Pressing Paper and the Washing Machine Pause - 適合初級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

Delia knelt at the book pressing zone. She held the upper paper sheet. The open thick book waited with pages parted. The grandmother sat at the caregiver pressing zone. A folded paper towel rested beside her elbow.

A thin sweet flower smell rose from the freshly gathered flowers. A single drop of water clung to one petal tip.

Today’s small chore sat on the table: lay the sheet. Delia moved slowly to finish the small chore. A fresh moisture print soaked into the pressing paper at center.

From the hall, the washing machine went whirr, whirr, pause. The sound came again: whirr, whirr, pause, then whirr. During each whirr, the light sheet edge lifted and fluttered. During each pause, the edge stilled and hung straight.

Delia watched one full cycle and then steadied her hands. Her fingers tightened on the paper’s corners over the book. The next pause came, and she lowered the upper sheet flat.

Air trapped under the sheet pushed a tiny puff out. Thin pollen dust lifted from the open page and drifted. Some dust landed on the fresh moisture print, making specks. A few dots also sat on Delia’s wrist and sleeve. She brushed them onto the folded paper towel beside her.

The sheet now lay smooth on the open thick book. The moisture print kept soaking in. The washing machine returned to whirr, whirr, pause, steady. The grandmother gave a short side hug. Her arms tightened around Delia, then eased again. Delia kept one palm on the sheet and held it flat.

Delia 在書本壓花區跪著。她拿著上層的壓紙。旁邊的厚書打開著，頁面分開等著。外婆坐在照顧者壓花區。她手肘旁邊放著一小疊摺好的紙巾。

一股淡淡的花香從新鮮採來的小堆花傳來。一滴水還黏在一朵花的花瓣尖。

今天有一件小家務在桌上：把這張紙放好。Delia 慢慢地把這件小家務做完。中間的壓紙上有一圈新的濕印，正慢慢滲進去。

走廊傳來洗衣機的聲音：嗡、嗡、停一下。聲音又來了：嗡、嗡、停一下，然後再嗡。每次嗡的時候，輕薄的紙邊就抬起發抖。每次停一下，紙邊就安定垂下。

Delia 看完一整個循環，然後把手穩住。她的手指收緊，抓住紙的兩個角。下一次停頓來到，她把上層壓紙放平。

紙下的空氣被擠住，從邊緣推了一小口氣。薄薄的花粉從打開的頁面飄起來。一些落在新的濕印上，形成點點斑紋。又有幾點落在 Delia 的手腕和衣袖上。她把那些粉拍到旁邊摺好的紙巾上。

這張紙現在平平地躺在打開的厚書上。那圈濕印繼續往紙裡滲。洗衣機又回到嗡、嗡、停一下的節奏。外婆給了她一個短短的側身擁抱。她的手臂收緊，然後又放鬆。Delia 把一隻手掌放在紙上，讓它保持平整。