He Dreamed of Another Woman's Name

After moving in with my boyfriend, I got used to being woken by the things he said in his sleep.

"Phyllis… hemostat…"

"Phyllis, you take the lead on this one…"

Tonight made a hundred. A hundred nights lying beside him, listening to him say Phyllis Pruitt's name into the dark.

Never once mine, even though I was the anesthesiologist standing at the same table.

In the morning he looked at the dark circles under my eyes and said, all apology, "Couldn't sleep again? Maybe you should see a therapist, get something to take. I'll go with you."