【Mostpeopleneedtohearthose"threelittlewords"Iloveyou．Onceinawhile，theyhearthemjustintime．ImetConniethedayshewas（31）___tothehospitalward（临终安养院），whereIworkedasa（32）___．Herhusba】

　　Most people need to hear those"three little words"I love you．Once in a while，they hear them just in time．I met Connie the day she was （31）___ to the hospital ward （临终安养院），where I worked as a （32）___．Her husband，Bill，stood nervously nearby as she was transferred to the hospital bed．Although Connie was in the （33）___ stages of her fight against cancer，she was alert （机敏） and（34）___．We got her （35）___．I asked if she needed anything．

　　"Would you please show me how to use the TV？"she said，"I enjoy the soaps so much and I don't want to get （36）___ on what's happening．"Connie was （37）___．She also loved romance novels and movies with a good love story．As we became （38）___，she told me that how （39）___ it was to be married 32years to a man who had never said he loved her，or sent cards to her．She sighed，"I'd give anything if he'd say‘I love you'，but it's just not in his （40）___．Maybe he is the kind who can't．"

　　Bill （41）___Connie every day．When she began sleeping more，he just paced restlessly up and down the hallway outside her room．Soon，when she no longer watched television and had fewer （42）___ moments，I began spending more of my volunteer time with Bill．

　　He talked about having worked as a carpenter and they（43）___ their retirement by traveling until Connie got sick．But Bill could not express his （44）___ about his wife's being dying．

　　One day，I got him on the（45）___ of women and how we need romance and love letters in our lives．

　　"Do you tell Connie you love her？"I asked （knowing his answer），and he looked at me as if I was crazy．He looked at me （46）___ I was crazy．"I don't have to，"he said．"She knows I do!"

　　"I'm sure she （47）___，"I said，"but she needs to hear what she has（48）___ to you all these years．"

　　Two days later，Connie died and I went into the room to say my own （49）___ to her．On the bedside table was a large Valentine