chapter 2 -- gina

What a date! Derek seemed a bit awkward at first, but Gina could feel sparks from the moment they locked eyes. She had been nervous about meeting Derek. She had heard all about him from her cousin -- scientist, rich, handsome. She put on her tightest dress and spent at least 10 minutes looking at herself in the mirror before heading out the door.

Was it too slutty? Was she trying too hard? Did it make her look sophisticated? She grabbed at the little pooch her stomach made against the fabric and shook the tiny layer of fat on her belly. To any rational person, Gina's waist was tiny, but Gina felt like a cow. She had been playing so much tennis lately, trying to burn this fat off. It seemed like she'd been trying to burn it off her entire life. Now, as a middle school teacher in her late 20s, Gina was finding it harder and harder to find time for tennis. It seemed like every night was either grading science papers or going out with her single friends, trying to find "the one."

Gina knew she had an effect on men. Sure, she was insecure about her own body, but she always seemed to get whatever man she wanted. She always felt like her ass was too small and bony, but her boobs all but made up for it. Her breasts had stayed remarkably perky despite all the bouncing they did during tennis. Not quite grapefruit size, they were the size of oranges -- juicy oranges. Every top she owned showed some cleavage. Her success with men made her friends jealous, but these flings always started at a bar or club and never seemed to make it to a real date.

Gina was a science teacher for a reason -- she was brainy. She wanted a man she could talk to for hours. When her cousin told her about a rich, handsome friend, Gina was interested. But when she heard Derek was a scientist, she had to meet him.

After a few awkward pleasantries at the restaurant, Gina and Derek dove into conversation and didn't surface until well after dessert. She knew she didn't need the calories, but he was insistent. She tried to learn more about the technology he was working on, but Derek was coy. They hugged after they left the restaurant and made plans for another date. Immediately, Gina felt an emotional, mental, and physical connection to this soft-spoken scientist.

This went on for weeks. Piece by piece, they learned more about each other, fitting together in what felt like a perfect puzzle. Both had been shy, nerdy kids who blossomed later in life. Both had tough home lives. Derek's parents divorced when he was young. Gina was raised by a single mother who policed everything she ate. Gina loved eating Derek's cooking. Derek loved playing Settlers of Catan with Gina's friends. They had their first kiss after going to a minor league hockey game. They started making out after dates. Then before and after dates.

A few months passed, and they still hadn't had sex. This was much slower than Gina typically went, but Derek was worth the wait. When it finally did happen, Derek seemed a bit distant. He had trouble getting an erection at first. Maybe the rich, handsome scientist was human after all?

After some time, the lovemaking got better, though Derek seemed to close his eyes a lot. Gina was ecstatic when he asked her to marry him. They had a small ceremony, then started building a life together. As time wore on, Derek never said anything, but Gina sense something was off. He was spending more and more time at the lab. He was getting so busy there that he had to hire an assistant -- a young graduate student named Tiffany. She was a blonde bombshell, but what really concerned Gina was that this girl was smart, too.

Gina started working out more than ever. She read more scientific papers and peppered her husband with questions about his projects. Derek seemed crestfallen when Gina asked for a Peloton for her birthday, and he always deflected when she asked about his projects at the lab.

There were bags under Derek's eyes. He got home from the lab late at night and went there early in the morning. Gina couldn't stop thinking about young Tiffany.

One night, Derek arrived home late. He tried to do more work in his home office before coming to bed. Instead, he fell asleep at his desk. Gina tiptoed past her snoring husband, rifled through a sheaf of papers on his desk, then opened his backpack and gasped.