In My Waiting Room

i had a dream the other night that was not any more bizarre than any other i've had lately, but it still strikes me as something i will want to remember.

i found myself sitting in a hospital waiting room ready to be checked in. i didn't know why i was there and didn't remember going there. i asked a nurse if i was supposed to be there, she said yes.
"why?"
"because you are going to have a baby".
i looked at my stomach. yes, it was a little pudgy, but i still didn't think i looked pregnant, let alone close to labor.
"i'm pregnant?"
"well, not yet."
she answered very matter-of-fact as though it were totally normal to go to the hospital and stand in line for a delivery room before conception.

next a group of people came in. i knew they were all my friends although i couldn't see all of their faces. i recognized some of my married friends among them. they were all there to check on me, bring gifts, and wish me luck. they were all on their way somewhere. i'm not sure where, but i kind of wanted to join them. i looked at my stomach again. i still wasn't showing, so i stood up to leave with them.
"you can't come in your condition!" "sit down!"
they were all genuinely worried. i appreciated their concern, so i decided i didn't mind letting them go without me.

as they left i noticed one man kind of herding them out and thanking them for coming. he turned around and came back to my chair.
"do you need anything?, are you comfortable?, you'll tell me if i can do something, right?"
i was still trying to work this all out in my head, but i asked almost without thinking,
"are you...my husband?"
"well, not yet", he said, exactly like the nurse.
i don't remember what he looked like, but i had the distinct thought that he was the kind of guy i probably would have overlooked-- i was telling myself that "who cares if he's a little nerdy, he's so nice and so attentive." i felt so lucky that i had him and i knew he loved me.

he did what he could to make sure i was comfortable, hinting that i might be there for awhile, and then he had to leave too. he bent down and looked me in the eyes. he had that 'hang in there, champ' crease in his brow. i smiled at him to tell him i would be o.k., and he left. i looked around a little, felt my stomach again, settled into my chair, sighed a 'life is good' sigh and kept waiting.