Light poured through the windows and the bed cast a long shadow on the floor. In the bright stillness of the room, we sat huddled together, our words hushed. When Mom arrived, suddenly there was no holding back. The days of optimism were over. Our hope had gotten us so far, but it hadn’t carried the day. All at once we were unabashedly crying. My parents were holding hands and looking into each other’s eyes. My father told me—for the last time —how proud he was of me, and I told him I loved him and that whatever I’d done and would do was because of him. He smiled and nodded. And then because he insisted, because it was my life he continued to shape, I pulled myself together, said goodbye and left for Newport to play tennis.

光从窗外射进来，照在床上，在地板上拖出长长的影子。在屋子里有光亮的地方，我们依偎在一起，一句话也不说。当妈妈来的时候，突然一点没有退缩。这几天一点也不乐观。我们的希望离我们远去，便是却没带走那天。突然间，我们毫无掩饰地哭了。我的父母拉着手，看着彼此的眼睛。爸爸告诉我，他为我骄傲，这是最后一次了。我也告诉他，我爱他，从前是，以后也是，他笑着点点头。因为他的坚持，因为他为我规划的人生，我振作起来，和他们告别，然后去纽波特去打网球。