Chapter 5

The “jeep” was a red Hummer modified with extra-large rear doors, giving passengers easy access to the 3rd row of seats. Everything about the Hummer was spacious and luxurious – it only seated five and the driver, with ample captain’s chairs in back. We were the second couple to show up. There were two sisters – I would guess in their later sixties – sitting in the back row. Both women comfortably filled up their plush bucket seats. The driver/tour guide and I helped Sophia step up the portable stairs into the Hummer. She was clearly unsteady on her feet after breakfast. The tour guide didn’t seem at all phased by it.

Being her normal gregarious self, she immediately struck up a conversation with Lisa and Elisabeth, the sisters from Minnesota. They talked about family back home (they thought they remembered Sophia’s parents, having the same time share week and all), how the scenery in Sedona always changes and never gets old, and of course, food. They had reservations in town that night at a cowboy steak house, but (in their opinion), the food at the Juniper Room was difficult to beat.

“Breakfast was amazing,” Sophia gushed. “I didn’t even have room for dessert, did I, Dan?”

I was fumbling with my seatbelt, unable to make it tight enough, but I said, “well, it’s not that you didn’t have room…”

“Ok you win, we were just in a hurry. But they were so nice, they said they would leave a dessert box in our room!” She was beaming. Being slightly on the antisocial side myself, I always lost myself in admiration for her in moments like this, being able to be so loose and free with strangers.

Lisa squeezed my shoulder and smiled at us. “Oh, you’ve got a good one here, I can tell!”

Sophia spoke up, finally. “Dan, are you having a problem?”

“It’s just this seatbelt. I can’t get it any tighter than this.” I kept pulling at the shoulder, but the belt wouldn’t tighten.

Sophia looked at her own seatbelt, tight between her breasts and creasing across her belly. Her hips spread right to the edge of the captain’s chair without spilling over. “Huh, mine works fine.”

The driver, having packed up the stairs in the trunk, suggested that the passenger seat might fit me better. Lisa quickly offered to sit next to Sophia and keep her company. She had no issues with the seatbelt.

The jeep ride took us through town and then out into the mountains around Sedona. We went up and over some slopes that seemed like they would be impossible, but the truck managed everything perfectly. As we rode, the driver explained about the terrain and landscape. Eventually we stopped at a clearing with a beautiful view of the cliffs and valley below. We all got out and took photos in the light breeze while the driver set up 4 large reinforced folding chairs and opened a bottle of champagne. Soph put her sunglasses on and smiled, enjoying the weather. I could distinctly see the outline of her tummy as the breeze pushed her light cotton dress flat over it. She looked absolutely stuffed. It was noticeable. I couldn’t imagine eating as much food as she had that morning. It was literal pounds of food.

Then the picnic snack was brought out in a cooler. There were big chicken salad sandwiches, hummus wraps, cold cuts with pesto on long ciabatta rolls. Soph took a chicken salad and then paused with her fingers on her chin. She looked up at our driver and asked, “May I?”, pointing to one of the cold cut sandwiches.

“Of course, miss. There’s plenty for everyone.” This was clearly true. The cooler was stocked. “There are soft drinks, too. Coke, iced tea, root beer.”

“Oooh, root beer please!”

Sophie unwrapped her first sandwich and started to eat while the driver walked around from person to person. I was still full from breakfast and passed, looking back and forth between the scenery and my gluttonous wife (gluttonous is the only way to describe her, isn’t it?) as she unwrapped the second sandwich and alternated between each one and big sips of her root beer. Sophia had finished her two sandwiches around the time the sisters were ready for a second round, calling for the driver to bring out the cooler (“Isn’t it lovely, Lisa?” “Oh yes, I love it here. Such service!”)

Picking out a second chicken salad sandwich, Elizabeth leaned over to Soph who was eyeing the cooler. “Oh hun, have another! You’re such a little thing!”

Sophia smiled and patted her full belly. “Oh you’re too sweet. I’ve definitely put on some weight since I got here.” She took a hummus wrap since the chicken salad was gone.

Lisa chimed in: “Haven’t we all? Now what about your husband here, how is he such a beanpole? I’m sure you’re a great cook! Doesn’t he like your cooking, Sophia?”

Sophia swallowed her bite and daintily wiped her mouth. “Actually, Dan is a wonderful chef! He does a lot of the cooking at home. And I do a lot of the eating!”

Everyone laughed, but Lisa looked at me and nodded, approvingly. “Oh, I see! My first husband Dominic was a wonderful cook too.” She patted her own large belly with a knowing smile on her lips.

I was blushing. Do they think I have made my wife fat on purpose? I certainly never said no when she wanted seconds or thirds, or a second dessert. And when she was pregnant, I catered to her every need. But I never intentionally fattened her up, did I? Putting the fork in her mouth, feeding her like a child. Like feeding Charlotte and DJ spoonfuls of applesauce in the green high chair they both used, except it’s my wife in the chair, not my child. The thought suddenly sent a jolt through my body, a warmth in my groin.

I looked at Soph and she smiled at me. I wished I could see her eyes behind her dark glasses. She put one hand on top of her belly, under her chest. It was so full there, bulging straight out. I hadn’t seen it that round since she was pregnant. She put the other hand under her belly, giving it some support. Her legs were spread a little wider to accommodate how heavy it was. I noticed that the sisters had a similar pose.

The walk from the lobby to room 212 was slow, but the weather was perfect, and we took our time. We held hands, arms swinging back and forth. Soph nibbled on a chocolate she took from the concierge desk. We passed several large resort guests on the walk, one couple side-by-side in mobility scooters, but the wide walkway left plenty of room for everyone. The sounds coming from the pool were enticing, but Soph wanted to lie down for a bit before we do anything else.

I took the card out of the reader and opened the door to the cool and dark room. We walked in together, and I held her hand tight as I closed the door behind us, pulling her against the wall and pressing my body against hers. Her stomach was firm against mine and the way the shapes of our bodies interacted with each other was already different from before we left. I kissed her, tasting the chocolate on her lips, her hands on my back, my hands on the rolls on her waist. As we broke off the kisses, she rested her head against my chest and my hands caressed the sides of her belly.

“Do you like it?” she whispered.

“Of course.” I said. I meant it.

“Ok. I’ll get back to normal when we go home. This is just…it’s nice.”

I didn’t know how to answer. What was normal, and did I want her to go back to it? I was silent for a moment.

“Did you know what this place was like before we came?”

“Yes, of course. My parents have been coming here for years.” We stepped back from each other, and she put one hand back under her belly. “I’m going to look for that dessert package and then maybe you and me can cuddle in bed.”

She walked towards the kitchenette, her ass bouncing with every step. “Oh my goodness!” I heard from around the corner. After I had taken off my shoes and followed I saw a room service platter on the table with a plate of what looked like eclairs, another with 3 slices of different kinds of cheesecake, and a large bowl of ice with a smaller bowl in the middle. There was a small tower of chocolate covered bon bons in it. Soph had a bon bon in each hand and ate one after the other.

“Dan, can you hand me that towel?” She said with a mouthful of chocolate and ice cream. She wiped her fingers and mouth. “I can’t eat chocolate wearing white, can you…?” She pointed to the button on her shoulder blades. I undid it and helped her pull her dress over her head.

In her underwear she looked even larger than last night. Her breasts were bulging out of her pale pink bra and her bronze panties seemed stretched to the breaking point over her ass. I also noticed the hint of pink stretchmarks on her lovehandes and maybe the top of her belly, above her belly button. New ones. I picked up a bon bon and held it to her lips. She ate it greedily and looked at me.

“Do you like doing that?” she asked, licking her lips.

“Yes.” I fed her another. “Do you like it?”

She nodded, letting the ice cream and chocolate melt in her mouth before swallowing. “I should lie down though; my legs are tired.”

She got in bed while I grabbed a towel from the bathroom to put over her in case there were drips. Then I brought the whole dessert tray to her. She ate bite after sensuous bite. Slowly. Little nibbles sometimes. She was full from all the food in the morning. This was just dessert. Near the end her eyes were closed. She knew there was something to eat by the smell, by the touch of the fork on her plump lower lip. She opened wider, tasting the bite of cheesecake with her tongue before slowly sucking it from the fork.

Nearly two hours later the dessert was all gone, we had made love, and Sophia was gently napping on my side of the bed.