"Portion"

by Diane Williams

The sister’s eyes possibly were spilling rainwater as the sister took off her wet sweater and shoes.

“Can I take your ---?” the woman asked.

“No, I never take it off,” the sister said. “But you’ll be jealous!“ she said. “I was just at Treasures and Trash. They were selling silver --- glasses in a silver foot.“

“For tea?” the woman said.

“Yes, and there was a V-shaped glass that had etching on it and I was feeling the glass slide out of the holder and the owner saw the glass and just in time I tilted it!”

“Lucky you,” said the woman.

“We’re going to Bologna, Florence, and Venice,” the sister said. She sat down at the spinet.

“I’ve never been to those places,” the woman said.

The sister tapped the spinet’s keys and made of the sound an ornate, curly pattern. She rolled or she pulled an entire damp day into a noise elsewhere ---- where the new twists had a chance to develop --- viny twists of leaves that could shade a dog. The leaves shade a girl. They shade three identical girls. The leaves float convincingly and they curl.

It’s a bit creepy that the leaves are too large.

Diane Williams

Diane Williams is the author of seven books and the founder of NOON Annual. Her most recent book, Vicky Swanky is a Beauty, was released by McSweeney's in January.