Unmentionables – Friday Fictioneers

~ Amy Reese

It’s time for Friday Fictioneers, a writing group, hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. Thanks to her as always for her time and leadership. Thank you to Mary Shipman for this week’s fascinating photo.

The objective is to write a 100-word story based on the photo prompt. All are welcome to participate. My story follows.

mary-shipman1
PHOTO PROMPT © Mary Shipman

(99 words)

Unmentionables

The slip hung in her mother’s closet in the corner behind her work clothes. Serena never saw her mother wear it, but detected the scent of her lilac perfume. Threading her arms into familiar straps, silk brushed against her face as mountains of fabric cascaded around her.

Its delicate sheerness on her skin transported her into the land of grownups; the unmentionables, discretion, assumptions, and that look across the table at dinner. She tried it on for size in the mirror.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Nothing, mama.”

Still, the slip would be in the same spot. Waiting.

****************

For more stories from the Fictioneers, click here.

76 thoughts on “Unmentionables – Friday Fictioneers”

    1. Isn’t it interesting?! I’ve never seen anything like it. I’m sure there are some great stories out of it. Happy you like mine. I couldn’t seem to go anywhere else at the moment. 🙂 Thanks, Carrie.

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  3. Beautiful, Amy. So much depth. You took me back to my childhood and playing dress-up with this. I would sneak into my parent’s room to sit at my mom’s vanity and get into her make-up and perfume as well! But then, what little girl didn’t do stuff like that? We all have our secret stories of wanting to grow up too soon, right?!
    Hope all is well! xo

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    1. Thank you, Kelly! It seems as though most kids do this. I guess what might differ is the mom’s reaction. I feel like my mom never knew, but she must have! I’ve probably forgotten is more like it. Everything is good. Sick kids, but other than that…fine. Hope everything is peachy with you, too. xoxo

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      1. Sorry to hear your boys are sick… hope they feel better soon, and hope you have a nice weekend. Just dropped my son off at the bus for a regatta in Chicago this weekend, but we aren’t going. Everything is good, though! xoxo

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    1. Right. You are so observant, Trent. She could have said anything else or even nothing. That would have been better. But the little girl will go the grownup route, pretend she didn’t hear it and do what she wants.

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  13. You created a great visual image here, Amy. Our granddaughters just love to dress up and the allure of something forbidden has magnetic pull all it’s own.

    Five out of five garter belts from me too.

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  14. I love the way you describe the land of grownups – “the unmentionables, discretion, assumptions, and that look across the table at dinner.”
    Perfect, Amy. And a really interesting photo.

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  18. This triggers some memories! Once, my sister and I were going through old clothes in my grandmother’s attic and we found a super skimpy “flapper” dress from the 1920’s-1930’s (our mother’s teen years). It had spaghetti straps, plunging neckline and rows of fringe at the bottom. We confronted our mom, and gleefully pointed out that there was no way to wear a bra with this dress. Her response was merely to tell us to “put it away now.” 😀😀😀

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    1. Haha! Put it away now. Oh, I can just hear it. I bet she didn’t want anyone to touch her stuff and it must be a precious memory she didn’t want disturbed. Wow, that must have been something to come across an old flapper dress like that from another era! My mom could do that dance! Thanks for sharing that, Jan.

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  22. I love where you took this. Your words describe the girl’s thoughts and feelings as being naive and innocent but just on the brink of the sensual, smelling and feeling but not yet completely understanding what grown-ups are up to with their looks across the dinner table.

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    1. Thanks for all the feedback, Gah, and for your nice comments. That innocence, however short-lived, is such a special thing and doesn’t last long enough. Everyone is in a hurry to grow up. I think girls more so than boys.

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  27. This is a great eyes-of-a-child piece. Lots of potential for a longer work here. Not everyone remembers those deep and confusing feelings children have – you should exploit your talent!

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  35. What a beautiful story. The descriptions and sensory details made me feel as though I had landed right in the story.
    I loved these lines:

    “Threading her arms into familiar straps, silk brushed against her face as mountains of fabric cascaded around her.

    Its delicate sheerness on her skin transported her into the land of grownups; the unmentionables, discretion, assumptions, and that look across the table at dinner.”

    Perfectly rendered images!

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