Chapter 2

***Three weeks later***

Lily frowned at her reflection, her slender fingers tracing the slight curve that had appeared on her belly. A curve that shouldn’t have been there. She chewed on her bottom lip as she scrutinized her reflection. She was Lily; beautiful, red-haired, and slim. Or, at least, she used to be.

Her neighbors. Her so-called friends. The invitations. The food. The drinks. Her curiosity.

She groaned, collapsing onto her bed. All the desserts, the cocktails, and all the other foods she couldn’t resist after the first piece. She sighed, her mind drifting back to the first incident.

She’d been passing by Mrs. Thompson’s house, when the older woman waved her in, insisting she try her new chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Lily caved in and ended up eating six of the delicious cookies, her waistline protesting with every bite. But those cookies, the aroma, the taste – heavenly.

A week after that, Mr. Rodriguez, the jolly man who loved his Latin dishes, invited her over to sample his paella. Lily, having never tried a real Spanish dish before, arrived starved and left fuller than she ever had.

Then, Miss Helen from across the street, who baked the best pies in town, invited her over to try her latest raspberry pie creation.

Lily barely made it out of that house, held hostage by the divine flavor and texture of the dessert.

It was too much for her to resist.

As days turned into weeks, she’d transformed from Lily, the athletic beauty, into Lily, with an ever-expanding waistline. And now, here she was, trying to understand what had happened to her.

Needing fresh air, Lily stepped out onto her porch and paced back and forth, feeling conflicted over this recent change. The community had bonded over their food, but she hadn’t signed up to gain weight.

Accepting food was just a polite gesture – she hoped. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Her neighbors were just being kind, and food, she remembered, was their love language.

Yet, she couldn't deny the pleasantness when she indulged, the satisfaction of a distended belly that used to be concave. Alcohol flowed like a river, the cocktails she indulged in so sweet she forgot they were potent. The taste intoxicated her, sneaking past her resolve and loosening her inhibitions.

Lily had never been one to let loose, her well-organized life inhibiting the desire to be unpredictable. But now, there was an alluring mystery: she could give in to temptation with the exciting prospect of no consequences.

It turned out, no one else saw her newly fuller figure as an issue. They barely commented on her changing appearance. Instead, the compliments flowed, on how radiant she looked, on her blossoming beauty.

Lily's cheeks flushed at the compliments and alcohol, even as she couldn't help but tug at the waistband of her jeans.

A new neighbor moved in three doors down. He was a man named Marc, tall, dark-haired, and sometimes bearded, with a mischievous glint in his almost-black eyes. Marc specialized in Italian food and, on his first day in the neighborhood, invited Lily over for a homemade spaghetti carbonara.

The dish was rich, indulgent, and had her licking her fingers by the end.

Noticing a peculiar pattern, Lily tried to distance herself, citing reasons like watching her diet and working overtime. But Marc persisted, often with a lasagna, or more accurately, a gesture of kindness that was far too difficult for her to resist.

Lily became weary, wondering if every encounter would revolve around food and drink.

Being an introvert, Lily felt exhausted from living up to the expectations of her gregarious neighbors. She longed for some peace and quiet, and a break from the all-encompassing embrace of her welcoming neighborhood. She decided on a walk around the quaint, tree-lined streets she called home, hoping to find a tiny sliver of solitude.

Her quiet stroll led her to the hidden pocket park her neighbors rarely used, nestled between two rows of houses. The rustling of leaves and the distant hum of cars melded into a familiar symphony that soothed her.

Grateful for a moment of stillness, she found a worn wooden bench and sat down. The scent of damp earth greeted her, a calming influence that seemed to hush her anxiety.

Taking advantage of the quiet and calmness, Lily's hands explored the new swell of her belly and felt the tightness of her shirt and pants.

Her heart raced at the reality of the changes she was experiencing. In a moment of vulnerability, she allowed her hands to rest there, embracing her newfound fullness. Her fingers brushed over her belt loop, exploring the tautness of the material. Lily's breath hitched, her hands trembling slightly as she felt the shift in her body.

A question popped into her head: how much further would this go? A quiet voice whispered that there could be more, but Lily shook her head, trying to shoo away the thought. She was merely embracing her changing physique, after all. Nothing more.

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she glanced around the small park.

The rustle of leaves and the faint sound of a dog barking in the distance broke the silence. The tranquility lulled her into a sense of security, allowing her thoughts to drift. When had she ever allowed herself to feel like this before? Despite her curiosity, she harbored a quiet unease. Maybe it was time to set some boundaries.

Lily wrestled with her thoughts, still unable to shake the image of her swelling belly. There had to be a middle ground, a way for her to maintain her personal boundaries without shunning her neighbors' warm gestures.

A grin began to emerge as she mulled over possibilities. The town's annual bake-off! She could rally the community together in a group effort, potentially reducing the number of one-on-one invites to enjoy an exquisite dish.