chapter 3

In late September Mrs. Lee invited PB and his mother over to Sunday supper. "Mom, please, Joseph hates me. We can't go to his house. It'll be the greatest disaster in American history."

"Don't be dramatic, Puckley," Mrs. Roberta Braden said to her son. "Help me make a pie for tomorrow. Apple should be good."

"Yes ma'am." They made the pie and it would be ready for the dinner. They were to be there at three. PB spent his entire Sunday dreading the experience. He'd have to act like everything was fine, not to upset the friendship of his mother and Mrs. Lee.

They rang the doorbell the next afternoon and Ernie, the youngest Lee brother, let them inside. PB could smell meatloaf. Mrs. Braden made her way to the kitchen and PB sat at the dining room table alone. He sat alone until the two mothers began to set the table. PB began to help them when Mrs. Lee said, "Such a good boy you have Roberta. Joe never helps me with anything around the house."

"Yeah, I got a good one with Puckley." Mrs. Braden smiled at her son.

"Come and eat everybody!" Mrs. Lee hollered. The rest of the Lee clan shuffled into the dining room. They all gave their hellos and sat to eat. They said grace and dug in. PB sat across from Joseph who piled mashed potatoes with loads of butter and gravy onto his plate. He took two huge chunks of meatloaf as well. PB ate smaller portions but watched in amazement as his best frenemy began his second helping. There was also fresh baked biscuits and green beans, but Mrs. Lee used so much butter on them that PB didn't really consider them vegetables anymore.

Everyone else had finished but Joe went in for more. "Might want to save room for dessert, Joe," PB said sarcastically. Everyone else laughed.

"Oh don't worry, I always have room for dessert," Joseph replied, slightly embarrassed, but determined to shove as much food as he could into his gut. Eating had become a challenge, and Joe liked to push his limits.

Joseph wasn't kidding about always having room for dessert either. Everyone had a slice of pie, but there was one large piece left, and rather than save it for later Joseph volunteered to demolish it. He even had ice cream with it. PB was amazed at Joseph's show of manhood and gluttony and found himself strangely aroused.

"Go on up to Joseph's room to hang out," Mrs. Braden said to PB. "I'm gonna help Donna clean up."

"Mom, I can help too, it's really not that--"

"Go. Hang. Out." And with that PB found himself following Joseph up the stairs and to his bedroom. PB watched as his large butt shifted with each step. PB momentarily imagined Joseph in his briefs. PB may have despised Joseph, but he could not deny his attraction to his masculine features and growing stature.

Joe's bedroom was of a nice size and Joseph laid out on his bed. His gut was definitely a permanent feature to his physique. It made PB tingle all over thinking that just over a month ago Joe had a flat stomach, abs almost present. He really was becoming fat.