chapter 1

Jim was nearly beside himself. He felt like he had exhausted all possibilities, but still they remained at an impasse. He still remembered his first few months with Heather.

She was a dynamo, quite effectively pulling the rug out from under him. Tall, at around 5'9", with the kind of curves he had only dreamed about, Jim thought she was the picture of physical perfection. He had almost not wanted to get to know her at all, afraid that the inside couldn't match the outside.

How wonderfully he had been surprised when discovering that in fact that her personality was even more lovely. Gracious, loving, and selfless with a sparkling wit and a double-serving of playfulness, Jim had never stood a chance.

But then life broke her. Everything had been going great, and to Jim's delight, Heather's curves were becoming more . . . curvaceous . . . as they dated. Then one day she overheard a few coworkers say something mean about her weight behind her back. And her sister made a callous remark the following weekend along the lines of "don't blimp up as soon as you get a boyfriend".

At first it didn't seem like a big deal. Sure, Jim noticed a few more salads on her plate, and he occasionally caught her frowning at her reflection in the mirror, but he simply made an effort to compliment her figure more and reassure her that she didn't need to lose a single pound.

Alas, however, the noxious seed had taken root deep within her brain. Despite Jim's increasingly vocal insistence, she was convinced he'd leave her if she didn't pare off those extra pounds. And so he watched her waste away and a chasm opened between them that he could not cross. Heather refused to even discuss the matter as she became distant and cold.

Feeling at a loss, grasping at straws, Jim began to wonder if maybe actions would speak louder than words. He began shopping for all her favorite treats, making lavish high-calorie meals, hoping to entice her to indulge and enjoy. Without exception, he found himself rebuffed. She refused even a taste.

Not wanting it all to go to waste, after all it was very good food, Jim found himself unconsciously upping his own intake. So concerned was he with Heather's health, he scarcely noticed his own stomach begin to soften and round.

By the time he did start to realize that his pants weren't buttoning and that he was carrying an extra 12 or so pounds, he was so distraught about his relationship that he didn't even care. A habit had formed, however, and Jim found himself eating more and more. Clothing began to pinch and tug and he simply boxed it up to take to Goodwill. His formerly flat stomach bulged out into a pronounced half-sphere, but he did nothing to cut back.

One evening, getting ready for bed in a sad silence as had become their custom, Jim realized that he had to really pull at his pajama pants to get them up around his waist. Unemotionally, he appraised his growing gut and made a mental note to pick up some new bottoms, unaware that Heather was doing some frank appraisal of her own.

Lights off, Jim settled in for sleep without so much as a "good night" or perfunctory kiss. To his surprise, Heather turned toward him after a few moments and rested her hand on his rising midsection. Physical contact had all but evaporated between them, so at first he was scared to respond lest he scare her off.

Once she started rubbing his paunch, her hand drifting down to his straining waistband, he took a chance and turned to face her. They melded together, shucking clothes, and it felt like coming home. Even after it had ended, not a word had been spoken, but Jim's heart was still refreshed.