Sisters: And Other Fast Fiction - Softcover

King, Marilyn

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1458203344 ISBN 13: 9781458203342

Verlag: AbbottPress, 2012

Inhaltsangabe

Sisters Margo and Susie have learned to bury their differences and present a united front to the world. Although the sisters could not be more different, they have willingly come together to fulfill a request-to sit for a portrait for their parents' up

Über diesen Titel

Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

Sisters

And Other Fast FictionBy Marilyn King

abbott press

Copyright © 2012 Marilyn King
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4582-0334-2

Contents

Sisters......................................1It Happened One Night........................7The Pious David Billings.....................11Fred's Christmas Cruise......................15Lauren.......................................19The Dinner Party.............................23Marylou......................................25Red Admirals.................................27Fishing with Worms...........................31New Year's Eve...............................35The Picnic...................................41The Little Red House.........................45Making up a Quilt............................51Home for Christmas...........................59The Lottery Ticket...........................65The Diagnosis................................69Moving Day...................................75Pie Recipes..................................81About the Author.............................91

Chapter One

SISTERS

Luis gets everything ready for his late afternoon appointment. His lanky body glides around his studio in a black turtleneck and slacks. With bony hands that hover over his palette, he checks the order of his paints. Titanium white, then buff; cadmium yellow, then red; burnt sienna; Prussian blue; and Payne's Grey. He will only work on skin color today. The details of the painting will come in later sessions. His brushes stand in a large ceramic jar. A round and a flat, both size 12; and a dozen or more filberts in graduated sizes. Luis is partial to filberts for their ability to paint broad and thin strokes equally well. Satisfied that everything is arranged to his liking, he retires to the back.

In a cab, on their way to see Luis, are sisters Margo and Susie. At thirty-nine, Margo is the older of the two. Married once to an undependable sort, she is convinced that men are useless. She is never late for an appointment, and pays all of her bills on the day they arrive. Margo is proud of her orderly life.

Her little sister, Susie, is thirty-five. She never married, preferring to enjoy serial monogamous relationships. The duration of some of these puts a strain on the word monogamous. She does find men to be quite useful. They share their bed with her, take her out on the town, and buy her pretty things. One of her boyfriends, a plastic surgeon, sculpted her face and torso to proportions he felt he would enjoy more fully. That benefit, to Susie's delight, outlasted their time together.

The sisters had their issues, growing up, as most sisters do. With their parents' guidance, however, they learned to bury their differences, and present a united front to the world. They gradually grew apart after leaving home to go to college. Margo attended a prestigious university. Susie chose the city college. They have both settled in their hometown, but work and live in different areas of the city. What brings them together today is a request by their parents that they have a joint portrait of the two of them done for an upcoming fiftieth anniversary. The parents will arrange for payment. The sisters' job is to find an artist and get the job done.

"Who is this guy you found, and what do you know about him?" asks Margo.

Susie gives the question some thought. "I told the girls at the office what we were looking for, and Jill – you remember Jill, don't you, from my cheerleading days? The guy's name is Luis and he paints only portraits. Jill's parents had Luis do a painting of her, and she says it's fabulous." She looks up suddenly, "Oh, I think we're here."

Susie jumps out and starts up the stairs of the brownstone, while Margo pays the cabbie. Luis comes from behind a curtain when he hears the bell on the front door. Margo doesn't know why, but one look at Luis makes her feel that he knows more about her and her sister than the little information they have already shared.

There are the usual introductions, after which Margo says," Luis, you come well recommended. What it is about your work that is special?"

"My portraits are not pure representation," he explains. "They are impressionistic. Everyone sees something different, because they bring something different with them with which to view."

The girls look at each other. Margo cocks her head in a thoughtful way. "C'mon, Margo," pleads Susie, "it sounds like fun."

"Okay," Margo agrees, "I guess I'm game."

Luis is reserved in his manner, but Margo senses that he is very pleased. Susie seems oblivious to the vibes that Margo is receiving.

They arrange to sit for Luis once a week for four weeks. This is perfect, as it gives them time to get the portrait framed before the anniversary bash they promised their parents they would attend.

As the work progresses, both girls notice something unusual about the portrait, but, because of the nature of their discoveries, choose to keep to themselves. When Margo looks at the painting after a sitting, she feels that she is portrayed as stately and handsome. Her eyes are steady, her enigmatic smile akin to that of Mona Lisa. A really good portrayal. Her sister, unfortunately, comes across as rundown and coarse. Her hair is stringy. All the bleach she's endured for years has taken its toll. Her eyes have a vacant stare. It stands to reason that when you party more than you sleep, it shows.

When Susie looks at it, she feels that she looks quite beautiful. Her eyes shine, as does her hair. Her skin has a peaches and cream glow. An excellent portrait. Her sister, however, looks dull, dried up, and definitely unattractive. Wrinkles are the most noticeable thing about her face. Her hair looks lank and dark against her pallid complexion. She should not try to keep it such a dark brown. She never did know how to enhance what little she had to start with.

Luis moves effortlessly through all of this as he works. Sometimes a smile plays on his face, but most of the time he paints with complete concentration. Margo senses that he is aware of their pleasure, yet never discusses it. Again, Susie seems to notice nothing remarkable about Luis's reactions.

Susie revels in her appraisal of the portrait. Margo always got anything she wanted from their mother. She was Miss Goody-Two-Shoes with excellent grades. If she said she had to study, she was never asked to help around the house. You had to practically tiptoe around her room, so as not to disturb. If she wanted something sewed or washed on the spur of the moment, her mother was always there for her. Susie thinks it serves her right to look old and ugly in their joint picture.

Margo is happy to see Susie in an unfavorable light. When they were growing up, she had their dad wound around her little finger. If she wanted someone to take her somewhere, or lend her some money, Daddy was always there. To be called Susie in the first place was ridiculous. Susie's name is really Susannah, but as soon as she came home from the hospital, her parents started calling her Susie. It was enough to make you sick to your stomach. Yes, Margo is glad Susie doesn't look so cute in their portrait.

The more they sit, the more these impressions and feelings are enforced. The end result is that both sisters absolutely love the painting.

Margo and Susie again share a cab to pick up the finished work. On their ride, Margo receives a text message giving them the shocking news that their parents have been killed in a car accident. Of course, there will be a funeral. Of course, there will not be a fiftieth anniversary party....

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: AbbottPress
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2012
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 1458203344
• ISBN 13: 9781458203342
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 108
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: preigu GmbH & Co. KG; mail@preigu.de; ; Lengericher Landstr. 19; Osnabrück; Niedersachsen; 49078; Deutschland