My husband and I first met in high school,
two gawky teens that wordlessly yearned
for each other, until graduation and youthful
dreams placed our feet on parallel
but separate paths.

Dreams became nightmares as divorces
came about for us both.
By chance, we connected online one day,
thousands of miles and an ocean apart.

For two years before marriage, we wooed
one another online, long, deep conversations
becoming shared movies, gaming, and finally
sleeping, connected round the clock.

His snores were a strange lullaby, until
I noticed the stops.
Sleep was trying to kill my love.
I would wake him through his headphones
and he’d roll over and breathe once again.

We finally united once more, youthful
dreams coming to fruition.
We lay side by side,
my now masked bear and I,
and sleep without fear or separation.