Chapter 4

Lena had noticed that her clothes had been feeling a bit tight lately, and when she looked in the mirror, she noticed her belly was starting to stick out. It wasn't long before she had to admit to herself that she was gaining weight. Michael had been encouraging her to indulge in rich foods and decadent desserts, telling her how sexy she looked with a little extra padding. At first, she was self-conscious, but as the pounds piled on, she began to feel more and more confident in her own skin.

One day, Lena realized that none of her jeans fit her anymore. Her belly was too big, and it kept popping out of the waistband. She decided to go to the mall to buy some new clothes. As she walked around the stores, she couldn't help but notice the stares she was getting from other shoppers. Some of them were judging her for her size, but others seemed envious of her curves.

It was then that she saw an old university friend that she hadn't seen in years. Lena was excited to catch up with her, but when her friend noticed her protruding belly, she immediately assumed Lena was pregnant. Lena was too embarrassed to correct her and decided to go along with the assumption. Her friend offered to help her find some clothes that would fit her "pregnant" body, and Lena was grateful for the help.

As they walked from store to store, Lena struggled to keep up with her friend's brisk pace. She was out of breath and had to stop and rest frequently. Her friend was concerned and asked if she was okay. Lena didn't want to admit the truth, so she just nodded and asked for her friend to slow down a bit.

After they had found some new clothes that would fit her "pregnant" body, Lena said goodbye to her friend and left the mall. As she walked to her car, she couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. On the one hand, she was ashamed that her friend had assumed she was pregnant because of her weight gain, but on the other hand, she was grateful for Michael's encouragement and love. She knew that she had gained weight, but she also knew that she was happier and more confident than she had ever been before.