my
dad would wake up in the middle of the night
at 4am
i would hear his footsteps and wake up too
i remember being 7 years old
wondering if he was okay
i would wake up
with just a feeling
he wasn't
i would tiptoe down the stairs
and ask him why he was up
he would look at me and faintly smile
"sometimes i can't sleep"
"me too"
"we're the same"
"i know"
some months i would have a nightmare a day
some months none
some nights i could find my dad downstairs