Summary

“Marzipan” is narrated by an unnamed ten-year-old child. She has a 13-year-old sister named Hannah. Their parents are in their forties. Her father’s father dies, and one week later, the narrator’s father awakes to find a very large hole in his stomach. The hole goes all the way through to the other side of his body, but he feels no pain or other adverse effects. The doctor runs tests and finds that all of his organs are still intact inside him, and that he is healthy. Soon after, the mother finds that she is pregnant. Her midsection becomes extremely engorged during pregnancy, and when she gives birth, it is not a baby that is born, but an already woman. The mother recognizes the woman as her own mother, who died months ago. The narrator’s mother is perturbed by this development...