Chapter 15 - the season to be feasting: part 1

39.
Faye did not remember much of her dream. As she woke she could recall only a faint impression of comforting darkness and of warm earth, of tree roots slowly sucking moisture from deep within the ground where the chill in the air far above could not reach.

Though very pleasant Faye's dream had not been nearly as wonderful as the warm bed in which she had upon waking once again found herself, nor had it been as wonderful as the rich scent which, once she'd come fully to her senses, she'd found wafting into her nostrils from the bakery far below.

Promptly forgetting all about her dream Faye let out a contented sigh as she took in this new wonderful odour. So rich and spicy, she recognised within it a hint of both nutmeg and cinnamon. But though several of its elements were familiar to her the scent as a whole was like nothing she had ever smelled before. Having taken another deep breath of it Faye knew she had to find out more.

Shivering as she pulled her covers aside she sat up on her bed and set her bare feet down upon the cold wooden floor beneath it. As she walked out into the chilly attic hallway outside her room Faye paid little thought to the way her bare thighs were rubbing one against the other with every step she took. She considered neither how her every footfall made her doughy belly jiggle and bounce nor how tightly the fabric of her skin-tight nightgown clung to her spreading figure.

Having walked sluggishly down the stairs, each step creaking under her feet, Faye made her way into the living room, where she found herself confronted with one of the strangest sights she'd ever seen.

Leaving the room with a confounded look on her face Faye slowly made her way down another flight of stairs until she reached the bakery. There she found Oscar, Maggie, Annie, and Niall all gathered, each of them working, apparently, on some sort of treat.

40.
Niall heard the sensitive old floorboards of the bakery creak with Faye's approach. These days, with the world outside the Kendrick's old house cold and dark, covered in a thin sheet of pristine snow, it'd become a rare thing for the girl to make her way all the way down to the bakery on the bottom floor. Growing day by day more sleepy and sedentary Niall had started to wonder if the girl hadn't decided to hibernate through the winter. To rest and store in her body all the energy that she could.

If so she was doing a good job of it. Over the last few months Faye had been absorbing calories like a sponge might water. Her pudgy paunch had turned into a bouncing gut and her thighs, having grown thicker and softer, had started ever so slightly to rub as she walked. Her arms had grown wider and meatier, covered now in a layer of flab that drooped as she reached them into the air. Even her pretty face had changed, the once sharp line of her jaw now lost to a slight second chin, a quivering little pouch of fat rounding out her once lean countenance. With the last few months having put nearly another 25 pounds on her figure Faye was now undoubtedly a very chubby girl.

Though her figure had all but exploded outwards Faye still insisted on wearing the nightgown Annie had lent her a little less than a half a year ago. No longer loose and comfy it clung to her figure, outlining in great detail every bulge and fold of her doughy body.

Looking at the girl as she walked through the doorway Niall wondered if she realised just how much damage her poor habits had already done to her once so stunning figure. Though no doubt aware that she wasn't as slim as she'd used to be he wondered if she realised just how out of hand her weight had gotten. As listless and lethargic as the last few months had made her he doubted it. She probably preferred simply to keep herself cosy and warm, her mind lost in a slothful, food-addled haze as she ignored all that was happening around her.

Really, thought Niall, a smile on his face; if Faye wasn't worried about her weight then why ought he to bother her about it.

Still, as the girl, huffing ever so slightly after having made her way down all those stairs, sat herself down on a spare chair Niall couldn't help but think that something was bothering her. Her eyes were wide, her brow furrowed, as though she'd just seen something very strange. Only moments later Niall learned exactly what it was that had Faye so confounded.

"Um," said the girl, her voice soft; "are you all aware that there's a huge tree in your living room?"

41.
"A tree?" repeated Niall, one eyebrow raised, a surprised smile on his face.

"Well yes," said Faye; "there's a big fir just standing in the corner of the room. Why is that?"

As Oscar, Maggie, Annie and Niall all exchanged a series of confused looks Faye couldn't help but to feel somehow a little stupid. A feeling that only grew deeper once Annie broke into a fit of giggles.

"Sorry," said the now quite slim daughter of the house; "are you having a laugh?"

"No," said Faye, a pout on her lips as she glanced up at the chestnut-haired girl; "why would I be?"

"Oh come on," said Annie; "you must know what a Christmas tree is?"

"Maybe," said Faye, suddenly indignant as she shook her head; "but I don't."

Once again all four of the others exchanged a series of strange looks.

"Well," said Oscar Kendrick, a slight but warm smile on his heavy face; "if you don't know you'll soon find out."

"Yeah," beamed Maggie; "believe me; you've got a lot to look forward to in the next several days."

"If you like you can help dress it later," added Niall.

"Dress what?" asked Faye, her brow furrowed.

"The tree of course," Niall grinned.

"Dress the tree?" said Faye, her face a confused grimace. "Nevermind-" she sighed "-I'm sure I'll find out. So," she said, changing the subject; "what are you all working on anyways?"

"These," said Niall, gesturing to a platter he'd only recently pulled out of the oven; "are Christmas treats?"

"Christmas treats?"

"Do you want to try one?" asked Niall, an amused smile on his face.

Faye responded with an eager nod.

"Be careful," said Niall as he put the platter down beside her; "they're still a little hot."

Having sniffed the brown, crunchy-looking, strangely shaped treats the tall, wild-haired man had just handed her Faye recognised their scent as the same one that'd first driven her downstairs. A gleeful grin on her face she swiftly popped one into her mouth. A few crumbs rolling down her chin the taste caused her to let out a satisfied sigh.

"What are these?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"Those," answered Niall; "are gingerbread men."