chapter 2

Within a few minutes, Clarissa had returned with a box of dozen donuts in her hand, of which only one or two had been touched.

‘Now where were we?’ Clarissa set the donuts before Andy and then returned to behind her desk. ‘Ah yes, you were going to tell me how many pounds you’ve gained.’ Clarissa looked back up at Andy. ‘I’ve noted four pant sizes. And maybe five soon enough.’ Clarissa giggled, as she observed Andy picking up a donut and licking his lips. ‘And I think I know why.’

Andy stifled another belch with his hand and then replied, ‘Seventy six.’

‘Pounds,’ he clarified.

‘And that isn’t enough?’ Clarissa asked, greedy for answers.

‘Shooting for 80 and then I’ll see.’ Andy bit down on the chocolate donut in his hand and chewed at it lovingly.

‘Can I ask?’ Andy said, continuing to eat. ‘Do I look fat to you yet?’

‘Do you want my personal or professional opinion?’ Clarissa asked back.

‘Are they the same?’

‘No,’ replied Clarissa. 

‘Interesting,’ Andy remarked, picking up another donut to give that one a try too. ‘Think I can finish off all of these?’

‘What did you have for your lunch?’ Clarissa asked.

‘Beef burrito.’ Andy loosened another button on his pants. ‘And I couldn’t resist the Wendy’s by your office as well.’

‘That Wendy’s part of the reason my colleagues are all on diets.’ Clarissa grinned as she spoke. ‘I think you’ll struggle Andy, especially as it looks like your pants are getting rather tight.’

‘And professionally,’ Clarissa continued to complete her thoughts aloud. ‘I would say you’re obese Andy. Although personally, I would just consider you a little fat, but properly gone to seed.’

Clarissa glanced over judgementally at Andy’s belly as he picked up another donut and took a bite. ‘And I know why,’ she remarked, a little judgementally.

‘You’ve gotta eat to gain.’ Andy grinned back at her. ‘Did you hope I’d grow out of it?’

‘Well I thought the exposure to your desires might help.’ Clarissa said in return, then scribbled down a note in her file.

‘If anything they’re worse,’ replied Andy. ‘My desires,’ he added to clarify. ‘All I can think about is food.’

‘Is that so bad?’ Clarissa asked, doodling another scribble in her file. ‘Especially if you want to grow?’ She looked up coyly.

‘I suppose not,’ said Andy. ‘But people say things.’

 ‘Like hey tubby or chubby?’ Clarissa offered, biting at the tip of her pen.

‘Yeah those,’ Andy replied. ‘And my girlfriend left me because of the added weight, although I guess that was an amicable split.’

‘I’m sorry to hear that Andy.’ Clarissa flicked through her pages. ‘But I though I had you listed down here as as a long-term singleton in your file.’

‘My confidence simply grew once I got bigger,’ said Andy. ‘So it was only a matter of time before that attracted someone to all this.’ Andy motioned to himself with his hand. ‘But it was only ever a short term thing, even though it was nice to be in a relationship for once.’ Andy looked down at his belly and sighed.

‘How do you think a future partner might respond to your desire to grow?’ Clarissa asked, out of interest.

Andy picked up another donut and took a bite. ‘I guess I’ve limited my appeal,’ he said. ‘So I hope that my next partner wouldn’t mind. Or would at least accept that I’m a big guy now.’ Andy paused to take another bite of his donut. ‘And big guys.’ He took another bite. ‘We tend to get bigger and bigger over time.’

Andy picked up another donut and took a fresh bite of that one too. ‘I like to try a bite from each one before I polish them all.’

‘That’s interesting,’ Clarissa observed, then asked. ‘What if you met a partner who was into your weight gain? And wanted you to get much bigger?’

‘I’d say that would be a girl I would want to date.’ Andy said with a sly grin.

Clarissa wrote another note in her file. ‘Have you tried the internet?’ She looked back up at Andy again.

‘To order food?’

‘No.’ Clarissa giggled, as her cheeks involuntarily flushed. ‘To find a date.’

‘It’s hard,’ said Andy.

‘Putting on weight?’ Clarissa asked.

‘No,’ Andy replied, chuckling to himself this time. ‘Finding someone who understands me, and my need to grow.’

‘I can see how your appetite has its consequences Andy,’ Clarissa paused, before proceeding, ‘And how that might put potential partners off. But there’s someone for all of us.’

‘Have you fond that someone yet?’ Andy glanced at Clarissa’s hand.

Clarissa blushed. ‘Oh no, not yet Andy. My tastes are rather different to the average female’s.’

‘You forgot to check your cupboards for more candy,’ Andy observed, as he devoured another donut.

‘Oh yes.’ Clarissa leapt to her feet. ‘How could I forget? It’s been a while since I’ve been in a room with a man who really knew how to eat.’