Twinsburg

We knew this year would be different because we bought bikinis. We had never worn bikinis before. Our swimsuits had always been shiny one-pieces with stripes, or polka dots, or tiny yellow fish. Not this year.

It was a hot summer and the department store was overly air-conditioned, so when we stood in front of the dressing room mirrors tiny goose bumps appeared on our arms and legs. We looked good anyway. The bottoms were cut like little boy shorts. The tops tied at the back of our necks and were slightly thick, lending us a little shape in front where we were sorely lacking it. Our mother hovered behind us and bit her lip. We pretended not to notice so that when she said, “Are you sure, girls?” we could nod and grin and she had to sigh, had to agree. The suits were red, one tiny white flower blooming on the left hip. At the register the woman behind the counter held the swimsuits up and raised her eyebrows at us.

“You’re really getting the same ones?” she asked. We said yes, of course, we have to match. We were going to Twinsburg.

You can read the rest of my story, "Twinsburg" at Mason's Road. It is included in Issue Two, which the editors are devoting to setting, to "pieces that evoke a particular place or time." Although my story is set in and named for an actual place I think there are multiple ways "setting" can be interpreted in this story.

This is one of my favorites. It was a fun challenge to write and it was the story I read at the final MFA reading. I also have a very clear memory of getting the idea for this story and can tell you exactly where I was when I first told a friend the idea and she said, "That sounds great. Write it!"

So, big thanks to that friend! Thanks as well to Chris Belden for his careful, thoughtful reading and edits on the final version. He and Lisa Calderone smoothed out some rough edges, so I'm confident you're getting the best version of "Twinsburg". A shout-out of appreciation to Laura Maylene Walter, whose story "How to Speak Czech" introduced me to the journal and made me want to submit as well.

Most of all, thanks to you for reading!

Comments

[ChristineZ]

Love it!!!!

[Laura]

So happy you have a story in Mason's Road! Great story. I love stories about twins. This also reminds me that I should check out the twins festival this year since I don't live too far away.

And thanks for the shout-out. :)