Claire’s Story: The C Word

On Christmas Eve, I hurried into my boyfriend’s apartment to leave my gift for him — a handmade book about our adventures over the past year, with my illustrations — on his pillow. But there was already a note on the pillow, with the letter “C” — the initial of my first name — and I thought, “How sweet!” and opened it. It began, “Last night, when I felt your lips on my vagina…” Oh. It was a note for HIM. His name began with “C” also. I left the book anyway, got him my car, and drove 54 miles home, nerves jangling all the way.