Chapter 1

A human being comprises many different parts. Physical aspects of the body-the heart to pump blood and the lungs to breathe oxygen-are important, but the mind and personality equally contribute to a person’s being. The unconscious, the subconscious, the repressed, and other factors that lie beneath a consciousness piece together one’s essence. Not every aspect is of equal importance, but every now and then something jostles, something switches around. An angry individual finds the importance of calm reflection. A humble soul finds great pride in their life’s work. Unimportant tidbits of a person rush front and center. Humans are subject to change, plain and simple. It’s possible that even a thin woman, with fitness on the mind her entire life, becomes very, very fat.

Cassandra is a happy wife, mother, marketer, and fitness enthusiast. Exercising and eating right her entire life, she remains a trim and lean woman when many others in similar shoes accept softer and wider lives. Cassandra’s cheery personality and good looks serve her well in the business realm. Marketing, she found, was not always about ideas, but the person presenting them. Her lean body and flat stomach often won board members over more than a competitor with love handles and a jiggle in her step. She knew it was unfair, but couldn’t do much about it.

Her husband, Roy, a kind and diligent man, and their daughter, Connie, a quick-witted and empathetic freshman in community college, are all she ever wanted of a family. She loves them both throughout the ups and downs of life, even with Connie’s 19 year old rebellious streak flaring up now and again. Cheezit, Connie’s orange cat, fits in to this picture perfect existence too. Life is good for Cassandra.

Morning on Saturday means time for a light breakfast for every member of the family and an early start to their days. Despite her elegant and desirable features, Cassandra is not a narcissist or demeaning to others less fortunate, but she took pride in her appearance: the lean long limbs she glides across rooms with, a thin waist that with the right belt accentuates her slimness but also her light, feminine curves, and an angelic face resists the softening jawline and thicker neck that time bestows to many women. This was her body and she felt good about it.


Cassandra hustled down the stairs in running gear to find Roy filling up his gym water bottle and Connie working on a school project. “Morning mom, going for a run?” Connie looked up from her psychology notes and smiled seeing her maternal parent. “Yep, just wanted to see you both and grab an apple before I do. Not surprised at all to find you working already.” Connie returned to her notes “It’s not like I could just let it sit here. It’s due in two months!” Roy finished filling his bottle. “You must get that from your mother. I slacked at your age. I had to learn the hard way how to get work done on time.” Roy finished filling his bottle. “Oh Cassandra, I know you said you’re going for a run, don’t want to come to the gym today?”
“It’s just such a beautiful day, I’d rather run outside than on a treadmill” Cassandra selected an apple from the bowl to cut in half. “No problem, babe. You have a good run. I’ll be back in a little while and then maybe later we can all do something together. Maybe go to a lake or even just rent a movie.”
Connie popped her head up from her thick book once more. “I’m down, just have to get a little more work done.” The daughter of the family smirked.
“After the gym, you should pick up some candy for mom. I know she’d just love to have some with the movie.” Despite her well established eating habits, Cassandra thoroughly enjoyed chocolate and peanut butter cups. She hadn’t cracked in a few years-an impressive feat considering how good they tatsted-to the sweet tooth occasionally aching her mouth, but her daughter playfully teased her from time to time about her one weakness.

“Ha ha, very funny. No chocolate for me, thank you very much. I’m trying to keep my streak going. You just focus on your work and keep that going.” Cassandra retorted warmly. “But a movie would be nice, dear. Rent a good one, not another cheesy horror this time.” Before Roy responded, Cassandra’s phone went off. She groaned silently; her conversation with her family was interrupted and her run faced delay. She apologized to them and moved to another room to take the call. She knew it was work related but had to act cool about laboring on a weekend.

“Hello?” Cassandra answered right before an energetic voice on the other side eagerly talked.
“Cassandra, it’s Molly, but you already knew that from the caller ID. Sorry. There’s going to be a big client joining our firm, a German chocolate company. I heard from Sarah who heard from Max in HR who heard from Jillian’s secretary, who heard from…”
Cassandra waited patiently for Molly to finish. She didn’t want to be rude, but this was not unusual for her energetic co-worker to talk like this. She blanked out for a moment but returned right as Molly continued with the pertinent information.
“-who heard from Monica that the bosses are thinking about giving it to one of two people, one of those people being you!”
Cassandra smiled. Despite the length of their conversations, Molly meant well and her never ending enthusiasm could be charming, if not exhausting when speaking a mile a minute. But this news was good news, no matter it’s speed.
“Wow!” Cassandra’s excitement brought a smile to her face. “Thanks for telling me right away Molly.” A small sigh escaped from Cassandra’s lips. “This is just what I needed since the McKellen company removed every product line from our firm. Things have been a little stressful around the office. Do you know when they’ll make a decision, wait who’s the other person in the running? “
Molly’s enthusiasm never faltered but it did take her more effort to maintain at times.
“Well, you see, the thing is, we’ll…It’s Krystal.”
Instead of a small sigh, Cassandra couldn’t help but groan at the name. Calling Krystal Cassandra’s rival isn’t exactly correct, as Krystal seemingly made it her business to be everyone’s rival. She was a blonde, skinny, ice queen that stepped over anyone in her way. She was ruthless in the business but she got results. Snooty and quick to point out flaws of others and never her own, her efficacy made no one deny that she was effective.
“Oh Molly, I wanted to hear any other name.”
“Sorry Cassandra! I’m sure you’ll end up getting the account! There’s going to be a couple meetings with the chocolate rep. That’s all I know!”
“I appreciate it nonetheless, Molly. Thanks. I got to go for a run but I’ll talk to you later.”

The messenger reciprocated goodbye and gave one last eager good luck before Cassandra hung up the phone and returned to where she last saw her family. Roy left for the gym and Connie intensely worked on her assignment. It was time to finally go for that run. A quick bye to her daughter and off she went. The day was beautiful with a few fluffy white clouds dotting the blue sky and a sun that warmed the Earth to a perfect temperature. She found a trail near her house that featured an intense, hilly path. Cassandra’s muscles reliably propelled her forward. Her breathing increased but steadied. Her calves flexed pushing her up a hill. She hadn’t even broken a sweat. While her physical form worked, Cassandra’s mind raced alongside her. Krystal was going to be a tough competitor for this client. Her thoughts moved to all the times Krystal bullied people in the office. Even Cassandra, trim and slim as she is, did not escape the occasional snide comment. She couldn’t believe when Krystal mocked her comparatively smaller breasts in front of the other ladies at the office, the first time they met too. It was all rudeness with her. And a big client, some German chocolate company was going to be up for grabs. She better do her research. Good looks could only get you so far: talking about a product one was unfamiliar with could turn a presentation ugly, fast. When was the the last time she even had chocolate? Maybe at a friend’s party? Maybe Roy or Connie knew. It definitely wasn’t at the work party, she made sure to—.
Cassandra’s foot slipped on the hilly and uneven trail. She fell down before she could catch herself, bonking her head on a sidelined rock. Her eyes fluttered. Black inkiness replaced the world.