chapter 41

January 2nd. The New Year. Snow drifted bitterly across the open fields outside.

Michaela lay sprawled out in her dad's leather arm chair. The lazy afternoon vibe of the winter holidays clung to the air in the Gardener house. The TV was almost at full volume, playing the yearly hockey championship. Jackson was sitting up, watching every move of the Russian skaters and swearing at every chance possible. Three empty beers sat crushed on the side table. He cracked open his fourth and got up.

As Jackson rose, his belly flopped out of his t-shirt. His swollen beer gut poked confidently into the open air. His swollen man boobs kissed the tight restraints of his size medium top. His scraggly beard was losing the battle against his rounding double chin. Ripping a burp, he thundered past his sister.

"Drink? Snack?"

"Both." said Michaela, keeping her glazed eyes stuck to the TV. She didn't really care, she was just so lethargic after brunch that any energy felt impossible. She turned as Jackson walked away, catching sight of his too tight pyjama pants and called after him, "The brownies please! No, wait. The Ruffles!"

As Jackson turned the corner, he tossed a thumbs up. Michaela leaned forward in her chair. Her stomach was killing her. This was a recent development. The Christmas Holidays had been...too much.

Michaela only owned a two outfits that could wrap around her body anymore: a massive hoodie that Antony had promised she would 'grow into' with a pair of impossibly loose leggings, and patterned canvas pants and a XXXL black t-shirt. She currently was stuffed into her hoodie and leggings. She could feel the elastic waistband being sucked into her fat stomach roll.

Having Jackson home had turned eating into a sport. Before, there was a self-indulgence and pleasure that initiated from inside Michaela when she stuffed her face. Now, she had to best her brother at all times. She always was trying to have the extra plate, the final beer, the whole bag of chips; it was getting to the point that the only way a winner would be determined was when the casserole dishes were empty at the end of a meal. On Christmas Day, Michaela had eaten the entire plate of sausage stuffing - Jackson had eaten the tray of bread stuffing all to himself. Their late night stuffings had included more booze than Michaela had encountered in her few short years of university. Christmas night had ended with Sarah greening out from weed brownies, and Jackson and Michaela grabbing at handfuls of leftovers with their bare palms.

The entire month of December had been a test of Michaela's body capacity. Antony had bought her an impossibly beautiful promise ring for Christmas. She was starting to think that he wanted to marry her?! The thought released thousands of butterflies into Michaela's massive stomach. The athletic boy could not keep his hands off of the titanic blonde's bloated body. The sex had been incredible as of late. He seemed overwhelmed and insatiable at the sight of Michaela's ruined, gluttonous physique.

"I never want to spend a second of my life without you." He had whispered into her ear one night after a particular intense round of hanky-panky. Michaela had just lay there, her massive thighs spread across the width of the bed. Her entire body shook when the lean footballer pounded against her pelvis.

Antony was still set to go away on a training camp for 8 weeks. Michaela realized they were barrelling down on their parting date, and was trying to cram in as many dates as possible. She had quit her overnight job a week before Christmas. Her wallet was full and her body was expanding. What more could a girl want?

As she leaned forward in the leather armchair, she felt the feeble furniture tip forward with her. Her massive ass was sealed against the harsh leather coating. Her hips were indented by the arm rests, and her fat belly stuck big and bloated out in front of her.

Jackson reentered the room, dropping the box of brownies AND the Ruffles into her lap. In his hands, he held half of Sarah's New Year's Eve cake. Michaela said nothing as she ripped open the bag and tore into the chips, occasionally shuffling in a brownie to shake things up.

Sarah, Steve, and Janice were all out for a walk. The two gluttons had opted to stay home and plough more pounds onto their physique.

Jackson had easily put on 25lbs since moving back home. It brought Michaela comfort to watch the same thing happen to her brother that had happened to her. This bond of gluttony and fatness seemed to strengthen their relationship. Jackson loudly refuted the referee's call as he dropped himself onto the couch, lifting his leg and letting his biggening beer belly grab some fresh air. He shovelled the cake with a serving spoon, washing his palette with the odd swig of beer.

Michaela didn't remember finishing the brownies. Or the chips. She didn't remember dozing off. She was woken by the other family members returning home from their exercise excursion. Her dry, post-nap mouth crackled as she looked their way. "Hey! How was the walk?"

Their rosy faces and winded voices grumbled from under their scarves and coats. "Fuckin' freezing!" Steve announced.

Sarah slumped into the kitchen. "Is there any of my cake left? I could crush a quarter of that thing right now?"

Michaela sheepishly and childishly put on an innocent face, then pointed and the dozed-off Jackson. The empty cake plate and polished silver spoon were all that remained.

"Wow. I...am...impressed? Annoyed? Stay tuned for confirmation." Sarah said as she ripped open the fridge door for a snack. She was the slimmest of the siblings still, despite her recent chubbiness. She had maintained a healthy intake and decent physical activity level over the holidays - both concepts that Jackson and Michaela had actively rejected.

"I think there's still lots of mashed potatoes and gravy!" Michaela called.

She leaned back in the chair and felt her stomach gurgle threateningly. She was hungry after her nap.

An idea sparked in her brain.

"Hey!" Michaela sat up as fast as she could carry her enormous body. "Why don't Jackson and I go out and get dinner for us? Our treat. It'll be a surprise. As payback for eating all the afternoon snacks."

Sarah, Janice, and Steve's eyes all lit up. They agreed, cautioning their obese offspring in driving in the winter weather.

Michaela shook Jackson awake and whispered. "I got us the car. Let's go get something to eat. I'll drive."

Jackson leaped up and bounced to get changed. Michaela put on her winter coat. It no longer closed over her massive girth, so she wrapped a thick scarf around her neck and shoved gloves on her fingers.

They called out their goodbyes, Michaela mumbling under her breath to Jackson, "Okay, let's buy pizza for dinner, but I want to show you this patisserie Antony took me to for Christmas Eve...it'll blow your mind."

The door closed. Janice turned to Sarah and said, "Those two are trouble. I don't know whether to be concerned or relieved to see them getting along so well."

Sarah suddenly thought of their New Year's Eve balloons. Inflating the celebratory decorations definitely reminded her of her two siblings. They were blowing up at a shocking rate...how long before something burst?