第16章玛吉（1）
Maggie
佚名Anonymous
IneverknewMaggie’sageorwhatkindoflifeshe’dhadbeforeImether。ly，sheborethemarksofalong，hardlifeofilltreatment，andshehadawayofflineversomeonemovedsuddenly。Ihadieintoourlives。ItookthetoValeanFarmtolookatdobuyooomineundidallmyresolve。Iwantedone。
Wechosealivelyuzzlepokediomypockets，lookingforatreat。Smallalybuilt，Lexystoodhanmyshoulder。“She’llanion，”saidVal，theowner。“Doliketolivealone，”myfacemusthaveshownthedismayIfelt。Ifochedet，odo？“Idon’tthinkweaffordtwo，”Isaidinmythroat，mentallybiddingLexygoodbye。
“Well，IseeLexy’dhaveagoodhomewithyou。TellyouwhatIdo。Ihaveanolddoaookheroellyouthetruth，she’snotmuchtolookat。’tgetaobuyher，andIdon’twashehasageure，andifyoulike，I’llthrowherinwithLexy。She’soverthere。”
Ifolloointingfinger。Agraydooodalone，alooffromtheotherdoillgarouadistance，Icouldseethatherchandpatchy，withdarkskinshhhereami，”uedVal。“Shehasatoua’llgrowba。”Shedidn’tlookupasroached，markilyclearthatshehadinus。
“Hername’sMaggie，”saidVal。“She’sbeeorideamindthesaddle。Here，I’llshoulledasaddleofftheferappeditonMaggie。Maggiestoodquietly，stillnotlookingup。“Hopon。”ValliftedupmysonNathan，ploppedhimonMaggie’sbadslappedherrump。Maggieaces，lookinht。“See？”saidVal。“Gentleasdnothingspieturnedaowardus。Foramome。AndinhereyesIsawresignationanddespair。Maggiekshewasn’tlivelyandyouofthedonkeysaroundher。Shekshewasn’twahatshehadyradshekshewasgoiherestofherlifehandedfromowher。
Iwalkedovertoher，putmyhandsunderhergrizzledmuzzle，andliftedupherhead。“Maggie，”Iwhispered，lookingintohereyes。“Yhomewithme。I’mgoingtogiveyouawarmbarnwithlotsofhay，freshasture，andaogiveyoushadeonhot，sunnydays。AndIwilltakecareofyoufortherestofyourlife。”
MaggieandLexyarrivedtheday。Lexybouofthetrailerandgallopedupanddownthefields，expleverynookandyofhernewhome。Maggiewalkedovertoaerofthebarnyardandputherheaddowood。She’dbeendisappointedsomanytimesbeforeinherlife。Shekotrustthewhisperedwordser。