The Journey Prize Stories 26 by Various

Author:Various [Various]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-7710-5051-0
Publisher: McClelland & Stewart
Published: 2014-10-06T16:00:00+00:00

ANDREW MACDONALD

FOUR MINUTES

My twin sister is wearing a lace bra and lace panties that don’t match. She expects me to know which one will turn on her boyfriend. She believes a combination of two separate styles is something he will find enticing.

“I don’t know, they all look the same,” I say, which is true. Underwear is a language I’ve never been able to speak properly.

Women in the underwear store are looking at us. A hefty employee occasionally comes over and asks if we need help. Zelda says no, the woman’s opinion isn’t the opinion she wants. It’s my opinion she wants.

Or, actually, my ex-girlfriend’s opinion.

“What would Emily want?” Zelda asks.

She comes outside, to the area between the change rooms and the store proper, wearing the mismatched underwear and tapping a kind of Morse code on her stomach.

This is common Zelda behaviour. Nudity as a concept is less confusing to her than the necessity of always being dressed.

“Put some clothes on, please,” I say. “Or at least go over there so nobody else can see you.”

She rests her head against the wall and makes a burbling sound.

“Tell me what Emily would wear.”

I lie. I tell her Emily never wore underwear. The truth is, I don’t remember what Emily wore, and this disturbs me. This fact disturbs me more than discussing what underwear my sister is going to wear when she loses her virginity. The imminent event is marked on the calendar beside the fridge.

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