This is The Writer's Voice, new fiction from The New Yorker.

I'm Deborah Triesman, a fiction editor at The New Yorker.

On this episode of The Writer's Voice, we'll hear Kate Walbert read her story, Marriage

Quarantine, from the December 6, 2021 issue of the magazine.

Walbert's novels include a short history of women, his favorites, and our kind which was

a finalist for the National Book Award in 2004.

Her story collection, she was like that, was published in 2019.

Now here's Kate Walbert.

Marriage Quarantine

Mary Jane follows her husband, Daniel, from room to room, words pouring out of her,

or hammering, as he has said, as if she must hit every nail on the head.

What does he mean by that, she wanted to know.

What do you mean by that, she had asked, but Daniel shrugged.

No idea, he said.

She follows Daniel into the living room where he sits in the big blue chair he likes to

relax and after dinner, watching home improvement shows on his device.

Mary Jane has her own device, though she is slightly less captivated by its offerings,

the games and apps and streaming services, which is not to say she is above it.

She is definitely not above it.

No, just slightly less captivated.

She often checks the weather in several cities.

But where was she?

...