
plight解释：n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定
plight例句：
The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。
相关单词：profundity
profundity解释：n.渊博；深奥，深刻
profundity例句：
He impressed his audience by the profundity of his knowledge.他知识渊博给听众留下了深刻的印象。
He pretended profundity by eye-beamings at people.他用神采奕奕的眼光看着人们，故作深沉。
相关单词：stammered
stammered解释：v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 )
stammered例句：
He stammered most when he was nervous. 他一紧张往往口吃。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
Barsad leaned back in his chair, and stammered, \"What do you mean?\" 巴萨往椅背上一靠，结结巴巴地说，“你是什么意思？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
相关单词：inadequate
inadequate解释：adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的
inadequate例句：
The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。
相关单词：decided
decided解释：adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的
decided例句：
This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
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