Chapter 1 - engagement

Gene strolled slowly through the front hallway, looking at the various picture frames adorning the walls. He had been dating Hailey for 11 months now, and had been to this home plenty of times, but this was the first time he had actually been left alone for a while to just look around and take in his surroundings. He had already planned out the entire day - first they would go grab lunch together, then they would go for a walk along the old canal, where they had gone on their second date - where they shared their first kiss. His hands casually felt around in his pockets, grasping the velvet box and the ring he had purchased two months ago when he was sure Hailey was the one.

He came across a collage of pictures which were a little more fuzzy and grainy, and had the distinct appearance of having been taken sometime in the late 70s. A young couple was featured in each picture, mostly candid shots of the two goofing around. He squinted a bit to make out who it was. That's when it dawned on him. That was Hailey's dad, but the woman he was with left him in disbelief. It had to have been Hailey's mom, her facial features somewhat resembled Hailey's mom. The only thing was that this woman was, from the looks of things, a petite girl who could be no more than 110 pounds soaking wet. She had a beautiful smile on her face and faintly resembled Hailey. Gene tried to reconcile the young woman in the photograph with the woman with whom he was well acquainted. Hailey's mother Julia was an immense woman, upwards of 400 pounds, with rosy cheeks and a soft, kind personality. Gene had always assumed that she had been a big woman forever, as he had never see any photographic evidence even in pictures from when Hailey was a baby which contradicted that assumption. He stood in silence staring deep into the photograph, wondering what happened to this fit and trim girl.

The sound of footsteps in the upstairs hallway snapped him out of his trance. Hailey called out to him as she bounded down the stairs, dressed in a light and airy summer dress
"Gene, I'm ready when you ar-" she halted herself abruptly seeing that he was standing down the hall from the landing looking intently at the pictures on the wall.

"Taking a look at some of the family photos are we?" she asked in her usual bubbly and upbeat tone.

Gene shook his head in affirmation and asked "hey is this your dad in this picture?" pointing to one particular photograph.

"Well yeah, and my mom of course if you can believe it! She used so be so skinny when she was my age. Then I guess marriage and kids happened..."

Gene was speechless, he managed to choke out something about Hailey's mom and the fact that she had three children. They quickly changed topics and focused on their day ahead.