Jackie Thomas-Kennedy This story was originally published in Day One , a weekly literary journal dedicated to short fiction and poetry from emerging writers. Six years after she was kicked out of the Jehovah’s Witnesses for being gay, a young male Witness comes to her door to preach. But instead of dismissing him out of hand, she finds herself enjoying their encounter, even growing nostalgic for the insular world of her childhood. When he mentions a local Jehovah’s Witness meeting, she begins to wonder if he might just be a link to her estranged mother. She attends the meeting, hoping to catch a glimpse of the woman who chose religion over her own child. But during the familiar prayers, her mind is filled with thoughts of her wife, Lucia; their daughter, Maddy; and the new world that they are building together. A story for anyone who tried to fit in and couldn’t, Camellia explores the notion that community, family, and love are continual choices.
Genres:
17 Pages