Chapter 1

Cole had always loved the quiet, predictable rhythms of small-town life. As a DoorDash courier in the sleepy town of Maplewood, he had come to know the winding streets and familiar faces that made up his daily route. His life was simple, but he took pride in his work, always delivering food with a smile and a kind word.

One hot summer afternoon, as Cole was sitting in his truck and browsing through his list of deliveries, a new order popped on his screen. The name was Emily D., and the delivery instructions were unlike any he had ever seen: "Please bring to bedside. I am bedridden."

Curiosity and a sense of duty prompted him to accept the order. When he arrived at McDonald's to collect the order, he was surprised just how much food Emily had ordered. When he arrived at Emily's address a few minutes later, he found a modest apartment complex on the edge of town. Cole carried the food to the door, took a deep breath not knowing what to expect on the other side, and knocked gently.

A soft voice called from inside, "Come in, it's open."

Cole pushed the door open to find a tidy but dimly lit studio apartment. The stale air was filled with the faint scent of grease and something sweet, like cookies just out of the oven. As he stepped inside, he saw Emily for the first time. She was lying in bed, propped up by a mountain of pillows. Her face was round and kind, with deep, expressive eyes that seemed to hold a world of unspoken stories.

"Hi, I'm Cole, your DoorDash driver," he said, trying to mask his nervousness with a friendly smile.

"Hi Cole, I'm Emily. Thanks for bringing the food all the way in here," she replied, her voice warm and welcoming.

As Cole handed her the bags, he couldn't help but notice how Emily's immense size affected her every movement and consideration. She was morbidly obese, easily the fattest woman Cole had ever seen in real life, if not the fattest person period. It was clear that her mobility was severely limited by all the excess weight on her relatively small frame. She wore a loose, flowing dress that some would call a "muumuu," that looked comfortable but also left little to the imagination about the challenges she faced, revealing swollen tree-trunk legs that hurt to move even the smallest amount.

Despite her physical condition, Emily exuded a sense of positivity that was contagious. Over the next few weeks, Cole found himself looking forward to his deliveries to her apartment. Emily would often order twice a day, and each time Cole arrived, they would chat for a few minutes. They talked about everything--books, movies, the weather, and even the little quirks of Maplewood's residents.

One evening, as Coleg brought in Emily's dinner, he noticed a stack of books on her bedside table. "You like to read?" he asked.

Emily's face lit up. "I love it. It's one of the few things I can still do without too much discomfort. Right now, I'm reading a historical romance. It's my favorite genre."

Cole smiled. "I've always been more of a thriller guy myself, but maybe you could recommend something for me to try?"

Emily's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Oh, absolutely! I have the perfect book in mind. It's got a little bit of everything--romance, adventure, history. And the main character is a big..." Emily caught herself in her excitement and stammered, "She's a, she's um, you know, like me. Anyway, I think you'll love it."