The Illusion of Choice

In the intimate space between the sheets

They lay in a warm embrace

And she falls asleep with butterflies aflutter

In the dead of the night

He feels he has waited long enough

And awakes her with a touch

Something smells fishy, feels wrong

She pushes his hand away

Tells him no

But what does “no” mean?

She’s just being playful

I’ll try again, he thinks

A second attempt

She turns away

Says no

Does she understand what I want?

I’ll show her what I want.

And, like that, her choice became an illusion.