Chapter 3 - refocus

Zoe stepped on the scale and signed. 126lbs, so she had gained about 11lbs in the past 6 months since setting up the shop. She had actually waited until the morning after Nick and her little taco binge in hopes that any weight from her swollen stomach might have settled. Though she had insisted on salads the night before, the scale still showed that the pounds she had put on where hanging around for a while. She was never a girl to watch her looks or weight obsessively, but keeping healthy was important to her.

She knew why she had gained the weight; she had always been a bit of a stress eater. In the past, it was easier to control. Exam stress only lasted a week or two, other things would come and go in manageable time frames. Even if she binged a little, the next week she could eat smarter and keep herself from going overboard. But the bakery was so different. It was constant, the things that needed to get done never stopped. It all fell on Nick and her shoulders, no one was there to help. If she dropped the ball, it might mean closing the store. Managing budgets, dealing with costumers, and juggling vender orders were all so new to her. She really just wanted to bake.

It was all worth it though. The store really was starting to gain a following. People clearly liked their treats and she was so happy every time she watched someone bite into a cookie, cupcake, or pastry while their faces lite up with the joy of delicious flavor bursting across their tongues.

She could tell the stress was getting to Nick too. He was still loving and dedicated, but she noticed him zoning out more as of late. He was also more and more eager to get take out, not to mention getting the wrong milk at the store. He said they were out, but it would have made more sense to go for 1% or even soy over whole milk.

He never let her feel unloved though. The way he eyed her, he was so clearly enamored. He did little things, like buying her those raisins, to let her know he cared. She felt so lucky to have such a thoughtful, adoring husband.

She turned to the mirror, standing naked before it. She pinched a tiny bit of flab on her stomach. He was so caring and she was doing -this- to him. He had never in their entire relationship said anything about her weight, but she knew men typically were more sensitive to physical looks. She didn't want to wake up one day months or years from now and find he was no longer attracted to her.

She patted her midsection then rubbed it, pouting to herself in the mirror. One thing she did enjoy was how much more aroused she had become lately. Even now, just looking at herself naked with her hand on her stomach, made her want to rush over to the still sleeping Nick, wake him up with a passionate kiss, and see where it led. It must just be the excitement of the store, she thought. This new adventure they were going on, with its challenges and triumphs, was so exciting.

She wouldn't do anything to mess up what she had. She slipped on her jogging clothes and tied her shoes with determination. Her life was so good, and she was going to keep it that way.

She hopped out the door into the crisp morning air, ready to jog the pounds away and keep her life on track.


***


Zoe's promise to herself gave her a determined energy throughout the day. She started out baking the pastry's for the store's displays then moved on to the orders they had. Her heart-shaped cookies were already selling well, a few people even requested some for Valentines parties and one young girl wanted to hand them out in her classroom. Zoe eagerly took these orders and began planning in her head the timeline to get everything done.

Nick watched his wife strut around the bakery with earnestness. He wasn't thinking about the shop, however. He was thinking about after it closed for the evening. It was Monday night, which was their Friday. Tuesday was the only day of the week they closed as the weekends were great for sales. They choose Tuesday so that they could have one day to relax together, though sometimes they would find themselves working on an order or two and didn't exactly say no if someone really -needed- to pick something up that day.

Nick always made sure they relaxed Monday night though. They usually traded their glass of wine for a six pack and took their minds fully off the shop.

After a beer or two, Zoe lost her reserve on unhealthy foods. They had spent many a weekend night back in college sharing a pizza on his couch after a party. He hoped tonight would be no different. Actually, that was a lie. He hoped Zoe would be no different and his subtle encouraging would make her even more eager to indulge leading to a night of bliss like he had never thought to try back at their alma mater.

Zoe had just locked the door and turned the sign hanging in it from 'open' to 'closed' when she heard a thump and some clinks behind her. She turned to find Nick smiling with a six pack before him.

"Ready to get our Monday night on, I see," Zoe laughed.

"Oh, yeah," Nick grinned.

"Have we had this before?" Zoe said, picking up one of the bottles and looking at the label.

"Nope, I wanted to try something new," Nick said, grabbing his wife's hand and leading her up the stairs to their home. What Zoe didn't know is that Nick had done a bit of research and picked the most caloric and high-alcohol drink he could. He was anxious to get the night started, hoping Zoe still wouldn't catch onto what he was doing yet so eager to watch her fill up. "Let's crack these babies open."