Treats and sweets - a growing concern (teaser)

chapter 1

Sue’s first sign of impending trouble came the day she stepped out of room 434 and felt a sublime draft tickle the sensitive underside of her round, pregnant belly. The feeling was subtle, gentle, and it wasn’t until she was even halfway to the nurse’s station that she recognized it. Even then, she figured maybe her scrubs weren’t sitting quite right or a simple adjustment might suffice. However, when her hands found purchase on the hem of her tight top and attempted to yank it down, she realized there was no more fabric left to cover her burgeoning middle.

On the way back to the nurse’s station, Christine was quick to take notice and speak up.

“Well, looks like someone is certainly doing some growing.” The chatty nurse leaned back in her chair and, smiling, continued to smack on the piece of gum she’d been chewing on all morning.

Her long reliable scrub top, the one Sue had been using since her first trimester, slid up the advancing slope of her expanding spherical belly. It was an understated effect, but left little doubt to what the future held. Was she supposed to be this big already? Her enlarged breasts jutted outward. Heavy now, they each protruded outward in a perfect teardrop shape, though they had begun to sag under their own increasing weight. The brunette smiled sheepishly and scratched the sliver of taut belly flesh that now bulged outward, presenting itself to the world. “Guess I am getting a little bigger.”

Christine’s left eyebrow rose and the reflection of the support monitors could be seen in her horn-rimmed glasses, “A little? Honey, you left little awhile ago”

Sue awkwardly laughed and removed the stethoscope from around her neck. A deep blush had spread into her cheeks, and she pushed a strand of chestnut hair back behind one ear. “Marlene still on duty downstairs?”

“She’s always on duty, you know that. Battle axe never misses a day far as I can tell. She won’t like what you’ve got to say, though. I can tell you that.”

“I can’t keep wearing this, can I?” Sue spread her arms wide and the two girls guffawed as the pregnant nurse’s top rose to reveal the full bottom half of her fetal girth, stopping just above her now much shallower belly button.

“Jesus, you aren’t even in your third trimester and look ready to pop.” Christine gently poked the protruding flesh of Sue’s belly. “You’re only having one, right?”

“Yes, I certainly hope so! Really don’t want any surprises there.” They laughed together until a passing doctor threw a dirty look their way, stifling their merriment.

“I’ll watch your floor. Pick up some pie from the cafeteria on the way over there. You might be able to bribe the old maid if you’re lucky.” Christine chuckled again. “Oh, and don’t forget the baby shower next Friday. I picked out the perfect cake. Going to be lots of folks there. You’re going to love it.”

“You’re so sweet for doing that. I won’t forget.” The hungry rumbling of Sue’s bulging middle finished the conversation as she turned to walk away.

———————————

T he cafeteria crowd wasn’t bad, not this time of day. It was well past lunch by now and most of the hospital staff had already eaten, leaving only the visitors to stand and gawk at the giant menu posted above the gleaming silver buffet counters. Each one of the three stands sat packed with nearly thirty deep warmers holding all manners of goodies. Soups, chicken, hamburgers, pizza were just some items on offer. Ever since the pregnancy, Sue had come to think of them as pig troughs. A near endless feast all the employees fought for every day come lunch time. She was no exception. It was like she was always hungry nowadays. Couldn’t get enough, and near daily lunches with Hudson had done nothing to help her flourishing waistline.

Not that she minded. Watching Hudson squirm in his seat as she stuffed herself tight was one of the things she looked forward to after a long day. Though, admittedly, perhaps she was getting a bit carried away with the frequency.

A flicker of a smile passed over Sue’s glossy lips as she lifted a plate of pie from the crowded counter. Apple. Marlene’s favorite. It was even still warm. Sue lingered momentarily on the way to the register, restlessly shifting from one foot to the other as some chocolate-covered donuts tempted her. She’d already eaten lunch, what, an hour ago? Maybe two? Should she? She was supposed to meet Hudson tonight after her shift, but she’d probably be peckish again by then anyway, right? In the end, her belly won out, as it usually did nowadays, and three of the sugary pastries joined the slice of apple pie.

Her cravings were getting worse. At first, she’d hoped the majority would have subsided by now, but she was rapidly finding out quite the opposite was true. Sweet things were her utter weakness. Odd. She’d usually never been a sweet eater before her pregnancy. One hand rubbed the sensitive lower curve of her fecund girth as she stood, watching families and patients pass in the halls, and ate. The dough melted on her tongue and she found three donuts didn’t last long as they used to, not anymore.

Marlene was on the far east wing of the third floor. A distant walk for even the fittest of guests. For Sue, with all the extra baby weight, it was akin to running a marathon. She kept her pace constant, weaving her bulk down the stark white hallways and dodging between the groups of both patients and visitors, always keeping the plate of apple pie balanced in one lithe hand. She was panting by the time she made it.

Marlene was a common fixture among the nurses for both good and ill. Friend to some, enemy to others, but seemingly always lacking of patience and subtlety. No one did inventory control and record keeping better, but there was a reason they had shelved her office back into its own tiny corner of the hospital. She didn’t play nice with others. Never had.

The office itself never seemed to change, stuck in time, refusing to budge, and so the world dejectedly tiptoed around it. In Marleen’s case, Sue couldn’t blame it. Two wooden chairs sat empty in the immaculate waiting area alongside a large artificial fern and a pile of outdated magazines. Marleen herself studied her from behind her desk fifteen feet away. She slowly lifted a coffee cup to her weathered lips, and the jostling of her pearls could be heard even over the hum of the overhead fluorescent lights. It reminded Sue of a rattlesnake’s chilling song. She attempted to banish the thought from her mind, but failed.

“Good morning, Marlene! I brought some apple pie.” Sue wanted to keep this upbeat, peppy, hoping that maybe, just maybe, a bit of perkiness would rub off on the dour woman.

If it influenced her, Sue couldn’t tell. Marlene’s half-lidded, glum eyes blinked once and the surrounding wrinkled lines around her mouth stretched as her lips curled into a defiant sneer. “Can I help you?” Her words were raspy, like a breathless smoker. She only gave a brief glance as Sue scooted the pie plate across the desk towards her.

“Um.. I came to see if I could get some new scrubs. Maybe a size up? As you can see, I’m getting a bit too… large for this current pair.” Sue straightened her back, and keeping her arms at her side, let out a deep breath as she felt the hem of her top work its way back up the skin of her weighty belly. She grimaced as the fabric’s end approached her belly button, an expression she defiantly twisted into an embarrassed smile as it continued to rise, finally coming to rest just above her shallow navel.

God, she really needed to lay off the sweets.

Marlene sniffed, taking another sip of coffee as one gnarled finger pulled the plate of pie to her. “You were here recently. Less than two months, if memory serves me.” She took a slow bite of dessert.

“Yes, ma’am.” Sue cleared her throat as the silence stretched out between them. “Baby’s growing and all…. you know…. I’m sure you understand. You have children..”

“I do not.” Another sniff.

“Well, I guess I’m just a… growing girl.” Sue tried to chuckle, but the attempt came out forced and lacking of any decorum.

Marlene ran her tongue over aged teeth. “This hospital has financial limits and budgetary restraints and is, therefore, unwilling to provide a single nurse with more than three complete outfits in a given time period. This, Mrs. Shackleford, will be your second such outfit. Need I remind you, no amount of pie will get you around these set limitations?”

“No ma’am.”

A slight growl from deep in her throat partnered perfectly with the creak of Marlene’s bones as she rose from her seat. Disappearing into the back, she returned shortly with a new set, which she slid over the counter and into Sue’s hands. “One size larger than what was on file. Let’s not repeat this.”

Sue thanked her, her head bobbing up and down as she vomited words out at a lightning pace.. “Yes ma’am. Understood.” She quietly backed from the room, and closed the door to the sound of one of Marleen’s ever present throaty growls.

———————————-< br>
The cafeteria was peaceful this time of night and situated as she was in their back booth, there was only the sound of the rain as it pitter-pattered against the glass pane at her side. Hudson, surprisingly, was right on time tonight. A rarity, especially considering how busy the ER unit had been. As he made his way to the table, Sue couldn’t help but smile. He was still dressed in his first responder uniform, lush brown hair nicely arranged, and pushed back on his head. His blue eyes uplifted when he saw her and he met her smile with his own singular goofy grin.

“Already started without me, I see.” He set his black travel bag next to his chair and kissed her forehead, trailing his lips down her face until he finished by gently pecking her on the tip of her nose......

------------------------

Happy New Years all! This is a short teaser of my newest Patreon story. Written as a commission for Pregs87, I had a blast writing it and hope everyone enjoys it!

Appreciate any comments about my work and thank you for reading! As always, if you like my work please consider supporting me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/beeboz. It’s only a buck, helps motivate me, and you get fun exclusive stories.