The Wish

"Look at those kids! They're so cute!"
Two little boys were standing in the cold water screaming and hopping up and down in the waves. I looked around for Cat. She was walking ahead of me, too far away to hear. Next to me was a woman with long oak brown hair, lightly wavy, and tossed by the sea breeze. I turned to her.
"Well, my friend is up there, so I'll just say it to you: Aren't those boys cute!"
She smiled and caught up to my pace, there was an open bond.
"Yes! I've been watching them, they've been screaming like little girls! It's so funny!"
I looked back at the boys and thought about how it reminded me of being a child and screaming at the top of my lungs in joy. Then I realized I still do it when I'm playing. Little high pitched yelps of joy that I would sometimes stop and ask out loud why I was so girly and why did I scream so much? The guilt of being too much of a pussy. Where did that come from?
I laughed and pointed at two other children in front of us.
"Little kids are so beautiful!"
"I know," she replied, thoughtfully, "it makes me want one so bad."
I gave a little chuckle and thought about wanting children. Not right now, but someday.
We walked a little more in silence. Cat was in her own world ahead of me to even notice us. The woman seemed a little melancholy, lost in thought, and I looked at her to say goodbye.
"It makes me wonder...I'm 8 days late..." she said, her tone a little sad, but with a hesitant laugh.
I looked at her,smiled, and said, softly, as I sped up my pace,
"You're happy?
You ARE happy.
Everything will be alright."

The wind blew her loose dress around her stomach, and, for a minute, it looked like her belly was swollen and full of an unsure wish, a wish growing into something much larger than her or I.