Sometimes, making a decision is hard for adults while easy for kids. The Jackson family had been meaning to buy some new furniture (家具) for ages, but somehow they never got round to it. There were always so many other things to do. Then one day there was a big shout from the room of Jason, 12. The rest of the family ran to see what happened.

Jason’s desk had broken. There were bits of wood and pens and papers all over the floor. And in the middle was Jason! “I was just doing my homework.” he said, “and then -bang! The desk broke. Everything fell over. I was so surprised that I fell over too!” Laughed Jane, 5. “That decides it.” said Mum. “We need to buy some new furniture before anything else breaks. Jane needs a new bed. And Jason needs a desk, so that he can do his homework. ”

So that weekend, the family got up early, and set off for the big furniture store outside town. It was huge. There was so much furniture, some of it was arranged like in a real house.

“Look, I’m playing houses (过家家),” said Jane, crawling ( 爬 ) under a table. Jane loved playing houses. “That’s enough,” Mum said, taking tight hold of Jane’s hand. Jane didn’t like it, but she had to stay close. The family chose a new bed for Jane, who was bored now, and tired. She didn’t say much, while the rest of the family discussed which desk to get. Jason had found one he liked but Mum and Dad couldn’t agree.

“It’s too big.” said Mum. “There’s not enough space in his room.”

“It’s too small,” said Dad. “There’s not enough space for his homework. ”

“I think it’s just right!” said Jason.

“Let’s get a cup of tea while we try and decide,” said Mum.“There’s a cafe in the store.” Dad thought this was a good idea. He needed a sit down, he said, and Jason really wanted a milkshake (奶昔). “What do you think, Jane?” asked Mum. Then she looked round. “Where is she? I think she’s jumping on the sofa!”

But there was no sign of Jane on the sofa. Then Jason wondered if she could be lying on her new bed!

But there was no Jane on the bed. Mum and Dad were really worried now.          

When Jason pushed Jane softly, she woke up and came crawling out. “What were you doing?” Jason asked.

In the spring sun, my aunt and I headed for her flower shop. Normally I would be delighted to help in her shop, but not recently because of Rosa. Rosa was my sister, just one month old, who was settled in my old bedroom. For ten years, the small room was full of my toys and books. But now it was transformed into her baby room, decorated like a garden with pinks and yellows. My space, my old life, was gone.

“Here we are!” We arrived at the shop, a wave of colour and sweet smell washing over me. My aunt said I could pick some flowers for Mum and Dad. I used to love this, but today I was so overcome with tiredness and envy. Why bother to bring them flowers when they were enjoying Rosa at home without me?

Silently I helped my aunt arrange flowers. “Your mum told me there hasn’t been much shut eye recently for any of you.” “Not much, since Rosa the alarm clock was installed (安装).” I complained with a huge yawn (哈欠).

“I remember having to creep (蹑手蹑脚地走) around like a worn-out mouse when your mum was a baby. I spent the first months hating her so much.” “But you and Mum seem so close,” I said, guiltily hiding away my envy of Rosa.

“Now we are. But it took me years to grow into the role of big sister. Few flowers blossom (绽放) overnight, you know.” She pulled me in for aside hug, glancing up at the clock, and suggested I take a walk outside.

Behind her shop was a field dotted with spring flowers. Stepping into the field, I began to pick little flowers. It was like gathering my childhood memories. I remembered how I’d sit with Dad, making flower chains, crowning (授予) each other with the silliest titles: Queen of Junk Food and King of Mess. My smile grew wider. The shining yellow flowers reminded me of the color in Rosa’s baby room. Was she awake? I wondered.

Suddenly I saw two familiar figures walking towards me.

Rosa was wide awake in her baby basket beside the picnic blanket.

John and Nancy were left with their grandmother Linda after their mom was hospitalized for illness. They were curious about when they could finally see their mom.

“The hospital won’t allow her to leave until all of her medical bills are settled. I have given your mom all I could, but there’s still a large amount that we need to pay off,” Linda explained. John and Nancy missed their mom a lot and wanted her to come back home as soon as possible.

“We can pick the lemons from the garden and make fresh juice out of them,” she suggested. Her brother smiled, “That’s a great idea, Nancy!” From then on, John and Nancy stayed outside the entire afternoon after school selling lemonade. A week went by, they only managed to earn ten dollars.

On Saturday morning, they sat on the side of the yard, looking worried. After a couple of seconds, their silent pondering (沉思) was interrupted by loud police sirens. “Hey, fellas!” one of the policemen greeted. “My colleague Jacob said that his neighbor had a lemonade stand in front of their yard.” The two children nodded. “I’m sorry, officer. But I didn’t think there would be anything wrong with that. Besides, we didn’t earn a lot,” John tried to explain.

“Don’t worry. You’re not in trouble. I bought a cup of it from you two the other day, remember? I asked why you were selling lemonade, and you told me it was to raise funds to get your mom out of the hospital,” Jacob interrupted upon seeing John and Nancy looked nervous.

“I told my friends over here, and we decided we wanted to help. Come to the back of the police car, and we have something to show you,” Jacob told the kids. They slowly made their way to the back of one of the police cars and saw a nicely-painted wooden lemonade stand. “That’s beautiful!” Nancy said in surprise.

“There’s a big food festival downtown today, and we got you a stand.” Jacob said. “Why not go there and give it a shot?”

There was a large crowd eager to buy lemonade.

As Hurricane Ian bore down on Florida, many residents who decided to stay found themselves unable to leave.

When the water slipped in under the door of their home in Naples, Florida, it was just a sign that it was time to go.

It was around noon on Wednesday, September 28 last year and Darcy Bishop woke up her two brothers who had been resting after lunch. She pulled the wheelchair up to the oldest, Russell Rochow, 66. Her other brother, Todd Rochow, 63, was in his room, changing clothes. He could manage with a walker.

Both men had been born with disabilities, and their mental development was like that of a young child. But they found joy in their surroundings. Russell loved riding the bus and going to parks. Todd liked collecting cans at the beach and playing on the boat in the neighbor, Hance Walters’ home. Bishop, 61, was their lifeline, their little sister who had long felt a duty to keep them safe.

“We’ve got to get going!” she shouted to Todd. She went to open the front door. It would not move. The weight of the water on the other side had shut it tight.

She rushed to try the door to the garage, where Todd’s walker was stored. It, too, was stuck.

That’s when the house the three brothers shared began to flood.

The only way to go was up.

Bishop guided Todd to the stairs, and he grabbed the banister(栏杆). She helped him pull himself slowly up to the top where he waited in a chair.

But stairs were impossible for Russell, who could neither walk nor bend his stiff legs.

Bishop dragged on the belt around Russell’s waist, but he was nearly 77 kilograms. She tried every position possible, switching from pushing to pulling, and managed to get him up a few carpeted steps.

But the water followed.

Bishop called 911 and was told someone would come soon. But out the window she could already see furniture, boats and cars floating by.

One morning Jack woke up with an aching arm. He touched it carefully with one finger. Ow! That really hurt! He climbed out of bed and put on his dressing gown(睡袍), very, very carefully. Then he went downstairs.

Mum was in the kitchen, searching for cornflakes(玉米片)in the cupboard.

“We’re out of cornflakes again,” she said, not looking round.

“Mum,” Jack began, “I think there’s something wrong with my…”

But at that moment, Lucy, Jack’s twin sister, came into the kitchen.

“Mum,” she cried, “I’m very, very ill! Very ill indeed! My stomach hurts really, really bad! I am far too sick to go to school!”

Mum was worried. She felt Lucy’s forehead. “You do feel hot. But you were fine yesterday.”

“I’m not fine now,” said Lucy. “Please, Mum. Can I go back to bed?”

Lucy didn’t even want breakfast. Jack tried to tell Mum about his arm. But Mum was too worried about Lucy.

“Please just get dressed, Jack, or you will be late for school!”

Mum stayed home to look after Lucy. Dad gave Jack a lift to school, and Jack tried to explain about his arm. “I was playing football yesterday and I hit my arm and it still hurts,” he said.

“Probably just a bruise(瘀伤),” said Dad. “I hope Lucy is better soon. She looked a bit feverish to me.”

It’s always about Lucy, thought Jack crossly.

At school, Jack had to be very careful of his arm. He had to keep it really still. Luckily he could still write with his other hand. At home, Mum was looking after Lucy. She put her back to bed and brought her a glass of warm water. She read her a story.

“How do you feel now?” she asked. “Would you like to try a little breakfast?”

“I can’t eat a thing,” said Lucy.

Mum was worried. It wasn’t like Lucy not to eat anything. She bent down to pick Lucy’s teddy bear off the floor. As she did so, she caught sight of something under the bed.

A huge pile of candy wrappers(包装纸)! And an empty box!

Mrs Smailes, the headteacher, came running to meet them. ”I think you need to go straight to hospital. Jack is there!"