ACT II

There’s your teddy bear, Max. 这是你的玩具熊，Max。

He just loves that teddy bear 他就喜欢这个玩具熊

that Grandpa Philip bought for him. 祖父Philip给他买的。

I took him to Philip’s office yesterday for a checkup. 我昨天带他到Philip的办公室去做检查。

You should have seen the look on his face 真该看看他脸上的表情

when Molly gave him the injection. 当Molly给他打针时。

Oh, did he cry? 噢，他哭了吗?

No. 没有。

My dear little boy just looked up at me as if to say, 我亲爱的小男孩只是仰头看着我好像在说

"Mama, what are they doing to me? Help!" “妈妈，他们在对我做什么?救命呀!”

How did you feel? 感觉怎么样?

Tell the truth. 告诉我实话。

Didn’t you feel terrible? 没有感到可怕吗?

I sure did. 我的确有。

I held him closely. 我紧紧地抱着他。

I kissed the top of his dear little head. 我吻着他可爱的小头顶。

He looked up at me. 他仰头看我。

He tried to smile. 他设法要微笑。

Being with him helped. 和他在一起有帮助。

Helped him? 帮助他?

Or helped you? 还是帮助你?

Being a mother is not easy, 当一个母亲真不容易，

if that’s what you mean. 是这个意思吧。

Speaking of being a mother, 谈到当母亲

I’ve been meaning to ask you 我一直想问

what you were thinking about regarding going back to work. 你是否打算回去工作。

I know Rita Mae called. 我知道Rita Mae打电话给你了。

I can imagine what is going through your head. 我能想像你的头脑正在考虑什么事。

I’m sure you can, Ellen. 说的没错，Ellen。

There are so many things to consider. 是有许多事情要考虑。

One thing that makes it easier for you 有一件事可以使做起决定来比较容易

is that you have us. 就是有我们帮忙。

Max will always have a family member to watch over him 家里总会有一个人照顾Max

while you’re at work. 在你工作的时候。

I didn’t have that when Richard and Susan were born. 在Richard和Susan出生时我可没有人帮忙。

What did you do? 那你怎么办呢?

I chose to continue with my career as a music teacher. 我选择继续我的音乐教师的事业。

We hired a woman to watch Richard and then Susan, 我们雇用一名女士来照顾Richard 后来又照顾Susan，

and I continued with my career. 而我则继续我的事业。

Do you think you made the right decision? 你认为你的决定正确吗?

I think I did. 我想是的。

But when Robbie was born, 但当Robbie出生后,

I decided to give full-time attention to raising Robbie. 我决定全力抚育他。

I felt differently at that time. 那时我的感觉又不一样了。

And you gave up your career as a music teacher? 那么你就放弃了音乐教师的事业?

Not exactly. 不完全。

I continued to teach piano lessons at home. 我继续在家教钢琴。

How did you feel about being away 对出外工作有何感想

when Susan and Richard were babies? 当Richard和Susan还很小时 ?

I think I did the right thing 我觉得我做了一件对的事

for them and for myself and for Philip. 为他们也为我自己和Philip。

We needed the money. 我们当时需要钱。

Remember? 记得吗?

Well, we do too, Ellen. 嗯,我们也需要,Ellen。

Everything I earn helps us towards getting that house 我的每一笔进帐都可帮助我们得到那幢房

we want and need. 我们盼望而且也需要的。

I can’t wait till he’s just a little older. 我迫不及待地希望他长大些。

Our toy company makes the most wonderful toys for kids. 我们玩具公司为小孩子们造最棒的玩具。

Max thanks you. Max,谢谢你。

I thank you. 我也感谢你。

And Richard thanks you. Richard也会感谢你。

Now may I please say hello? 现在我可以说声你好吗?

Hello. 你好。

Hello. 你好。

I miss Max and think about him all week long. 我想念Max一整个星期都在想他。

We talk about him at dinnertime. 我们吃晚餐时总谈起他。

Will you please try to relax? 能不能放轻松些?

I’ve never seen you so wound up. 我从来没有看过你如此紧张。

You seem to be enjoying the pressure. 看起来好像很乐于承受压力。

The truth is, I am. 事实上,我的确如此。

My job is not an easy one, 我的工作不轻,

but I really enjoy it. 但我确实乐在工作。

That is exactly what I wanted to talk to you about, Susan. 这正是我想要跟你谈谈的,Susan 。

What’s the problem? 什么问题啦?

Marilyn’s career. Marilyn的事业。

Well, my choice of careers. 是的,我的事业抉择问题。

Choice? 抉择?

My career as a fashion designer 我以时装设计为事业

versus my career as a mother. 或是以当个母亲为事业。

Why does it have to be one or the other? 为什么非得有这个就没有那个?

That’s what I said. 我也是这么说。

How’s that? 那怎么成呢?

Why can’t you do both? 为什么不能两样一起?

She’s right. 她说得对。

Both? 一起?

Well, that’s what I do. 是啊,我正是这么做的。

I have a job, and I have Michelle. 我有工作,我也有Michelle。

I take care of both to the best of my ability. 我尽我所能把两方面都照顾好。

It’s not easy, but what is? 这不容易,但什么事又容易?

And that’s what I did. 我也这样做的。

I did both with Richard and Susan, 有Richard和Susan时我这样,

and I did both with Robbie. 有Robbie时我也这样做的。

I thought you stayed home with Robbie? 我还以为你是跟Robbie呆在家里的?

I did. 是的。

But I was lucky enough to have a career as a music teacher 但我很幸运拥有一个音乐教师的事业

which I could continue at home. 可以在家中继续从事。

Why can’t you work at home, Marilyn? 为什么不能在家中工作呢, Marilyn?

You’re very talented. 你非常有才华。

Designing dresses is a career 设计时装是一种职业

you could establish out of your home, 可以在家中开创,

couldn’t you? 不是吗?

I don’t know why I didn’t think of it. 我不知道为什么我没有想到这一点。

It seems so simple now. 现在事情显得很简单了。

For a year or two 在一两年内

I could stay at home with Max and do my dress designs. 我可以和Max呆在家里从事我的服装设计。

And you could make your dresses at home. 可以在家做衣服。

Sounds like a great way to solve the problem. 听起来好像是个解决问题的好办法。

That could solve your problem, Marilyn. 这样可以解决你的问题, Marilyn。

I’m going to call Rita Mae at home 我会打电话到Rita Mae家

and ask her to come by and talk about it. 请她过来谈谈这件事。

She wants to see Max, anyway. 毕竟她也想看Max。

I think that really answers your questions, Marilyn. 我觉得这确实解决了你的问题, Marilyn。

You can do it. 你可以这样做。

Do your designs at home--here. 在家里设计服装。

And let Rita Mae do the selling at the boutique. 而让Rita Mae在时装店负责销售。

And you can both benefit financially. 你们俩都获得金钱上的利益。

I’m going to call Rita Mae right now. 我现在就打电话给Rita Mae。

Oh, Susan, thank you so much 噢, Susan, 谢谢你。

for coming all this way from the city to talk to me about it. 从城里大老远赶来和我谈这件事。

I hope you don’t mind 希望你不介意

having taken so much time away from your busy schedule. 我在你忙碌的生活中用了这么多时间。

Are you kidding? 你在开玩笑吗?

I don’t mind at all. 我一点也不介意。

As a matter of fact, 事实上,

I came to spend some time with my favorite nephew. 我来是为了和我心爱的侄儿相聚一些时间。

I think you should call Rita Mae right now. 我想你现在就打电话给Rita Mae。

I think your idea of working at home is perfect. 我觉得你在家里工作的主意太好了。

I don’t know what I would do without you. 我真不知道没有你们我怎么办。

I’m lucky to have you all. 我真的觉得拥有你们很幸运。

We are lucky to have you, Marilyn. 拥有你是我们的幸运, Marilyn。

And so is Max. 也是Max的幸运。

Being a mother is not easy.

Being a mother is not easy.

It’s not easy to be a mother.

Caring for a child takes a lot of time.

It takes a lot of time to care for a child.

But playing with a baby is so much fun.

It’s so much fun.

Dododododo.

It’s so much fun to play with a baby.

And working at home would be wonderful.

It would be wonderful.

Dodododododo.

It would be wonderful to work at home.

I don’t know what I would do without you.

I’m lucky to have you all.

It’s great to be in this family.

Dodododo.

It’s great.

Being in this family is great.

It’s always so easy for me to find someone who will listen.

Dodododo.

It’s always so easy for me.

Finding someone who will listen is always so easy for me.