Wedding Dream turned Story

Over the weekend I had the most vivid bizarre dream. I dreamed I was getting married and that I had no idea who I was marrying. When I woke up, I had to think whether it had actually happened or not. I suppose the absence of a guy would have clued me in, but still I had to think. It intrigued me so much, I decided to turn it into a story. Not sure what to do with this yet, but here is what I came up with. I suppose it could be the first chapter of a novel. ---names, places and circumstances have been changed to protect the innocent...or to just make it more interesting :)

People gradually entered the large room and took their seats. She was sitting in the back row watching her friends and family meander in. A few saw her and greeted her warmly.

She wasn’t all that sure how or why she was there, but she knew it was important. Her nerves were also on edge, so this had to be something really big.

Just as she was about to go and ask around about why everyone was there, one of her closest friends walked by.

“Dana?”

She stopped before walking out the door and said, “Sam, it’s almost time.”

“Time?”

“Yeah, are you ready?”

“Ready for what? Why is everyone here?”

“It’s your big day, Silly.”

“My big day,” she said as more of a statement. She searched her brain for any memory of why she was there. Then she took notice of the dress Dana was wearing. It was royal blue with short sleeves and a long skirt. Very much the kind of dress she had always imagined she’d want her bridesmaids to wear one day. “It’s my wedding day, isn’t it.”

“See,” she said happily, “you remember. You’re just nervous.”

And suddenly she was very nervous. A million thoughts bombarded her at once. It was her wedding day. Who was the guy? Where were they going to live. And what would happen later that evening…on her wedding night?

Before she could ask Dana any questions, she said, “If you’re ready we’ll be starting in another couple of minutes.” Then she disappeared.

She was getting married. And she didn’t know who her groom was! Suddenly butterflies were not only fluttering in her stomach, but it felt like a whole fleet was in there. Her palms began to sweat. Her heart was pounding. Shouldn’t she at least see her groom before the “I Do’s?”

Dana came back into the room and said, “We’re ready.”

“Dana, I don’t know…”

“Everything’s fine, Honey. It’s just nerves. He’s nervous too. But don’t tell him I told you that,” and she winked.

“Who is he,” she blurted.

“You’re so funny, Sami,” she laughed. “He’s such a great guy. You’re so lucky.”

Okay, I was lucky and I don’t even know it?

“We’re ready to start. Come on. They’re about to start the music.”

That’s when she looked down at herself and saw she was wearing a long trench coat. She had no idea why she would wear such a thing. She didn’t even own one. Untying the belt, she forced the garment off her shoulders. Underneath, she wore a sleeveless, ivory dress. It hung down past her calves and was rather comfortable.

“Ready,” Dana asked again.

“I suppose. What about my flowers?”

“Oh, hold on.” As if out of no where, Dana produced a bouquet of white roses and handed them to her. She looked the flowers over and realized how lacking they were. She’d always imagined red roses as her wedding bouquet. “Okay, that’s our que.”

Sam looked up at her friend who also carried a similar bouquet. That’s when she realized the wedding march was playing. She took a breath and started to walk down the aisle that now seemed impossibly long. When she got to the end, would she remember anything?

The further she walked, it seemed, the louder the music became. And the more confused she was.

When she reached the end of the aisle, she looked over and remembered. Maybe not exactly remembered, but didn’t really care that she couldn’t remember. There stood a man in a tux that fit him like it was made for him. He was handsome and smiling at her. Who cared that she had no idea who he was. He was waiting for her.

She walked over to him and wrapped an arm around his. He took her hand in his and laced their fingers together. At the loving gesture, her heart did somersaults and she smiled. She brought her other hand which was still holding the bouquet toward his arm as if she couldn’t get close enough to him. Little separated them as the minister went on to start the ceremony.

Not really hearing the words spoken, she found herself consumed with her thoughts. She couldn’t get over how wonderful his hand felt in hers. This felt great. So what if she didn’t know who this guy was.

But suddenly, she had a bigger issue to deal with. This was not how she had wanted her wedding. First, the dress was something she swore her mother had worn in the mid 80s. She hadn’t wanted a big, fancy dress, but something from this decade would have been ideal. And the bouquet was a little too simple and last minute for her taste. She had also wanted as little fuss as possible. A church wedding hadn’t been in her ideal wedding plans. Maybe something outside with just a few people. Not everyone she’d ever met. Or, maybe, just elope.

Why had she gone this way? Why was she marrying some guy she didn’t recognize?

Suddenly, she opened her eyes and found herself in her own bed. Staring at the ceiling, she took a deep breath. Dream. Just a dream.

Well, that’s good, she thought. That was just a little too weird.

All that seemed true until she felt a pang of remorse in her chest. She could feel the guy’s hand in hers. It felt so sweet and loving that she wished it actually had happened. Even if the rest of it wasn’t how she’d pictured her wedding day.

She was about to pull back the covers when she realized the position of her hands. One hand lay clutched at her side while the other lay across her stomach also clutched…as if holding a bouquet. She flexed her fingers of the hand that lay by her side…the one that had held his hand in the dream.
"I need a man," she said out loud.

Sadly, she hadn’t dated much in the last year or so. In fact, she was feeling pretty lonely. It was no surprise to her that she had had such a dream. Her only surprise was that she hadn’t had more of them.

Looking at the clock, she realized she’d be late to coffee. Boy, would Dana flip over that dream.