chapter 9

Michaela told herself she needed to slow down.

Michaela had gained 42lbs in three months of living at home. She hadn’t worn her new jeans to her grandmother’s birthday as she had lugged on a few more pounds of fat in the week leading up, and her ass had obliterated the seam the morning of. As it turns out, her size 16s were no match for her near 200lbs physique. As she sat driving along the highway, she felt the sides of her backside pressing against the console and hanging off the other side of the seat. She had squeezed her fat ass into a pair of her sister’s black booty shorts. Her cheeks ate the stretchy fabric, clinging each inch of the fabric against her juicy, round bottom. 

In her lap sat her newest feature: her belly. It spilled over her waistband and jiggled with the rough edges of the road. Her boobs, being suffocated by one of Sarah’s sports bras, held firmly in place. Her thighs expanded to the width of the seat (and more), creating a perfect landing ground for Michaela’s thick gut to set up shop.

She had to slow down.

Michaela had just dropped Sarah off at the airport, who was galavanting off to Italy for three weeks with her friends to regain some joy in her life after a serious school burn-out. Secretly, Michaela was jealous she wasn’t joining her sister for the sweet-tooth adventure, but looked forward to having free rein of the house all day. She was truly making an impact in the Gardener’s residence.

She hadn’t stopped eating all week, eating her parents out of house and home. They hadn’t made comment on her weight gain, but for sure were not oblivious to their swelling daughter. They had increased their grocery supply in hopes that they may get to some of the snacks…but this had only expanded their blimping daughter’s appetite.

Michaela decided to slow down. She took her foot off the gas in the car, and exited the highway via the off ramp. She had set a goal, and she had been given a sign. It was fluorescent, glowing, and red-headed.

The Wendy’s drive-thru was the reason for her decrease in speed. She exited her car and entered the store, wiggling her shorts so they would cover her backside. Michaela’s bountiful hips swayed and thundered as she found her place in line.

Two baconators, one extra large fry. A frosty, and a large Pepsi. And chicken nuggets. That’s what she ordered for herself.

As Michaela lumbered into the car, she felt the little Nissan sink under her weight a bit. She scrolled through social media and stuffed herself silly in the car, polishing off everything except her chicken nuggets, which she had promised herself for a late night dessert.

Michaela’s phone buzzed with a message from her parents: “Pick up pizza on the way home - our treat. Just cuz Sarah is in Italy doesn’t mean we r going 2 miss out on the Italian eatin! X’

Michaela burped loudly and patted her stomach. She was absolutely bursting. Pizza for dinner? Again? Michaela couldn’t imagine putting more food in her system right now. Didn’t her parents know how sick of pizza she was? Every weekend, pizza. And with Sarah gone, there would be so much leftover…

She pulled out of the parking lot and headed to their local. Maybe her parents were right. Maybe Sarah didn’t have to be the only one who would be eating good for the next three weeks.

Michaela will never forget the look on her parent’s face when she dug into the last slice of pizza that night. They had shared an XL themselves, and here was Michaela…polishing off her 12th piece.

“I see you’ve finally discovered your good old Gardener appetite!” her dad said with a tipsy chuckle. “Always knew my girls wouldn’t be someone you’d want to tamper with.”

Michaela got up and waddled into the kitchen for more wine. Her mother eyed her ill-fitting shorts with slight concern.

“Michaela, you are hanging out of those. Shouldn’t you get a bigger pair?”

“Probably,” she said with a little bounce of her booty. “I don’t know what size I am these days though. These are an old pair of Sarah’s.”

“Well, we should go shopping this week.” her mother resolved. “You deserve to be properly clothed, at least.”

“I think Sarah left some cake batter in the freezer for you honey, if you want to do some baking tomorrow!” said her father.
Michaela lit up and dug into the freezer drawer. Sure enough, a little sticky note: “Michaela - try not to eat these all in one sitting. ;) S.”

“Maybe I will!” said Michaela, patting her growing gut gingerly. She caught her breath in her chest, and let out a massive burp. Her father laughed: “Now you have some room!”

Steve stood up and made his way to the couch, pouring more wine. The couch groaned under the large man’s weight, and creaked when his wife joined him. The Gardener’s furniture was certainly in need of decent upkeep, to support the heavy family.

Not too far into a movie, Steve and Janice were passed out cold on the couch. Michaela had been half paying attention. She suddenly jolted up, remembering the nuggets buried in her purse, and the cake batter in the fridge. She lifted her heavy body off the couch and back downstairs to her room. Wine? Check. Snacks? Check. Perfect Friday? Check.

Michaela caught herself in the mirror as she tip-toed through the hall. Her big, round belly now hung over her shorts. Her hips touched the edges of the frame; her face was round, bloated, and yet…brimming with life. She looked over at her parents, her dad’s gut hanging out of his t-shirt.

Her heart twanged. Was this all they were? Overeaters? Sluggish, overfed Americans? Michaela turned on her side and viewed her ballooned profile. Maybe she had to slow down. She wasn’t even 25 years old and was eating herself into obesity.

Tomorrow, she would go for a run. Michaela resolved this to herself and decided this to be the course of action. If she was going to eat like this, she would at least have to fit in 30 mins of exercise a day. That’s the only way she could avoid blubber. Tonight would be her last big binge…

Michaela imagined her sister returning from Italy, 20lbs heavier and seeing her sister, looking fitter than she left. She kinda liked that thought, and continued to day dream as she piled nuggets into her mouth, her fat ass rocking back and forth as she descended into her basement bedroom.