Chapter 17 - a new year grows on me

The next two weeks passed in a blur. I'd wake up around 10a and eat whatever breakfast my mom made before heading to the couch for video games. Around noon Hylke would drop by and we would drive to lunch. She'd encourage me to eat a nice nourishing meal before our post-lunch "exercise".
Usually this meant that we'd go to Burger King and I'd order a triple whopper, fries, coke and a milkshake. She'd use the coupon for a free whopper meal, and would usually give me a few bits of her burger and some extra fries. We'd head back to her place and spend an hour before her class "working out." Around the time she had to leave her roommate would show up with a pizza or two from work. My appetite worked up, the girls would share a pie while encouraging me to polish off a full combo pizza. My tummy stuffed, I'd usually stumble to their couch to take a drowzy nap. A few hours later I'd wake up, and we'd usually have some ice cream before heading back to my place. We'd play video games until my mom brought dinner to the couch. (Her speciality is lobster mac and cheese). A little later Hylke would drop by and join us for a Netflix or two. The girls would head back to their place around the time I'd open up a pint of ice cream and resuming video games.
Loving the American food, and attention of two beautiful women, I was in second heaven. I was living in sweats, and did not really notice any changes until one day my thighs started rubbing. I figured that it was just from the sweat pants needing a wash, so I threw them in the machine and lounged around in a towel. Lo and behold Hylke dropped by and let's just say we worked up a sweat while waiting for the laundry to dry. :-D
An appetite worked up, we wanted to grab some grub. I tried to put on the 42x38 jeans purchased just before New Years---looks like my mom had shrunk them in the wash. We waited for the sweats to dry, and I was honestly starving by the time we made it to the car. I asked Hylke if she thought I might have put on some weight since returning home, and she said that my glowing face radiated with handsomeness. She looked as if America was agreeing with her too, so we both took advantage of a bogo at Burger King, followed by a Diary Queen Blizzard. We next visited Target where the same clerk was gracious enough to trade the 42s for some 44s. We then headed back to my place for some video games.
That night I decided that it might make sense to step on the scale. The last time I had weighed myself, right after arriving home from the Netherlands, I was a solid 250 pounds. I looked at the mirror, and it was clear that the past month had made me noticeably softer especially around my abs which looked more like an ab. My legs looked thicker too, which also seemed manly. The dials turned and turned until reading 264. Fourteen pounds in a month seemed like a lot, but on a little deeper contemplation it was totally worth it. My shoulders looked broader, and it was clear that I was looking quite masculine.
I wondered if the folks back on the farm would notice my increased girth?