I told him I didn’t want a present from him. I was very clear on the topic. But it wouldn’t hurt to just open the box. To see what it is. Has he paid attention to my jewelry preferences? Is the gift thoughtful, or was it something random he saw in town? The hinge swings upward at the slightest touch. After unfolding the tissue paper, I find only a short note nestled against the velvet. So you did want a gift from me. I hurl the box across the room. “No,” I say aloud, as though he’s here to argue with. I didn’t. I don’t. I was just looking.
