What month are you born in?” January. “Ah, you’re horny!” What ... I fume inwardly. Horny! The basest male element. No, I protest. What I said is that I don’t miss a man as much as I miss being held. That doesn't quite add up to my being a sex seeker? He holds my gaze and almost coos — gently breaking the news — “a woman’s need to be held is no different than a man’s need for sex.” Much made sense in that one profound instant… That when I say, hold me, what he hears is: do me? Hmm. Silly, horny me.

Illustration/Tirtha Ghosh