chapter 16

Catherine rang Ian's personal assistant. She asked if she had noticed any changes in him that day.
Of course she had! It was blatantly obvious! Ian's rapid weight gain was the talk of the office! By now everyone in the building knew he'd become fat in a matter of weeks! She played her observations down to Catherine though. She was his wife! It would not do to offend her. She might tell Ian straight away and then she could be in a precarious position regarding her job.
Catherine took the PA's email address. She promised to ring with an explanation and some instructions.
Lucy, the PA was astonished when she read the email a little later that day. Catherine wanted to make him bigger! She was fattening him up on purpose! She claimed to love him and loved him even more now he had added a few more pounds to his frame.
A few more pounds! That was a vast underestimate! He'd put on stones!
Catherine was requesting Lucy's help. She said she suspected Ian might try to go on a diet to lose the extra flab. Catherine wanted to make sure that any effort he made to lose weight was sabotaged.
Lucy was astonished that anyone would ever want to do make her husband fat. She did not agree to comply with Catherine's wishes at all! It was unethical! Obesity was unhealthy and came with a whole host of illnesses. Catherine assured her she was doing it because she loved him. Lucy did not understand. If you had married someone 'until death do us part', then surely you would want to live long, healthy lives together. It simply did not make any sense at all!
She read the email with a list of requests. Cream in his coffee instead of milk. Two teaspoons of sugar in his coffee, to increase by half a teaspoon every week until she was told otherwise. Biscuits served with his coffee and left out on his desk. Cakes made readily available for him.
The requests were small but together they would all add up and along with whatever she was doing to him at home the changes would sabotage any slimmer's diet. Indeed, they read as a simmer's nightmare!
No she was not going to do it! It was appalling! It should be illegal! It was against his human rights! It was... then she saw him walk in. She'd just seen him this morning, but she'd forgotten how much bigger he was nowadays. She looked at him in a new light. He must have stopped off at the vending machine because he was eating a bag of salt and vinegar crisps as he walked, totally oblivious to the fact that anyone could be watching him. His jacket had fallen open. Lucy got a tiny glimpse of his small paunch. She tried to imagine it bigger and felt an unexpected twinge in her groin.
Suddenly, she understood. She wondered if he was thirsty. She would have to nip out to get some cream. They were all on diets after the new year. Sugar had been replaced with sweeteners, but maybe next door would have some of the granulated stuff she could borrow for today.
As she grabbed her handbag to reorganise the coffee supplies, she wondered if she could take it further. She was sure she could share more work around the office so that he did not have to do so much. She was good at faking his signature and many of the documents in his in drawer just needed his approval.
Half and hour later she knocked on his office door before she took in his enriched coffee, a small plate of biscuits and a large cupcake that she'd bought at the bakery opposite, but she pretended it had been brought in, with many others to celebrate Tony's birthday in accounts. He was thirty three. The lies simply ran off her tongue with such ease. She was surprised at herself for being so devious!

The long meeting had made Ian hungry. The crisps did nothing to satiate him. He was glad of Lucy's coffee, cake and biscuits. He was sure he was only supposed to have one, but he devoured the whole plate, then he was looking for something else to eat. It was barely eleven, but he broke into the packed lunch that Catherine had put together for him. His lunchbox was bigger than the one he usually brought. His only one only held one sandwich. This was a family sized one. He did not need one that big. He would have to tell her when he got home. Each of the four sandwiches within the box were substantial meals in themselves. Thick crusty rolls, a generous spread of butter and mayonnaise, plus the filling, salad and a dressing.
He took one out and took a big bite. He put the rest away. He would save one for lunchtime and the rest might last until tomorrow.
Oh it was delicious! He thought as he bit, chewed and swallowed. Before he knew it, he had eaten all four of the delicious delicacies. He leaned back in his chair. He felt full. He felt a draught on his lower belly as his shirt had escaped his trousers and left flesh exposed.
He reclined his chair, reminding himself to book in to a gym on the way home. He closed his eyes and dozed. An hour later, he woke up. Now, what was for lunch?