Sleep

He still wakes in the middle of the night reaching for her; calling out her name.
Regret haunts his dreams and the echoes of remorse are so loud that he can’t remember the last time he slept through the night.
He’ll roll over and clutch the pillow where she’d lay her head in hopes of finding a strand of hair or the smell of her perfume.
But it’s been so long that all there is are cold patches of sheets and an empty place in his heart.
He just tosses and turns while memories play in his head like old black and white movies.
He sits up and for a second he sees her walking through the doorway wearing his t-shirt.
It’s never her but only shadows playing cruel tricks on him.
He reaches for the phone time and again but he knows she won’t pick up so he sits there just staring at the numbers hypnotized by thoughts of the countless hours they spent talking when they were apart.
He would give anything to hear her voice once more whisper “good night” as she faded off to sleep on the other line.
His nights are spent alone and all that keeps him company while he tries to sleep are the reminders of his mistakes and the memories of the one he’ll never forget.