March 4, 2025

My Sister’s Pink Mustache

By Kyle Smith-Laird
Photo by Monserrat Soldú on Pexels.com

She’s not this cancer-ridden husk; in my memory Sara lives.

She’s with Dad at the dinner table, ignoring Mom’s savory flapjacks and salty bacon, guffawing an arpeggio scale of unfettered glee, her eyes closed, cheeks ruddy, upper lip glistening pink with a Strawberry Qwik mustache.

I hold onto her hand — and the memory.

About the Author

Kyle Smith-LairdIn between walks with his dog, Kyle Smith-Laird enjoys writing, video games, reading, and learning foreign languages. His works have appeared in WIRED online, Cosmic Daffodil Press, One Forty Fiction, and The Simpsons.

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