Chapter 1 - The last conversation

"Is everything alright Stasia?" Gloria spoke into the phone. Gloria had planned on meeting her girlfriend at the gym almost an hour earlier, but Stasia had yet to have arrived.

Loud traffic noises cut off the first part of Stasia's reply, "...took forever to find workout clothes that fit, now I'm in rush hour. Today just isn't my day..." came Stasia's sweet, alto voice in return. "Ugh... are you sure you want to do this?"

Gloria chuckled, "Stasia, I think you answered your own question. If your workout clothes aren't fitting anymore, it's time. Listen, we've been living together for a year now, and your home cooking has been too good to both of us. I've gone up 2 pants sizes since you started taking cooking classes, if you're going to keep spoiling me we're gonna have to make some other lifestyle changes."

Stasia laughed, "you say that, but honestly I think you look good with some fullness on your figure! C'mon, why don't we skip the gym tonight and I'll make that chicken parm recipe we've been wanting to try."

"You tried to get out of working out with me last week the same way... I made sure to eat before working out girlie, that's not going to work again." Gloria shot back, although admittedly, she was feeling her mouth moisten with the thought of rich, tomato-smothered chicken sliding into her mouth.

"You can't see me... but I'm wearing my pouty face right now... fine, we'll work out... but just remember you could have been enjoying my cooking instead of..."

"Instead of what?" Gloria replied, but no sound came through the other end of the phone. After a few seconds of silence, the call ended. Gloria shrugged, Stasia must have gone through a tunnel. Gloria resumed running on the elliptical machine, feeling her lungs burn as her soft, out-of-shape body began once again to exert itself.

"She'll come around..." Gloria thought to herself, "once we get into a workout routine, we'll both get so tight and toned... we'll be the hottest ladies on the block... and we'll be able to eat whatever we want to."

Despite her earlier denials, Gloria felt her stomach gurgle in anticipation. While she didn't want to admit it, she would much rather be eating her wonderful partner's cooking than exercising right now.

"Oh well, I'm sure there will still be time tonight." She continued thinking, "I'm sure the food will taste all the better after we've worked up an appetite."

She had no way of knowing at that moment, Stasia would never be cooking for her again, well, at least in the way she had come to expect.