chapter 8

I got up at about 9. Kelly was on the sofa, under a blanket. I guessed Matt was catching up on his sleep after the long flight. I got coffee going. As it brewed, Kelly got up from the sofa. She had slept in her panties. She put on the top from the night before, not bothering to put her bra back on. She came over and I poured us both a cup of coffee. Kelly usually loaded her coffee with cream. Today, she drank it black.

"I want to try to fix it up with Matt," Kelly said, quietly. "He's a good guy and we had a good thing going together."

"You'll have to go on a diet and get to the gym."

"I know. If Matt wants me skinny, I guess I have to get skinny." I could tell she wasn't looking forward to the prospect at all. I wondered if maybe she and Matt were really a good match. I put that thought out of my mind. I knew if I kept thinking along those lines, I'd start thinking about Kelly being with me. A nice, fat Kelly. I shook my head and told myself to knock it off. She was Matt's girlfriend and I was not going to mess that up for him.

Matt came out of his bedroom, looking ragged. I guessed that he hadn't slept all that well. He came into the kitchen and I poured him a cup of coffee. "I'm going to take a shower" I said and headed for the bathroom. I really would rather have made breakfast, but I could tell Kelly wanted to talk to Matt. I didn't need to be in the middle of that. Besides, I thought I knew how the conversation would go. Kelly would apologize for gaining weight. Matt would ride her about it some more. Kelly would promise to lose the weight. Matt would be skeptical. Kelly would swear that this time she'd be good. They'd hug. Kelly would take Matt to his bedroom and bang his brains out. Even if he didn't like her fat, he'd done without sex for six months. And he knew what a wildcat in bed she was.

I finished my shower and dressed. When I came out, sure enough they were in Matt's bedroom. It was funny, I thought to myself. I didn't think of it as their bedroom, only Matt's. Once again I told myself that those kinds of thoughts were off limits. I made myself some sausage and eggs, with more coffee. As I was doing the dishes, Matt and Kelly came out, both wearing bathrobes. I poured them both a cup of coffee as they sat down. "We're going to try again," Matt started. "And I'm going to lose this gut," Kelly added, grabbing her belly. All I could think of was how much I was going to miss that belly.

Their new leaf started that afternoon. Matt and Kelly went to the gym, and were gone for almost two hours. They came back with Matt looking refreshed and Kelly looking bedraggled. Her face was flushed and she moved like every muscle in her body was in pain. I guessed that it had been a tough workout for her.

"I guess I've got a lot of work to do to get back in shape," she offered.

"You were really trying, babe. I'm proud of you," Matt responded.

"Time for a shower," and she headed for Matt's room.

"Are we okay?" I asked Matt. "I really didn't mean for her to gain weight."

"Yeah, we're okay," Matt said. "I guess if Kelly's going to lose weight, she's got to do it herself. I can't expect you to do it for her." With that, Matt went to take his shower.

Once they were out of the shower, I asked, "Hey, I'm going to the grocery store. Want me to pick up something for dinner?"

"Lean chicken and vegetables," Kelly answered. Matt beamed at her.

"I'm on my way," I said.