My wife is paralyzed, so I haven’t been inti:mate with her for four months. Out of deep frustration, I left her alone for ten days to go on a date with the younger sister of my colleague. And then… the unexpected happened.

when it stopped being true. We started meeting in hotels on the far side of town, then at her condo, then wherever shame could be delayed by locked doors and soft sheets. With Christina, I did not have to be patient or noble or terrified. I could just be wanted, and for a while that felt like oxygen.

At home, Hannah grew quieter. She still asked about continue reading …