Chapter 6 - gobble gobble gobble

Chelsea was filled with excitement. Despite how horrible the last few days had been since her latest incident with Brent, she was now boarding a plane to return home and enjoy Thanksgiving with Jason's parents.

The cross-country flight took only a few hours but Chelsea found herself starving by the time she landed. The experience brought attention to just how much her appetite had increased over the past few months. She had gotten so used to constantly eating or planning to eat something, that her stomach now rumbled after a few short hours without nourishment

"Boy, I don't think I've ever been as dependent on food as I am now. It's a little scary but also...fun," Chelsea thought to herself while absent-mindedly admiring her growing pudge.
"Huh, what I am thinking? This is just temporary. As soon as I've dealt with Brent, I'll lose this weight. For now though, I've gotta eat..."

~*~*~*~

"Chels!&qu ot; Jason exclaimed as he opened the front door.

Chelsea stood waiting with her luggage in tow; her black Eddie Bauer parka was unzipped and underneath she wore a warm-looking, scarlet sweater; she also sported a nice looking pair of khaki pants. Jason embraced her tightly and they shared an intense kiss. "God, I'm so happy to finally see you in person again!"

"Me too. It's so good to be home!"

As Jason ushered Chelsea inside the living room and took her coat and bag, he watched as she was quickly surrounded by several of his relatives who approached her and struck up conversation. Approximately a half an hour later, Jason's mother announced dinner with a half-yell.

As the living room cleared, Jason and Chelsea lagged behind, giving them their second brief moment alone.

"Thank God. I couldn't take anymore from Uncle Mark, droning on about his trip to the Bahamas. Plus, I'm pretty sure he was trying to discern if my little belly was from a pregnancy or not," Chelsea said exasperatedly.

"Haha, well you must admit - it does incite the imagination..." Jason said while pinching Chelsea's flabby hips that flowed overtop her pants. It was the first time he had touched her in months, and he was surprised at just how soft she had become.

Chelsea stuck out her tongue playfully. "Well, I'll be sure to clarify that I'm just fat - sorry, getting fat - over dinner." She gave him a peck on the cheek and added, "C'mon, I'm starved."

They entered the dining room where about 12 of Jason's family members and relatives sat on either side of long, sprawling dinner table. The feast was set with all sorts of mouthwatering foods including sweet potato casserole, brussel sprouts, cheese grits, stuffing, green beans with bacon, dinner rolls, gravy, cranberry sauce, and of course, a very large, roast turkey.

Dinner was served shortly after Jason and Chelsea took their places, which was near the head of the table, by Jason's mother and father. Chelsea wasted no time in stocking her plate full. Moreover, she dispelled any hint of pregnancy by requesting a bottle of beer, which she cracked open and began to guzzle down without delay.

While everyone else seemed to be savoring and enjoying the delectable Thanksgiving meal, an outside observer might have thought that Chelsea was engaged in some sort of eating contest, as she gobbled down her food as though she hadn't eaten in days.

"Mrs. Proudmoore, could you please pour me some gravy and add a dollop of potatoes to my plate?" she asked of Jason's mother, who obliged her request with a modest amount of each.

"Oh, please, I'll have much more than that. I want to make sure I get my fill. It's been so long since I've had such a wonderful home-cooked meal like this!"

Jason's mother blushed at how much Chelsea seemed to enjoy the meal. As the dinner wore on, Chelsea became more and more indulgent. She requested another beer, which again she downed quickly. She heaped another pile of turkey onto her plate and surrounded it with stuffing and green beans which she slathered in thick, brown, and high-calorie gravy. She smothered two cracked pepper dinner rolls in a generous amount of butter and used them as sponges to soak up the remnants of her meal, so that nothing would be wasted.

After about 45 minutes, Chelsea's ravenous pace began to flag and she started to become more aware of the strain of her increasingly full stomach pressing against her the button of her khaki pants. Jason's uncle, who had kept a keen eye on Chelsea throughout the dinner and was now a little tipsy, felt compelled to share his thoughts with his nephew.

The uncle elbowed Jason and said in a hushed voice, "I think she ate more than you." It was quite the comment, given that Jason was a former high school football player who stood at 6'0" and weighed about 185 pounds. "Are you starving that girl or something?"

Jason rolled his eyes and added in a polite voice that contained a hint of irritation, "She lives on the other side of the country and is going through a tough time at work."

"Oh...I...uh...sorry?" ; said Jason's uncle, the smile disappearing quickly from his face as realized that he had perhaps crossed a line.

"It's okay. She can eat as much as she wants," Jason replied with a wry smile. "I actually like her 'healthy' appetite."

The uncle felt more comfortable and let out a raucous laugh as he slapped Jason on the back.

Soon afterwards, the dinner plates were removed and conversation began to die down. Jason's mother announced that dessert in the form of pumpkin pie with a walnut crust was being served in the kitchen, though she knew that there would likely be few takers - the Proudmoore's weren't keen on dessert. She was surprised, then, when Chelsea waltzed into the kitchen a few moments later.

"That was a fantastic dinner, Mrs. Proudmoore. You really did a wonderful job..." Chelsea said, her voice trailing off as she spotted the pumpkin pie. "That looks delicious! May I have some?"

"Well, off course Chelsea," Mrs. Proudmoore replied, beaming from ear to ear. She cut Chelsea a large slice of pie and liberally applied the whipped topping. "I'm so glad that someone can appreciate my cooking!"

The two chatted in the kitchen while the rest of the family watched football. Chelsea scarfed down the slice of pie in a matter of minutes as her stomach stretched to accommodate her continued consumption. Afterwards, they rejoined the family in the living room for the end of the game. Jason noticed that Chelsea returned with yet another beer, her third since dinner. He also watched as she helped herself to some of the snacks that had been put out more as a gesture than anything, as everyone was too full to eat anymore. As she ate and drank almost compulsively she occasionally looked at Jason and nodded her head as if to flaunt how much she was packing away. At various points she squirmed in her seat, looking for a position to comfort her bloated belly, until she finally gave up the struggle, unbuttoning her pants and slouching lazily.

By 10:00 PM, most of the relatives had left and Jason and Chelsea were each drinking another beer; Chelsea was more than a little tipsy. After they finished, they staggered upstairs, closed Jason's bedroom door, and collapsed onto his bed.

"I'm so full..." Jason said as he pretended to moan.

"Oh shut up!" Chelsea replied, swatting Jason's arm lightly and clumsily. "I easily ate more than you and you know it...I win! Now for my prize..." She leaned in and began to kiss him. He could taste the alcohol on her breath and tongue. Instinctively, he reached toward her middle and began to grope, but she pulled away.

"Not a good idea...I really am full," Chelsea moaned. "Ugh...in fact, I think I might need to drop the kids off at the pool."

Jason looked puzzled, having never heard that phrase before. "Huh?"

"I have to take a dump, you idiot!"

They laughed and then Chelsea made her way downstairs to the bathroom; the house appeared quiet. As she neared the door she felt a pressure rise in her stomach. Being somewhat drunk, disinhibited, and fairly certain that the coast was clear, she placed her hands on her swollen middle and let loose with a deep, resounding belch.

"Jason Proudmoore, I heard that!" called a voice from the kitchen.

Chelsea blanched as she recognized the voice as Jason's mother's. She winced and turned to face the voice. When she opened her eyes she saw Mrs. Proudmoore's head pop out from the kitchen.

"Oh! Chelsea...I didn't realize..." she said, appearing utterly flabbergasted.

Chelsea's face shined bright red with embarrassment. "Excuse me! I'm so sorry!" she managed to say before ducking into the bathroom. She sat there for a few minutes, replaying the humiliating moment in her head before relieving herself. Much her to continued shame, she found that her trip to the bathroom required more work than expected.

"Thank God for plungers..." Chelsea thought as she left to rejoin Jason. Before she made it up the stairs, she stopped in the kitchen to have just one more snack before bed.

"Did you fall in?" Jason asked when Chelsea finally returned.

With a sardonic tone, Chelsea described her escapades and the fact that she couldn't help but stuff her face afterwards with another slice of pie.

"That's impressive, especially that you managed to get pie on your clothes," Jason said dryly, pointing out the new stain on Chelsea's sweater.

Chelsea couldn't help but laugh at how pathetic she felt and looked. "I'm a total slob! Sorry you have to date someone so disgusting." She didn't actually seem upset or sorry though; it was more amazement that she could act so slovenly.

It was a silly situation, but an idea flashed in Jason's mind. "I don't mind, but I know someone who might."