chapter 5

"I have to quit sir." Ray told Horatio that morning.

"But why?"

"I have fallen in love with you and it is inappropriate to work with someone that you are in love with."

"I love you too." Horatio found himself saying but was not sure where that came from. It was true and from the heart but it seemed as though it was coming from some other part of him.

"What will you do?" Horatio asked.

"I will find work somewhere."

"You will get a wonderful reference from me. But I have one question for you."

"Yes"

"Will you marry me?"

Ray was shocked. He looked at Horatio's green eyes and saw that he truly wanted to wed Ray. And without another second's hesitation he said yes pulling his boss into his embrace. Ray sank into his boss's man boobs and began to cry with joy.

"You don't have to quit."

"Yes I do. But I will be here when you get home."

Ray found another job and although Horatio's new assistant was completely competent she wasn't his type at all.

His Monday calls continued and she became use to his odd behavior after. He continued to grow ever wider to Ray's pleasure.

It was almost 5 years after he started his new job that he was forced to resign due to his girth. He wasn't able to make it to the office more than a couple times a week and when he did he was too exhausted to do anything. He tried to work from home but that didn't work either. He had to receive his Monday calls.

And that Monday when Horatio's boss called him into his office to let him go Horatio went back to clean out his desk and at precisely 9:33 am took his last call.

He was on for just a few minutes and as he hung up he heard the voice say "Right number".

Horatio went home. His savings and Ray's job kept them well provided for but neither one knew what that call meant.

As Horatio stepped on his scale that night he had Ray read out the numbers, having lost the ability to see them over his gargantuan belly. Ray had gotten use to this habit of weighing and measuring his boss over the years and it never occurred to either one of them when he stepped on the scale and it read 933 pounds.