chapter 1

"Rhea will you please hurry up?!" shouted Trish upstairs to her younger sister "we were supposed to leave at 10am and it is now 10:15, you are making us late!"

"Gimme a break will ya?! I'm just getting dressed." Came the reply

"You should have been dressed before we got here! What are you even doing up there?!"

"Look! I'm having a little trouble with my pants okay?!" This bought a snigger from Trish's boyfriend Garrett which was quickly silenced by a glare from his girlfriend.

"Just hurry up!" shouted Trish, "Ugh did you see how fat she's gotten? She wouldn't be having trouble with her pants if she could stop shovelling food in her mouth" Trish quipped at Garrett

"It's probably that boyfriend of hers, what's his name? Donny?"

"I told her how fat she was looking last time I saw her, if she listened to me she'd have slimmed down some, and don't get me started on that dork; seriously, the girl should have higher standards. Can you believe they've been dating since college?!"

"She was probably a fair bit slimmer then too I'm guessing?"

"Yeah as a matter of fact I was Garrett, not that it's got anything to do with you."

The younger sister had finally made her way downstairs and caught the tail end of her sibling's conversation with her boyfriend, her retort leaving the man red-faced. Dressed in a pair of black leggings and her college hoody, Rhea thought that she had done an effective enough job of disguising the fact she now weighed in at 185lbs, the heaviest she had ever been. Her older sister was not as convinced, noting how Rhea's chin now doubled and the fullness of her cheeks.

"Finally!" sighed Trish "can we please get going now?!"



The car ride over to the girl's parents was no more harmonious as Trish couldn't resist another jab at Rhea.

"So... A hoodie and leggings for Christmas dinner? My how you'll look great in the photographs, Mom will be so pleased."

"Look, it wasn't my first choice okay? I've put on a bit of weight recently and the pants I wanted to wear didn't fit so this will have to do. Anyway, I'm sure Mom won't care what I'm wearing and will just be happy to have the whole family under one roof."

"You know, if you showed some restraint once in a while you would have been able to wear something as good as my dress, isn't that right Garrett?"

Remembering his earlier faux pas, Garrett wisely kept his mouth shut, simply smiling at his girlfriend. The cream coloured, halter neck dress did a fantastic job of showing off Trish's lean 125lb figure.

"I don't even know why he's here" retorted Rhea

"Because he's family that's why"

"Oh please, how long have you been dating? 5 minutes?"

"He's a lot better than that loser that's been turning you into a blimp for the past five years"

"You are so clueless Trish, Donny doesn't mind if I'm a little heavy unlike Gerry here who'd dump you if you so much as gained an ounce"

"Err its Garrett actually"

"Shut up Garrett!" spat both sisters in unison, despite their differing weights the girls had the same fiery temper.



The girls were met at the door by their mother who was of course so happy to see them even if they were both stony faced following their row.

"Nice drive over Garrett love?" she asked as he struggled carrying the presents left in the car by both sisters.

"Yeah... something like that" replied the bewildered boyfriend.



For the most part Christmas morning went without any major upset although there was an undeniable tension in the air between the two sisters. Hostilities resumed when it came time for Christmas lunch however.

"Jesus Christ Rhea, do you think you could leave some potatoes for the rest of us?" Teased Trish

"Language!" chastised the girl's father

"Shut up Trish, I see you're eating like a rabbit again because Garry here won't let you eat like a real woman"

Garrett just carried on with his own dinner.

"Garrett doesn't control what I eat; I just don't feel the need to gorge myself like a fat pig in front of everyone!"

"Patricia! Apologise to your sister this instant!" demanded the girl's mother.

Trish did as she was asked but couldn't leave it alone, taking the opportunity for the rest of dinner to overeat in mockery of her younger sister. Taking seconds on lunch and dessert and throwing out quips such as - "Whew I sure eat a lot, I should be careful or I'll blow up like a real porker" and "double dessert! Good job my boyfriend isn't a dirty feeder or I'd be doing this every day!"

Rhea was relieved when finally the time came for Donny to pick her up, it had become customary for the couple to spend Christmas evening together and she was glad to be free of her sister's taunts.

She spent a fair amount of time that evening bemoaning her sister's attitude to her beau.

"My figure is none of her concern; she should be more concerned with picking a better boyfriend" vented Rhea. "You don't think I'm too fat do you?"

"Of course I don't, do you?" replied Donny

"Well I have put on so much weight since college, you know she had the nerve to call you a feeder?!"

Donny just laughed "well I just like to see my baby happy, I guess that makes me a feeder. But seriously hun, if your weight is bothering you we could probably cut back on the takeouts and I'll go to the gym with you too if you like? I could probably stand to lose a few pounds myself."

Rhea embraced her boyfriend in a tight hug, "I like you cuddly but if you want to be supportive while I try to stop myself going up another dress size I certainly won't complain"

"Deal" replied Donny "but let's wait until the festive season is over, I got this chocolate sponge with our names on it for tonight"

The picture back at the girl's parent's house was a slightly different one as Garrett was stuck making small talk with the girl's parents seeing as Trish had promptly passed out after consuming such large quantities at dinner. He was even less impressed when she woke up just briefly enough to snack on turkey sandwiches for supper before falling back into her gluttony induced stupor.