Sneakers

Chapter 9 - adjusting for work

As months passed, Claire's habits grew as quickly as her body did, often times making excuses of late work & friends just to indulge. Her suits went from a loose & slightly fitted size 9 to tight & near ripping size 13, her buttons never meeting their holes. Often times, she'd undo both the button & zipper of her pants just for comfort at her desk & still her belly would spill out. The heels she used to wear that 'made her legs & butt look good' stayed in her closet as flats & tennis shoes seemed to be the only footwear that not only fit but were comfortable.

One day, Claire couldn't shake feeling hungry- her belly so distraught, she winced in pain. Throughout the morning while she was at work, she groaned just loud enough for her co-workers to hear, doubling over in her swivel chair until what felt like labor pains subsided.

"Claire, you're not sounding so good. Can I get you anything?" Sherly, a concerned cubicle-neighbor asked.

"I'll be fine..." Claire was interrupted by her own stomach, doubling over yet again.

"That doesn't look fine to me," Tom, another cubicle-neighbor responded. "Why don't you ask for the rest of the day off, Claire? I'm sure the boss could make an exception the way you're looking."

"The way who's looking?" the boss questioned, having just turned the corner onto the cubicle conversation.

"It's Claire- she's looking quite ill."

"Ill?" the boss started to look into her cubicle- Claire vaguely looked up from her subsiding pains, her face flushed red & drained white simultaneously, sweating, & eyes glazed over.

"I'll have that report finished within the hour, sir-"

"You'll do nothing but head home, Claire-" her boss interrupted, "I don't want to see you back here until you're feeling better. If you can do any work while you're home, I'll be more than happy to receive it via email, but just in case you're contagious let's not take chances. Do you need any help to the elevator?"

"I think I can manage," Claire wheezed, secretly making sure her buttons & zippers were done up before standing. She felt wobbly on her feet, her head spinning from what she thought might be low blood sugar.

"Tom, would you spot Claire to the elevator? I don't want anyone getting hurt in my office."

Once she made it to the elevator & watched the doors close on Tom's worried face, Claire let out a sigh of relief. 'How lucky am I to get the rest of the day off? I better take advantage of the situation,' she thought. Her strides were shorter & wider as she huffed & puffed to her car, since walking soon became the only exercise she made on a daily basis. Her grumbling never eased up on her pain as another wave of hunger washed over her belly- Claire cradled it like she were carrying a full aquarium, staggering against the wall as the pain knocked her off balance. 'Correction, I'd better take care of this NOW,' she thought hurriedly.