After my first husband moved out, I had a hard time sleeping. I would fall asleep at 10 p.m. and wake up with a jolt two hours later. I expected to see my husband sitting on the edge of the bed, his eyes burning with resentment. Midnight was his usual time to wake me up and tell me I was ruining his life, after he'd had a few hours to sit alone drinking coffee and ruminating about his troubles.
He was gone, but I kept waking up. I saw a doctor who prescribed an antidepressant. The antidepressant was sedating and got me to sleep, but I had vivid dreams that persisted for a few moments after I woke up.
One night I dreamed my bed was on fire. I woke up and found myself beating the blankets with my hands, trying to put out the flames.
