chapter 3

Rob paid the check and they left the pub with a cold silence between them. Rob drove them home and they went inside, still without saying a word. Mary dropped her purse on the kitchen counter, opened the freezer door and pulled out a pint of ice cream. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. Giving Rob a look of defiance, she opened the pint, got a spoon from the drawer and starting eating. Rob opened his mouth to say something, and thought better of it. He went into their living room, sat on the sofa and turned on the TV. Mary followed him in and sat on the sofa, although more towards the opposite end of where Rob sat. As she continued to work through the pint of ice cream, she reached with one hand to unbutton her jeans. It wasn't easy, the jeans were skin tight. She sucked in, worked the button loose, and breathed out. Her small belly pushed the jeans apart, forcing the zipper down to create a comfortable gap. She looked over at Rob, smiled, and rubbed the small bulge of fat that stuck out from between her shirt and her jeans.

"Ah," she breathed. "That's a relief."

Rob looked over at Mary's new little fat roll and found that he was in a swirl of emotions. They had known each other for about eight months, and it had been a great relationship. They liked doing the same things, they laughed together, the sex was great, and Rob had been thinking that Mary was The One. Until now. Why was she letting herself get fat? Rob had to admit to himself that it was only a few pounds so far. Ten pounds, maybe? Was this temporary? Was tonight's anger and defiance just a momentary emotional outburst? Was she just reacting to his nagging, making a point? Would she feel differently tomorrow, and start a diet and exercise?

Or not? Was Mary someone who just couldn't bring herself to change her lifestyle, even though her metabolism was telling her that her days of being able to eat whatever she wanted were coming to an end? With everything that was so wonderful about her, Rob wondered if he could love her even if she was chubby. He had been focused on fitness all his life. Every girlfriend he had ever had was also a fitness fanatic. He had never slept with a woman who wasn't slim and fit. He was sure that fat would be a turn off for him because, well, it was supposed to be. Fat must be a turn off, and everybody felt that way, right? As he thought about it, he realized that he had never really touched fat. Of course he had been hugged by an occasional chubby aunt or cousin, but that had been through a layer of clothing. He had never actually touched naked skin that had an extra layer of fat. What did it feel like?

He pushed the thoughts out of his mind. Fat was bad he told himself, and that was that. Rob pulled his eyes away from Mary's midsection, got up and went to bed. A little while later, Mary came to bed silently, undressed, and slipped under the covers. Rob had been turned toward her, and saw the puffiness around her middle as she had stripped to her bra and panties. The same swirl of emotions ran through him, and he told himself to get it together. Fat had to be bad, and that's the way it was. Mary turned out the light leaving them in both silence and darkness.