chapter 12

Michaela burped loudly. Her parents looked at her from across the dinner table.



“Got some more room now, Mikey!” said her dad. Her parents seemed tired and overworked this week. They were heading off to a friend’s cottage from Friday to Sunday and were enjoying a final family meal that Thursday night. Michaela had overindulged, once again, on the stir fry her mom had tossed together. It was a lighter meal, and Michaela had shovelled two bowls into her belly to compensate for her ravenous appetite. Both her parents had also slightly expanded in recent weeks, and this veggie based dinner was Michaela’s mom’s attempt to get some greenery into her children (and her husband) before the disappeared off for the weekend.



Michaela had been juggling texts from Antony and Matt the past few days. She wanted to have one of them over this weekend, but hadn’t quite made up her mind about which boy she wanted to see more. She had planned to tackle a bottle of wine with Sarah tonight and get to the bottom of the issue.

Her dad hopped up to clear the plates before Michaela could go in for thirds. Michaela’s fattened ass was for sure no longer going unnoticed or cared for in the house. Her parents had noticed her continued expansion - they had expected some settling weight, but now their baby was cresting into fat territory. Sarah had slimmed down a bit to a healthy size, and every pound that she had lost, Michaela seemed to have found.

As their parents sided up in the kitchen, Michaela leaned over to her sister. She felt her belly press against the table. “Wanna get trashed tonight and talk about boys?”

Sarah looked at her, already slightly fuzzy eyed. “I thought you’d never ask. I was gonna ask if you wanted to do a drunk bake with me, actually?”

Michaela lit up. Her sister hadn’t baked in weeks. “Really!!”

Sarah nodded, pouring herself another. “Yup. I’m keeping this under my hat but…I’ve actually been commissioned to do a wedding cake. Someone from high school. Thought I’d do a test bake tonight and sample flavours and frostings. You in?”

Michaela’s stomach rumbled. That puny meal had done nothing to shove out the hungry beast that now occupied her midriff. She tossed back her glass of wine and giggled at Sarah. It was nice to have tonight with her sister. They were going to have a very fun weekend.

“Okay, if that’s the case then, I’m going to get changed,” said Michaela, rising with a wobble. “These jeans are digging into me something fierce.”

Sarah watched her sister wiggle out of the room and downstairs. Her mom snuck over to her in her absence.

“Make sure she watches it this weekend. I know it’s nothing to be ashamed of…but she’s just…putting all on rather fast. Don’t you think?”

Sarah half frowned at her mom. “I think she’s just happy to be home and to have us all together again.”

Janice quickly and anxiously deflected. “Yes yes of course! And obviously I’m not one to talk. We’re a big family. I just am…surprised about how fast she’s growing. Do me a favour and just keep an eye out, okay? I don’t need a report back. I just need to know she’s gonna eat more than just takeout and chips while your dad and I are gone.”

“I promise,” said Sarah, “She’ll get her meals in properly.”

Her mum smiled weakly and waddled back into the kitchen just as Michaela had begun to thunder up the stairs. She reemerged in grey sweat shorts and a white tank top that was painted on. Sarah for the first time caught her sister’s new profile - a big fat ass, with a newly discovered rounded belly. Like a big letter S, her little sister bloated out in both directions.

Michaela thundered over to her sister and patted her stomach. “That’s much better, being honest. Stuffed myself into those jeans though…almost didn’t survive taking them off!”

Sarah laughed as she poured her sister more wine.

“I gotta keep my eyes open though,” Michaela rattled on enthusiastically. “I don’t mind packing some juice onto my ass, but my tummy has really been swelling lately…” She rubbed its rounded dome for emphasis.

For a moment, Michaela lost herself in the swollen grandeur of her gut, giving it a slight tug and shake in her lap. Sarah watched her once ‘little’ sister lose herself in her own chub. She wondered when she would eclipse Sarah’s once highest weight…a few weeks? A month?

Michaela snapped up. “So, what flavours are you thinking?”

The Gardener parents couldn’t keep up with their children’s booze in take, admitting defeat at a premature 1030pm. Sarah was already setting up bowls in the kitchen when they said their goodnights, promising the smell of her rosewater and lemon sponge cake to lull their parents to sleep. 

Michaela lugged up the bottle of coke onto the counter, where she balanced her fattened round figure on a sturdy stool. She glugged a generous amount of rum into two glasses and mixed it for her and her sister. 

She poured the details of Matt and Antony out to her multitasking, tipsy sister, who kept prompting her to taste and lick mixing spoons clean. Michaela was impatient for the bake, and dug out some ice cream from the freezer to dig into while she dished.


“I mean,” Sarah began, wiping sweat from her forehead. “I guess it just depends on who you’re more PHYSICALLY attracted to? If you like them both? Who do you want to have over this weekend?”

“I think Matt.” Michaela said into her rum and coke. “I’m so intrigued…he got so hot, Sarah. I was drooling in front of him. And he couldn’t take his eyes off me either, which surprised me. I mean, we all wondered whether he even liked girls in high school? But I guess I just needed to pack on a few to get his attention!”

Sarah looked at her sloshed sister. “Well, I can be busy on Saturday night if you’d like? Can arrange a little outing, go to a movie…”

Michaela’s eyes lit up. “I will pay for your ticket and popcorn if you go. I’m serious. I need…I need some of that in my life.”

Sarah waved her off. “You don’t have to do that, I’m happy to. You don’t need to elaborate. I haven't heard from Paul in a while so…I get it.”

“Well I could set you up with Antony if you want.” Michaela winked dirtily. “He’s definitely cute. And fit too, soccer player…lil Italian crop of hair on his head…ugh, Saraaaaaaah I can’t make my mind up!”

Sarah stopped whisking. “How about this: you go meet Antony in the afternoon for a cute little date. If you like him more than you think, invite him back. If you don’t, just come back and plan for Matt to be here in the evening. He’ll take care of you. Best of both worlds!”

Michaela stared in awe at her sister. Maybe she was drunk, but she was the most brilliant person she knew. And lately, she was starting to look so angular and curvy…her weight loss was for sure doing things. 

“You’re gonna make someone real happy one day with that mind and that ass.” said Michaela, downing her drink. “Wanna go again?”

The timer on the oven went off, and they drank and snacked while the cake cooled. Michaela scooped mounds of Sarah’s buttercream frosting into her mouth, like a toddler at a highchair.

They dug into the 9x9 sponge, dabbing little bits of frosting here and there. It was so luscious and bright…Sarah had nailed it. 

Through puffed cheeks, Michaela heaved, “Sarah, I could eat this whole thing.”

“Go right ahead buddy,” said Sarah, setting her spoon down. “I’m all set…don’t wanna overdo it and end up on the bathroom floor tonight.”

Michaela grabbed the pan and slid it over, shovelling with abandon the fluffy yellow sponge. Sarah took in her sister…once the smallest in the house, now on track to blow up way past Sarah’s peak weight. Sarah spied her burgeoning belly, her chunky, rippled thighs, and her thick double chin. Her tanned skin was almost cartoonishly soft, contrasting her silverly blonde hair. Michaela reached down suddenly and untucked her gut from her waistband, letting her deep belly button sag into her lap. She finished the tin in under ten minutes.

Michaela leaned back, panting slightly and sticking her fingers into the buttercream to lick it clean. “Sarah, my drink is empty.”

Sarah rolled her eyes and made another. Then, in a tipsy voice, Michaela said, “Oh, can I look through your closet tomorrow? Gonna need to pick a date outfit. I really don’t have anything cute that fits me anymore.”

She wiggled in her chair as proof.

Sarah smiled at her sister. Boy, did she look fat. Her hand-me-downs might not be an option for her much longer.

“Sure, Mikey.”

Michaela burped loudly and wiped the cream off her bloated, fat face.