Short story about Claire Randall's discontent with the domestic sphere and a well-meaning but absent husband. To cope and to fill in where her husband falls short, Claire creates a mystery man to fill her desire for love. In the end, Claire finds the love and acceptance she craves from a most unexpected source.

Appeared in the following publications under the name of Deborah J.M. Owen.

So To Speak: A Feminist Journal of Language and Art (Winter, 1998)

and

roofbeam (Summer, 1998)