chapter 1: introduction...

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes with plump fingers, her square glasses laying on the pages of the labor intensive homework that had consumed her entire day. For perhaps the tenth time that night, she leaned back into a long, feline stretch; the chair groaned and her curls hung down like a golden curtain behind her chubby face. The massive t-shirt that had served as a spacious sleep-shirt at the start of Freshman year now stretched tight at the end of Sophomore year, eighty pounds later. Not that Gretchen had ever been svelte; now her dough-girl middle was barely contained by the heroic efforts of her shirt and jeans.

Next to the empty plate on her desk, once laden with chocolate chip cookies, was her clock with the news of midnight. Looking at those bright red numbers through her specs produced a groan. Gretchen placed both hands dramatically on the table, forced herself to check her figures one last time, and upon seeing that they indeed lined up according to her expectations: she stood up. That was it, she decided, that was done; she closed a half dozen books on the finer points of complicated equations and their use in various applications.

Her tummy gurgled and she blushed, looking at the plate that she'd filled and emptied several times already that day. Still, there was a sweet scent wafting into her room and that meant her landlady was thinking of her. The prospect of hearing Zelda's nurturing, sweet voice after a hard day was too tempting on its own. Gretchen padded down the hall to the kitchen. She waddled a bit. When she first moved in Gretchen was mostly petite, short and only slightly soft; now she waddled. Her thighs were almost as big around as her waist from a year and a half ago. Her belly rubbed against her upper thighs when standing.

She followed the sweet, warm scent of baking right up to the kitchen counter. Zelda was testing a fresh batch of round gingerbread cookies with a single inquisitive finger; they were apparently cool enough and ready for frosting. The landlady was almost a full head taller than her housemate, lean and graceful. She was also at least ten years older; or so she said, Gretchen refused to believe that Zelda was a day over 29. Her midnight purple dress clung elegantly to her statuesque frame. Zelda slinked around the counter with a cookie upheld in offer at the level of Gretchen's mouth.

Where Gretchen was short, Zelda was tall. Where the one was slim and sleek, the other was round and overflowing. Where the student was cherubic, the lady of the house was motherly.

"And here's my good girl, working so hard all day and so late into the night." Zelda's voice was soothing. "All finished at last? Should I reward you?"

"Oh, I don't know..." Gretchen's voice actually cracked a bit. She flushed a deep crimson and could not for the life of her take her eyes away from Zelda's. She patted her belly, high up near her small, pert breasts. "I've been having so many sweets today..."

Gretchen stopped in mid sentence to utter, a faint, almost inaudible gasp as Zelda laid a delicate hand on the full of her belly. The palm was cushioned by the pudge around her belly button and the fingers gingerly teased the under-belly that filled out the front of her jeans. Zelda let the moment linger for a few heartbeats, a wicked grin formed in her eyes. The two left unspoken how not quite chaste the gesture was.

"I won't hear it dumpling. You've worked so hard, my good girl, work before play." Zelda brought the cookie, still warm from the oven, over to her captivated guest's lips and fed it to her, bite by bite. "But after work does come play. I know it's too late to properly reward you, but I can fix you a glass of warm milk to help you sleep. What time is your class in the morning?"

"Seven..." Replied Gretchen, still blushing, between mouthfuls.

"Seven, so you'll be out by eight thirty, is that right?" Asked Zelda, who received a nod. "Well then, when you get back at nine you can look forward to a fresh, hot brunch, all of your favorites. I'll set you up on the couch and get you all settled, then we can take our time."

"Oh... Miss Zelda... that sounds lovely... You do take such good care of me." Gretchen said, her voice a bit more breathy than she probably intended. "It's certainly having an effect on my girlish figure..."

"Nonsense and tut-tut, my sweet." Said Zelda, pretending to admonish. "You are the sweetest, loveliest guest I've ever had. Studious, polite, and you even love my cooking. You deserve a reward. But for now, it's late. Off to bed with you! I'll bring you the milk and tuck you in, in a minute."

When Zelda patted Gretchen on the cheek, the girl's heart skipped a beat. She padded off back down the hall, obediently, her cheeks still crimson.

"Oh, just the one thing sweetie..." Said Zelda as she watched her waddling housemate. "You're still coming to my big dinner on Saturday?"

"Of course! I won't miss it for the world!" Replied a sleepy, rosy Gretchen.

Zelda waited till the girl was down the hallway and behind the bedroom door, dressing for bed, to move. She took out both glass and cream, then tapped the beverage with a finger that glowed at the tip. The cream was warm, instantly, in the glass.

"My sweetest guest for dinner, how perfect." Said Zelda in whisper. "Just like my plump, perfect Gretchen."