chapter 2

Carol looked with tears in her eyes. “How much weight has Melissa gained.” Anne sighed, “Carol, she has doubled her weight.” “Oh my, Anne, she must be huge! Oh I’m so sorry I didn’t mean it to sound that way.” “That’s okay Carol. Melissa is quite obese now, but she is handling her weight gain really pretty well. She isn’t depressed and is really quite happy.” “Anne, what about you, how are you doing?” Anne took another bite of her pastries. “Carol, it’s pretty obvious that I have become obese as well. When Melissa started to gain weight, it was hard to watch her balloon up. I decided that I couldn’t continue to watch my weight while I watched my daughter blow up. I discussed it with Ned, he was very supportive, he totally understood where I was coming from and he even suggested that I gain weight along with Melissa. I started overeating and stopped exercising when Melissa started gaining.”

Carol stared at her once slim and petite friend, “Anne you mean you are deliberately gaining weight?” “Yes Carol, I am.” “How much have you gained?” “Carol I have gained sixty seven pounds in six months.” “Anne that is a lot of weight to gain that quickly, how is your health?” “Actually Carol, other than being obese, I’m in good health.” “Anne, when are you going to lose the weight and get back into shape?” “Carol, given that Melissa will be obese the rest of her life, never, I’m staying obese to support my daughter. I really have gotten used to over eating and all the weight I have put on. Ned has been very support of my gain too. Melissa is so grateful that I put on weight too, it really makes her feel so much more confident and that she is not alone in gaining weight.”

Carol was trying not to stare at her once slim and petite friend, but Anne’s belly was pressing against the table, her bottom cheeks were spilling over the edges of the chair and through the openings on the backrest. Anne was also eating several pastries and drinking a large rich latte. Anne smiled, “I hope I’m not embarrassing you eating like this and my appearance.” Carol blushed bright red. “No, Anne I’m sorry I was staring, I’m just so surprised and shocked at what has happened to your and Melissa.” “Thank you Carol, but don’t feel sorry for me, gaining all this weight was my decision, I felt it was the least I could do for Melissa and frankly, I don’t regret it at all.”

Anne and Carol chatted about other things, how the other girls were, how was their summer, when Carol asked, “Anne, do you think Sally and Jill could come and see Melissa?” Anne thought for a moment, “I think that might be a good idea, but I want to be sure Melissa’s on board. I’ll ask her when I get home and call you later tonight. I need to get home to fix Melissa’s dinner.”

Anne hefted herself up, nearly catching the backrest of the chair on her round bottom. Carol got up and hugged her. Carol was startled my how soft Anne’s body felt. Carol watched as Anne waddled out of the shop.

Carol sat at the coffee shop for a while longer. She dialed Jill’s mom, Katie on her cell. “Hello, this is Katie.” “Katie it’s me Carol. I just had coffee with Anne, Melissa’s Mom.” “Oh how are Melissa and Anne. Jill told me about the text that Melissa sent to Sally, that she’s gained weight, is that true?” “Oh my God, Katie, Anne is huge! She told me she’s gained sixty seven pounds in just six months, she stuffed herself with pastries while we were talking too.” “Carol, oh my gosh that sounds awful, Anne was so petite, I can’t believe that she would let herself go like that. Did she say why she put on so much weight?” “Yes she did. Apparently Melissa’s surgery had serious side effects, a gland that control appetite, feeling full and metabolism was destroyed and she can’t control herself around food and eating. She told me that Melissa has doubled her weight! That’s why she put on so much weight to support Melissa.” Katie said, “Wow, I do have to admire her for that. So how did you leave things with Anne?” “I asked Anne if Sally and Jill could see Melissa. Anne said she would ask Melissa tonight and call me back.” “That’s fine with me, I’d like to come along too.” “Oh sure Katie, I will let you know when I hear from Anne.”

Anne got home a few minutes after leaving Starbucks. “Melissa honey, I’m home.” “How did it go mom, did Carol freak out at how fat you are now?” Anne patted her belly, “Yes, she did, but she was pretty cool about it when I told her why I let myself go.” Melissa giggled, patting her huge orb of a belly. “Did you tell her how much you love being fat now?” Anne giggled, “No, but I pigged out on pastries in front of her while we talked.” Melissa giggled again, “Way to go Mom!”

“Melissa, I want to ask you, Carol brought up that Jill and Sally want to see you. What do you think, would you want them to see you?” Melissa giggled again, causing her soft belly and round thighs to jiggle, “You mean for them to see how fat I am now?” “Oh you know what I mean, they were your best friends before you got sick.” “Yes Mom, I would like to see them and have them see me now. I’m really used to being this fat, so I might as well show my friends how much weight I have gained.” “I’ll call Carol, how about tomorrow, is that too soon?” “No tomorrow’s fine with me Mom, why don’t they come over for lunch.” “Melissa, do you really want Jill and Sally to see you eat?” “Yes Mom I do, they might as well know the whole situation.” Melissa was secretly thinking about trying to get skinny little Jill and Sally to stuff themselves eating with her.