Chapter 1
Paradise, Texas; Population 451. Located about 65 miles northwest of Dallas, the speck of a town had more churches than people. I first encountered the aptly named villa on my way back to Houston from Oklahoma City, where I'd been stationed for the past week while meeting with a potential new client for work. A wrong turn off of I-35 put me miles off course, and I hadn't passed anything but cotton fields and cow pastures for what seemed like hours.
Now, my rented Altima was running on fumes, and I didn't know if I could make it another ten minutes down the road, much less the hour or more it would take to reach the relative civilization of Dallas. So, with the silver Nissan threatening to die at any moment, I coasted into the gravel-covered parking lot of 'Pearl's Diner and Petrol' to give my trusty steed a much needed drink.
It was mid-July, and the sweltering Texas sun beat down on my already perspiring brow as I popped the gas cap and dug my wallet out of the back pocket of my jeans. I was about to swipe my credit card when I realized that the rusty old pump was no better equipped to accept plastic than it was to suddenly become sentient and begin singing and dancing for me. So, with my forehead wet and dust in my eyes, I trudged inside, hoping I had enough cash for a fill-up in case they didn't take cards in there, either.
A bell chimed as I opened the squeaky wooden door of the diner, and like some bad movie cliché, it seemed like all of the patrons turned to watch my entrance before quietly turning back to their meals. I found more cash in my wallet than I'd expected, and having been on the road all day decided to rest my bones and give Pearl's food a shot. After all, the locals seemed to be enjoying it. I took a seat at the counter and grabbed a menu from a tray that hung next to me.
"I'll be right with you!" I heard a woman's voice shout from the kitchen.
Pearl sounded too young to have a name like Pearl.
That's when the kitchen door swung open, and out walked the most beautiful creature I'd ever laid eyes on. She was average height, probably 110 or 115 pounds with pink pouting lips and sparkling green eyes. Her face radiated beauty, even through the haze of the smoking griddle, and it was perfectly complimented by her raven hair which was mostly obscured by the beige wool-knit beanie she was wearing, presumably as an alternate form of hairnet. She wore a pink apron over her black shirt and khaki capris, and just above her glorious left breast was a nameplate that said 'Olivia'.
Olivia. What a perfect name.
"Sorry for the wait, darlin'. I'll just be a minute." She said as she passed me carrying three plates of food.
Now, I wouldn't call myself an ugly guy. Pretty average-looking overall. I could probably stand to lose a few pounds, but that's not the point. I have an anxiety issue when it comes to the fairer sex. Being a nerd in the purest sense of the word, I've always had trouble talking to women for irrational reasons. It's not that I intentionally avoid them, it's simply that I don't make it a point to actively initiate conversation for fear of sounding like a fool. I mention this because at that moment, I desperately wanted to shed that tragic character flaw and just chat with this girl until there was no more air left in my lungs. But now wasn't that time, so instead I sat quietly on my stool like a schoolboy trying to hide from his new crush.
Olivia, as I now knew her, carried the three steaming plates of breakfast goodies to a table of old-timers sitting in the booth by the diner's entrance. I could hear one of them complaining that he ordered his eggs sunny side up, followed by Olivia politely apologizing and bringing his order back with her behind the counter. I expected her to toss it in the garbage, but instead she sat it under the counter and pulled out a small notepad and pencil from her grease-stained apron.
"Sorry about that." She smiled, baring her perfect teeth in all their pearly white glory. "Now what can I getcha?"
I hesitated as I realized that I had been fully distracted by Olivia's entrance and had neglected to even glance at the menu I'd been holding for the past three minutes.
"Uh, well. I couldn't decide. Do you have any suggestions?"
Smooth recovery.
"Well, I'm actually still pretty new here, so I haven't gotten to try everything on the menu yet. But, I do know that I make a pretty mean plate of migas." She said cheerily.
"Migas it is." I replied, flipping the menu closed.
I had no clue what migas was.
"Sure thing, hun. Just let me remake Carl's breakfast," she gestured towards the crotchety old man from earlier "and I'll whip you up the best migas you've ever tasted!"
Considering they're the ONLY migas I've ever tasted, I suppose they'll win by default.
About ten minutes later, I was fighting the urge to doze off when Olivia emerged from the kitchen with a large ceramic plate which she sat in front of me.
"There ya go. Now tell me if that ain't the best plate of migas in Texas." She said, smiling at me once again.
I could tell she wasn't going to look away until I tried it, so I unrolled my napkin-wrapped fork and scooped up a small bite of what appeared to be scrambled eggs with peppers and onions in it. With an unperceivable shrug of my shoulders, I popped the warm, fluffy mound into my mouth and started chewing.
"Wow." I said, my eyes widening. "Wow! This is fantastic! What's in this?" I asked, no longer caring if she knew that I had no idea what I had ordered.
"Well, let's see. There's eggs, jalapenos, diced tomato and onion, tortilla strips, a little cumin and garlic powder, some pepper jack cheese, and some salt and pepper. Nothing to it, really." She said, sounding proud.
"Well, simple or not, you know the right combination. To be honest, until you just explained it, I had no idea what migas was."
"Ha-ha, what are you, a Yankee?" She giggled.
I blushed. "Actually, I'm from Houston. Born and raised."
"Really? And you've never had migas? Weird..." She raised her eyebrows in a mocking fashion.
"I guess I'm not usually very adventurous when it comes to food." I said with a laugh.
"Well, you're missing out!" She said. "There's so much out there to try. I don't know how I would live if I didn't try everything I possibly could. Of course, there isn't really much to try in Paradise, other than the concoctions the old ladies cook up for the Sunday pot lucks at church. You'd be surprised at the creativity of some of the dishes those crazy women come up with. Nearly all of it is fantastic, though."
"So, I take it you're fairly religious, then?" I asked, genuinely interested.
"Nah, not really. I mean, I go to church on Sundays, but I wouldn't say I'm exactly devout." She said, grinning.
Not wanting to get into a theological discussion with my future wife so early in our relationship, I decided to change the subject.
"So, are you from here?" I inquired.
"No, I'm actually from Dallas. I moved here to take care of my grandma. She's at the point where she needs daily living support, but there isn't a retirement home in Paradise. She was born here and absolutely refuses to be relocated to an assisted living facility in Dallas, so I volunteered to move to Paradise and take care of her until she... Well, you know." Olivia's eyes lowered a bit. "I've been here about a month, and just got this job at Pearl's a couple of weeks ago so I'd have some pocket change. I usually head back into Dallas once a week to do some shopping and blow off a little steam. It's pretty boring here in Paradise, despite what the name would have you believe."
"Yeah, I'd imagine." I said. "So how do you like working in the diner?"
"It's actually not that bad. The clientele are mostly loyal customers, and they are generally pretty nice to me." She leaned in close and whispered, "Except Carl."
She giggled again, and her boobs brushed the back of my hand as she pulled herself back off the counter. I still don't know if it was intentional or not. I laughed with her, still amazed I'd been able to hold a meaningful conversation with my dream girl for this long.
"I'm still getting the hang of having to cook this many dishes. It's a lot of recipes to remember, and I still screw up a lot." She pointed to Carl's breakfast platter she'd hidden under the counter earlier. "But hey, I get a lot of free meals out of it. Pearl says we have to eat anything we mess up. I guess she figures it'll help motivate us to make everything perfect every time." She said, rolling her eyes.
"What, you mean that tactic doesn't work?"
"Nah, I love everything I make, even if the customers don't appreciate it." She leaned over and whispered again, "No offense, Carl."
I chuckled at her bad joke.
"So," She finally asked. "I never actually got your name."
Shit! Why hadn't I told her my name yet? Stupid!
"Oh, right." I stammered, trying to laugh off my faux pas. "It's Liam."
"Wow, Liam, huh? I didn't realize we had a celebrity in the diner!" She said, loud enough for the other patrons to hear.
"Well, Mr. Neeson, can I have your autograph?" She said mockingly.
Preferring not to make a scene, "Shh," was all I could think to say, although I was grinning sheepishly as the noise escaped my lips.
"I loved you in Star Wars. Too bad you died in the first prequel. Sorry, spoiler alert!" She said, loud enough for Carl and his buddies to hear.
Normally in a situation like this, I'd be mortified, but with Olivia as the instigator I was surprisingly at ease with the whole incident. It was more cute than embarrassing.
My face red, all I could do at that point was to cross my arms and pretend to be outraged by the comments, even though I was secretly enjoying the fact that she was still willingly talking to me.
"I'm just messing with you, Liam. My name is Olivia, but most people call me Liv." She said through her laughter.
At some point during the name incident, she reached out and put her hand on my arm. My heart fluttered as her bare skin made contact with mine, and we both locked eyes for a moment before suddenly diverting our gaze elsewhere. She quickly pulled her hand back and began wiping the bar with the stained terrycloth towel she had draped over her shoulder.
After that, things got a little awkward between us (nothing unusual for me), and we barely talked as I finished my incredible breakfast. When I got up to leave, I remembered I still needed gas, so I told Olivia the pump number and gave her $42 to cover the fuel, meal, and tip, then headed on my way. On the way out the door, I heard her angelic voice call out.
"See you around, Qui Gon."
I smiled all the way back to my car.
***
Chapter 2
It was two months before I found myself back in Oklahoma City, meeting with the client we'd picked up on my last company road trip. Heading south on I-35, I pondered if I should detour and visit the old diner I'd discovered over the summer. Of course, the diner wasn't really what I was going back for, but I wasn't sure if you-know-who would be working today, or if she even still worked there at all, for that matter. I decided to take my chances and cross the barren wasteland of cotton fields and cattle ranches once again.
Things hadn't changed much outside the diner, other than the fact that a stray dog had taken up residence near the entrance. The skinny mutt barely stirred as I approached, and I once again crossed the threshold into the dimly lit interior.
In the corner I recognized Carl, once again with his two compatriots who were finishing up their breakfast platters. There were several other customers scattered around the various tables throughout the diner. Significantly more than the last time I had been here.
There was an older woman behind the counter with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth; the column of ash longer than the unburned portion. Her wrinkled face showed signs of a lifetime of hard living and chain smoking. She didn't wear a nametag, but I knew this had to be Pearl herself. Such an ironic name, as she fit none of the physical characteristics of the precious stone of her namesake.
Disheartened that Liv obviously wasn't here, I almost decided to turn around and get back on the road, but something compelled me continue my walk to the counter and take a seat.
Without removing the cigarette from her mouth, Pearl greeted me.
"Hiya, sweetie." She said with a gravelly, nicotine-infused growl that still somehow managed to make me feel welcome. "Know whatcha want, or ya need a minute?"
"Uhh, I think I need a minute," I said, peeling open a syrup coated menu.
"Take your time, sweetheart."
She inhaled deeply on the cigarette and the pillar of ash finally reached its maximum capacity and fell to the floor. Without missing a beat, she produced another cigarette from her apron and used the original to light it before dropping the butt of the first one on the floor.
After some careful deliberation, I made my decision. "One plate of migas, please." I said with resolve.
"Comin' right up." She then turned and yelled towards the kitchen, "Olivia! Migas! Snap snap!" Pearl snapped her fingers in unison as she said the words.
"Yes, ma'am, Ms. Pearl," I heard Liv's voice yell back. I instantly got butterflies in my stomach.
Pearl then glanced down at her watch and turned to the serving window once again. "I'm heading out. You okay here, Olivia?"
"Yes, ma'am. I think I'm all set." Liv replied.
Pearl gathered her purse and coat and crawled down from the stool she'd been sitting on since I arrived. She was shorter than she'd first appeared. Much shorter, in fact, as her bony shoulders barely rose above the top of the counter. I guess it's true what they say about cigarettes stunting your growth, since I'm pretty sure Pearl had been smoking them since grade school and was now roughly the height of a third grader.
As she rounded the bar, Pearl offered me a final farewell. "Olivia will take good care of you. Thanks for stopping by. Do come again." She gave me a rough pat on the shoulder as she passed and shuffled out the door.
I could hear eggs sizzling through the small serving window, and I knew it was only a matter of time before I'd catch a glimpse of my favorite waitress/fry cook once again. I could already taste the incredible meal she was cooking up for me back there, and the smell alone was enough to make my mouth water in anticipation.
Just then, the door swung open and Olivia emerged looking a bit disheveled but beautiful as ever.
"Sorry, we had a larger breakfast rush than usual this morning, so my boss had to stop by and help me out." Liv apologized before looking up and realizing who was sitting at the counter.
"Qui Gon!" She squealed. "I was wondering if I'd ever see your Jedi master ass in here again!" She said teasingly.
"Well, it's your own fault for making such terrific migas. Now I'm hooked. You won't be getting rid of me now."
"Well, lucky for you, you like the one dish that I can make consistently."
"So I take it that means things aren't getting any easier?"
"Let's just say I've been getting a lot of free meals lately," she said while patting her stomach.
It was then that I noticed something about Olivia. She'd put on a bit of weight since the last time I'd seen her. Not much, maybe 10 pounds or so, but it was definitely noticeable on such a petite girl. The front of her apron, previously flat as a board, now had the slightest curve to it, and her face looked just a bit puffier than it had been. Don't misunderstand, in my eyes, these changes only enhanced her beauty as there was now just a tiny bit more of the features I was already in love with.
"It's not my fault," she continued. "Pearl keeps changing up the menu, so I have a hard time keeping up. I'll inevitably forget to add bell peppers to the hash, or leave out the bacon from the Denver omelet. Then, guess what? I have a plate of hash and a three egg omelet to eat before my shift ends. Which reminds me..."
Liv reached under the counter and pulled out a plate of French toast with the faintest hint of burnt edges, then sat it on the counter, grabbed a fork and pulled up a stool. After dousing the custard-soaked bread triangles in maple syrup, she cut off a huge wedge with her fork and crammed it into her mouth. I could see the euphoria wash over her as she chewed, and I got the impression that this was a girl who really enjoyed her food.
It was sad, but this was the closest thing I'd had to a date in years. I'm such a nerd.
"I find it hard to believe someone sent that back. It looks amazing." I said, unsure how to proceed.
"Well," she said after stuffing another massive bite into her mouth. "The lady said it was burnt, and if Pearl taught me one thing, it's to never argue with the customer." Another bite. "This is actually my second plate of French toast this morning."
"Jesus, where do you put it all?" I said.
"Oh, this is all going right to my food baby," Liv said while rubbing her tummy once again. "If it wasn't for the one single gym in Paradise, I'd be a blimp by now."
Up until that point, I never considered myself a fat admirer, nor did I ever envision myself being attracted to a bigger girl, but I'll be damned if hearing this goddess talk about gaining weight while stuffing herself with her own delicious dishes didn't get me all hot and bothered. I shifted uncomfortably on my stool, trying to hide my growing... enthusiasm.
"So what's your little bundle of food joy's name?" I joked, trying to keep the mood light.
"Hmm, I hadn't really thought about it 'till now," she said, her eyes angled to the ceiling in thought. "How about... Mabel?"
"Ugh, that's a terrible name." I laughed.
"Well, she was conceived in a diner, so I thought it'd be appropriate to give her a proper diner name. Would Dot be better?" Liv said with a grin.
"Ohh, yes. Much better," I responded sarcastically.
"Well, then Dot it is." Liv had managed to work some reverse psychology on me.
Liv finished her dish before I did, just as Carl began waving her over to his corner for the check. Liv grabbed a random piece of bacon from under the counter and jammed it in her mouth before making her way over to the cantankerous old man and his friends. I wondered how many failed dishes were hidden underneath the long counter at that moment.
I sat there for over an hour, having casual conversations with Liv in between the moments when she had to do actual work. A little after noon I decided I'd better shove off, since I still had a four and a half hour drive back to Houston ahead of me. I gathered my keys and pulled out my wallet to pay, when Liv stopped me.
"This one's on the house." She said with a twinkle in her eye.
"Naw, I couldn't," I tried to say.
"I insist. This has been a better conversation than I've had in a long time. I'm really glad I got to see you again, Liam."
She said this without a hint of her usual sarcasm, so I knew she meant it.
"Same here," I said, taken off guard by her sudden change in demeanor.
"Any idea when you'll be back in town?"
"Honestly, I couldn't tell you. My trips are scheduled by my company, so it could be weeks, could be months."
She looked genuinely discouraged by that news.
"I'll tell you one thing, though. They can't keep me away from those migas for too long. If they don't send me back up here soon, I might have to take some vacation time and make the trip myself!"
She smiled and added, "Yeah, and you can visit the baby you so graciously helped to name."
Again, she put her hands on the slight curve of her stomach. My God she's sexy.
***
I had to subdue my jubilation when my company finally sent me back to Oklahoma in early November. It had been 48 days since I'd last seen my sweet southern belle – I know because I was literally marking the days on my calendar. I was on the verge of going MIA and making the drive to Paradise as I had jokingly mentioned during my last visit, when my boss, Herb, pulled me into his office. He told me I'd have to spend ten days at a convention with our newest client as a team building opportunity. Ten days would be tough to endure, but if it meant I'd get to see Liv again, they could double the time for all I cared.
The next day, I hopped in my rental car and made the six and a half hour trek north, only stopping once to fuel up in a town called Denton. Denton has one of those massive novelty gas stations that makes their own snack foods, and I had a hankering for some of their signature beef jerky. With my dried meat craving satisfied, I made the rest of the journey to the Holiday Inn in downtown Oklahoma City without stopping.
***
Ten grueling days later, the convention was over and I was on the road to Paradise. It was Friday at around lunchtime when I arrived at 'Pearl's Diner and Petrol', and the dusty parking lot was more packed than I'd ever seen it. Rusty Buicks and Oldsmobiles that were older than I am lined the dusty spaces next to the building, and I had to wait for a tottering old woman and her cane-wielding husband to slowly climb into their vehicle and proceed to nearly run me over before I was able to ease into one of the open spots.
The stray dog from before had apparently found a friend, as now there were two lazy mutts loitering near the entrance. I silently wondered if they were going to continue to multiply between each of my visits and be four of them next time.
Entering the diner, the first thing I noticed was how loud it was. Granted, this was mostly due to the fact that every table was currently filled with customers, but it still seemed like it was louder than it should have been. Luckily, most of the seats at the counter were still available, so I walked up and perched myself on a stool.
Suddenly, a young woman appeared out of nowhere. She was short, plump, and probably barely old enough to drink.
"Hey. You drinkin', or eatin'?" She said as she smacked her gum loudly.
"Uhh, eatin', I guess. Hey, is Olivia working by any chance?"
"Of course," she said, rolling her eyes. "Why do you think it's so crowded?"
"Oh. Cool. So, um, where is she?" I asked, trying not to be rude.
"She's in the kitchen. Look, do you want to order something, or not, because if not, I have a lot of customers waiting."
"Do y'all serve breakfast all day?"
"This is a diner, what do you think?" She said snottily.
"Well, in that case, I'll have a plate of your finest migas, please." I responded in a more cheery tone than this girl deserved.
"Finally, a decision." She said, then turned to the serving window and yelled, "Olivia, migas!"
"Comin' right up, Val!" Liv shouted back.
For a split second, I saw Liv's cherubic face appear in the serving window, and the smile she gave me brought back the butterflies in my stomach. I really hoped she would take the time to bring my dish out to me personally, rather than giving it to the new girl.
Sure enough, I heard the serving bell ring, and out popped Liv, carrying the now familiar plate of Tex Mex that I'd come to love. She'd once again grown significantly, and had put on at least as much weight if not more than the last time I'd seen her. She was beginning to become borderline chubby, with her apron now pulled tight around her bulging tummy and inflated breasts. The twenty five or so pounds she'd packed on since I'd met her really enhanced her figure in a positive way, and each new curve only made her appear more sexy in my eyes.
"Order up, Qui Gon," she laughed.
"You aren't going to let that go, are you?" I said, feigning annoyance.
She smirked. "Aww, come on. Can't you take a joke?"
"You don't want to call me Qui Gon anymore," I said while waving my hand in the air.
"Your Jedi mind powers won't work on me, boy," she shot back without missing a beat.
"I love it when you talk nerdy to me," I said, trying to keep it together.
At that point, we both erupted in laughter and she reached over the counter and gave me an unexpected hug. I expected things to get awkward again, but surprisingly, we continued conversing.
"So what have you been up to?" I asked.
"Uhh, you're kinda looking at it," she said, gesturing to the crowded dining area. "What can I say? They love my cooking."
"So, does that mean you aren't getting as many "free meals"?" I held up my hands and made air quotes as I said it.
"Psht, naw. I still screw up all the time. Can't you tell that Dot has grown a lot since last time you saw me?" She slapped her gut and it made a hollow pop.
"Oh, I, uh. Well, I mean, it's not THAT noticeable." I tried to mask my excitement.
"You don't have to pretend you don't notice it. It's here and I don't think it's going anywhere soon. I really have no willpower, and I have to hit the gym five nights a week just to keep Dot as small as she is now."
"Well, either way, it really looks good on you. Of course, I think you'd look great even if you weighed four hundred pounds." I couldn't believe I said that.
Liv laughed so deeply that I could see her belly jiggle beneath her tight apron. "Careful what you wish for. At the rate I'm going, there's a good chance I'll be that big someday!"
I could feel my face turning red, and I hoped Liv didn't notice. That was the hottest thing I'd ever heard a girl say, and I didn't have any idea why. What the hell is wrong with me?
It was then that Val returned and handed an order ticket to Liv.
"Hurry it up, will ya? It's time for my smoke break," Val barked before turning and shuffling away.
"I swear to God, one of these days I'm going to pop that bitch in the mouth," Liv said with narrowed eyes.
"I don't blame you," I said. "She seems like she'd be horrible to work with."
"Yeah, she's a nightmare alright. She's Pearl's granddaughter. Pearl brought her in to help me during the busiest hours so I could focus on the cooking and Val could wait tables. Pearl knows Val sucks as a waitress, but I think she's hesitant to let her go because she's family. Overall, things aren't that bad, but sometimes I really just want to put my hands around her neck and squeeze until she stops moving. Does that make me a monster?"
"Yes. Yes it does." I responded bluntly. "I don't think I can be your friend anymore."
We laughed again.
"LIV!" Val yelled from across the room while pointing at her wrist as if she was wearing a watch.
"Well, duty calls," Liv said as she turned back towards the kitchen door. "Hey, listen. It's Friday and I need to unwind. Wanna do something later?"
"Uhh, sure, but what is there to do around here?" I asked as my anxiety mounted.
"Well, we actually have a drive-in theater, and I think they're showing an advance screening of the new Avengers movie tonight. Maybe we could grab some grub and head over there."
"That... Sounds great!" I couldn't believe this was actually happening.
"Awesome. Here's my home address and phone number." She slid a slip of paper across the counter and I snatched it up quickly before she could change her mind. "I think the movie starts at 7:00, so if you want to pick me up at 6:30, it should give us time to pick something up for dinner and make it to the theater in time to catch the previews."
"Works for me. 6:30 it is." I waved at her dumbly as she disappeared into the kitchen.
***
I spent the afternoon killing time at the local shops and markets of Paradise. Needless to say, by the time 6:00 rolled around, I never wanted to look at another trinket or antique for the rest of my life.
At 6:15, I input Liv's address into my phone's GPS and made the five minute drive to her small apartment complex. When Liv opened the door, I finally got to fully drink in her incredible figure for the first time, unobscured by the tacky apron she was forced to wear at the diner. She was wearing a pair of shin-length blue jeans that looked like they were painted on. Her plump ass was straining the rivets, and I could tell that the zipper was having a hard time holding together under the pressure. She obviously hadn't bought any new pants since she'd started gaining. The thing is, she hadn't hit the point of flabbiness yet, and nothing seemed to be hanging or sagging. She was just extra thick at the moment, and even her stomach, despite having grown noticeably more convex, was still fairly firm to the touch. I had a feeling that would be changing as time went on, though, and the thought excited me even more.
I was greeted at the door with another hug, and this time I got to feel the softness of her ample breasts as they squished against my chest. Keep it together, man.
With her arms still around me, she said, "So, I was thinking we could pick up some Burger Queen on the way to the theater. Ok with you?"
"Sure, sounds great," I said. "Just point me in the right direction."
We drove for roughly ten minutes before I saw the familiar golden tiara sign of Burger Queen; the town's only fast food restaurant. I pulled into the drive thru and turned to ask Liv what she wanted.
"I'll take a double bacon Whammy with cheese, a large fry, and a large chocolate shake." She said without hesitation. "Oh, and a ten piece chicken nuggets with ranch dipping sauce."
"Wow, someone's hungry." I said before repeating the order to the faceless loudspeaker and adding a single patty combo with a soda for myself.
"Hey, Dot calls the shots now, remember?" Liv chuckled. "Plus, it's a long movie. Ooh, that reminds me. They have the best buttered popcorn at the drive-in. I'll have to get us a tub. If you're nice, I might let you try some."
"I'd like to see you try and take down a whole tub of popcorn after this feast." I quipped. "Hell, I'm not even convinced you will make it through all of your dinner."
"Is that a challenge?" Liv asked incredulously.
"If that's what you want to call it, then yes. I'll bet you ten bucks you can't finish your entire meal and a tub full of buttered popcorn." I pulled out a crisp ten dollar bill and slapped it on the dash of the car.
"Oh, you're on." Liv said. "Say goodbye to Mr. Hamilton, because that's the last time you're going to see him."
***
It turns out that Liv's appetite had grown along with her waistline, because half an hour later, I was eating crow and ten dollars poorer. I sat in awe as I watched Liv lick the last remnants of imitation butter product from her fingers, then empty the last few popcorn crumbs directly from the bucket into her mouth.
While Robert Downey, Jr. destroyed robots in the background, my eyes had been watching an even more entertaining show, in which the girl of my dreams practically inhaled a half pound bacon cheeseburger, chased it with a mountain of greasy fries and chicken nuggets, then washed everything down with a quart of creamy milkshake, all before having me buy her a large tub of popcorn with extra butter and proceeding to demolish the entire thing one oily handful at a time.
I was more than a little impressed by this whole spectacle, and even gave Liv a patronizing slow clap as she finished the popcorn. But even then, she wasn't done. I was halfway through my fries when I saw her eyeing them hungrily. Without a word, I offered the rest of the carton to her, which she greedily grabbed and devoured before I had a chance to reconsider.
The rest of the movie was fairly uneventful, as Liv was sleepy from her long day at work, as well as from the massive feast she'd just packed into her growing gut. She leaned her head on my shoulder and I didn't object. After a couple of minutes, I could hear her snoring quietly.
I actually managed to catch a bit of the movie while Liv dozed, although my mind was solely on the events of the car and couldn't possibly focus on the battle that was raging between Thor and Hulk. I looked down to see Liv's belly - swollen from the multiple pounds of fast food that it contained - beginning to peek out from the bottom hem of her shirt, and I realized that I'd never been more aroused than I was at that moment.
It was then that Liv shifted a bit, and I could tell she was beginning to awaken. She looked up at me with glassy eyes and smiled.
"This was a good date," she said groggily before laying her head back on my shoulder.
"Best I ever had," I replied, although I don't think she heard me.
I really meant it.
***
Chapter 4
Liv and I used a lot of cell phone minutes from that point on. Our calls regularly lasted hours, and we became closer to each other than we'd ever been before, despite the nearly 300 mile gap between us.
I quickly found that Liv was possibly even nerdier than I was, and her movie trivia knowledge was nearly encyclopedic. Our conversations ranged from discussions about which Batman movie franchise was the best (I'm a Nolanite, she's a Burtonphile), to our mutual and totally irrational hatred of Johnny Depp. Yet despite our numerous common geeky interests, we somehow always ended up back on the subject of food. It seemed like eating was mostly all Liv could think about lately. I wondered if she was still hitting the gym every day, but I dared not inquire.
Before I knew it, five months had passed. It was now mid-March and we were in the middle of an extremely important and heated discussion.
"That's dumb," Liv said as she chewed on an unidentified snack. "There's no way Dumbledore could take out Gandalf in a fist fight. Haven't you seen the movies? Gandalf was a badass in hand-to-hand combat."
"I guess I can't argue with that," I said. "Plus, I don't think Dumbledore carried a sword as backup, did he?"
No response other than the slight smacking sound of her lips chewing.
"Sorry, babe," she finally said. "I was just checking out the Wikipedia article for the Harry Potter movies. What'd you say?"
"Aww, nothing important. Hey, I almost forgot! They're finally sending me back to Oklahoma in a couple of weeks to meet with the client. I should be enjoying your tasty migas by April Fool's day."
"Oh, really? That's... Great." She said hesitantly. I heard a bag crinkle, then the sound of chips being crunched.
Shit, she's seeing someone else. This is why long distance relationships never work. I couldn't help but be paranoid at that point.
"What's wrong?" I asked suspiciously. "I thought you'd be happy to hear that. It's been almost six months since we've seen each other."
"Oh, it's nothing. I'm just going through some stuff right now. Don't worry, it isn't you — I can't wait to see that sweet Jedi ass again. We're totally gonna make out when I see you." I could hear her giggle at her own comment.
"Okaay..." I said, still a little skeptical, although the idea of making out with Liv sounded fantastic.
***
We talked a few more times before I left for Oklahoma, and two weeks later, I found myself back at the diner once again. As I entered, my eyes took a minute to adjust to the light, and I noticed there weren't many patrons dining at the moment, other than Carl and his crew, of course. I saw a rather large girl behind the bar whom I didn't recognize until I moved a little closer, and HOLY SHIT!
Liv must have packed on at least 65 pounds since I'd last seen her, and was easily pushing 200 now, if not well past it. That girl must have been eating non-stop these past six months. Even more amazing was how unbelievably aroused I instantly became by the mere sight of her massive swollen body. Her belly pressed tightly against her pink apron, which struggled to contain the mound of jiggling flab behind it. Liv's cleavage was on full display, as her taut top simply couldn't cover the twin mountains of bulging tit flesh that she now carried on her chest. Even her arms were covered in a thick layer of fat, and her shoulders lifted and fell slightly as she breathed. Her face was pudgier and now sported a prominent double-chin which looked unbelievably cute to me for some reason.
Liv was, as usual, chowing down on a breakfast platter, although at this point I honestly don't know if it was made in error, or just made because my sweet angel was peckish and needed a snack. When Liv glanced up and saw me, her face lit up with joy, immediately followed by panic. I still couldn't figure out what she was so worried about.
I sat down at the counter and dryly said, "Migas, please."
Completely straight-faced, Liv responded, "Coming right up, sir, although I'm afraid there's going to be a bit of wait. I have some business to take care of in the storage room. In fact, I think I might need some assistance with this particular business," she said as she beckoned me through the swinging kitchen door.
Like Odysseus heeding the siren's call, I followed her to the back room where she immediately grabbed me and planted her lips on mine. She tasted of bacon, and I thought if we made out long enough, I'd be able to identify the entire meal she'd just been munching on. It was still the best kiss I'd ever had.
After what seemed like minutes, we pulled away and Liv had tears streaming down her chubby cheeks.
"Alright, time to come clean," I said. "What's the problem?"
"Isn't it obvious?" she cried. "Look at me. I'm a fucking Volkswagen Beetle!"
"Wait, so this is what you were all bent out of shape about?" I asked as I put my arm around Liv's shoulders. "Remember when I said you'd look good even if you weighed 400 pounds? I really meant that. You're as beautiful as ever, Liv, and a few extra pounds isn't going to change that."
"You mean, I don't disgust you?" She sobbed.
"Hell no," I explained. "In fact, I'd go so far as to say that the extra weight makes you even sexier."
"Oh, so you're a chubby chaser, then? I guess that means you're only interested in me because you want me to gain weight? I've seen the internet. I know how you people are."
"What the — no. In fact, until you actually started gaining weight, I wasn't attracted to bigger girls at all. It's you I'm attracted to, no matter how much or how little of you there is."
"So, you aren't planning to break up with me because of this?" She grabbed the bottom roll of her belly and shook it for emphasis.
"Are you kidding? Who the hell else am I going to discuss John Carpenter movies with, or hold deep conversations about which Schwarzenegger movie has the best one-liners? You're stuck with me, diner girl. Big or small, I'm not going anywhere."
Liv smiled, then sniffled and wiped the tears from her cheeks with her noticeably pudgier fingers.
"Can I tell you a secret?" She said between sobs. "There was nothing wrong with that blue plate special I was stuffing my face with when you got here. I just made it because I was hungry."
I sure called that one...
"And the worst part? It was my third full breakfast this morning." I could see her tearing up again.
"Well, I see only one problem with that," I said. "It's past lunchtime now, so you should've made something more appropriate for a midday meal."
She laughed, but I don't think it was genuine.
"Look, Liv." I continued, trying to ease the tension. "You obviously like to eat, right? I mean, I can tell by the change in your tone when you talk about food that it's truly your passion. Are you worried about your health?"
She shook her head, "No, the doctor says I'm healthy as a horse."
"Well, then what's the problem? Why not indulge yourself if it makes you happy?"
She stared at me silently, presumably pondering what I'd just said.
"Are you worried about what people will say about you?"
She shrugged her shoulders, "I dunno. I never really cared what other people thought of me until you came along. You're really okay with this?"
"Olivia, if this is what makes you happy, then by all means carry on. If it means we have to cart you around in a tractor trailer, we'll make it work."
"Ha, ha, very funny. You're hee-larious," she laughed sarcastically.
"I know, but what can I say? It's a gift," I shot back.
We both laughed.
Finally, she said, "So, you said it was lunchtime, right?"
"Uhh, yeah. Why?"
"Because I get off in 15 minutes and you're buying me lunch." She smirked. "The all-you-can-eat Chinese place has been calling my name all morning."
The thought of watching Liv stuff her face at a buffet aroused the hell out of me. "Then it's a date," I said, as we casually sauntered back into the dining area.
***
Later, at the 'Happy Clams' Chinese restaurant, I watched in awe as Liv inhaled her first plate of crispy deep-fried finger foods and seamlessly move on to her second.
She noshed on a crab puff as she chatted. "So the gym finally shut down a couple of months ago. I knew it was coming — these old folks have no use for it so it was always empty. That's the main reason I'm so massive now. That place was the only thing keeping my weight somewhat in check."
"So, you actually liked going to the gym?" I asked.
"Hell no!" She said. "I was just trying to keep my fat ass in shape. Since that's apparently no longer an issue, I say good riddance to that God-forsaken place."
She crunched down on another crab puff.
"And speaking of God, I swear those church ladies are actively trying to fatten me up with all those damn potluck luncheons. Ms. Ollie Hutchins brought in deep fried butter the other day and practically force fed three sticks to me. THREE STICKS, Liam! Do you realize how many calories are in a stick of butter BEFORE you batter and deep fry it?"
"Uhh, honestly, no. I have no idea." I said while slowly working my way through my plate of lo mein.
"Well, I don't know either, but it's a lot." Another fried puff disappeared in a single chomp. Her second plate now clear, she shifted in her seat as if she was going back for a third round, but I stopped her.
"Fear not, milady, for your valiant hero shall return to shower thee with gifts aplenty." I apparently decided I was going to start roleplaying as a medieval knight at that moment...
Without a second thought, she responded, "I bid thee Godspeed on thy quest, good sire, and may thine spoils be bountiful. And hey, don't forget to get a bunch of those little mini eggrolls. Those things are my jam!"
I swear I'm going to marry this woman.
I returned with two more plates for my growing date, each piled higher than the first two. Liv's eyes widened as I sat them down in front of her.
"Damn, Qui Gon. How fat do you think I am? Didn't you hear me say I'd already eaten three breakfasts this morning?"
"Sorry, I just saw so many things I thought you'd like, so I just kept piling on. Just do your best. I'll finish whatever you can't get through."
Needless to say, I didn't have to finish a bite.
***
Chapter 5
April led into May, then May into June. Summertime was beginning to rear its ugly head in Houston, and there were already days where the temperature was breaking 90 degrees. Liv and I continued communicating as before, although now she seemed a lot more open about her snacking, and had even taken to describing what she was munching on in sensual detail. For instance, I once listened to a thirty minute rundown of every bite of cheesecake that made its way past her lips, from the moment she opened the box until she was licking the last crumbs from the empty tray. I'll give her one thing - she certainly seemed to be accepting her new role as a fat girl.
Then one day, I got a call from Liv and she was nearly hysterical.
"Grandma had a stroke," Liv sobbed. "They don't think she'll make it through the night."
"I'm so sorry, Olivia. What can I do?"
"I really need someone to talk to. I feel so alone here."
"I'm on my way." I said, running upstairs to pack a bag.
I called my office and requested a couple of personal days, then tossed my duffel bag into the car and made the trek north. The nearest hospital was around ten miles north of Paradise in a town called Bridgeport. I drove straight through without stopping, and around four hours later, I was in the lobby of the North Texas Community Hospital.
Liv was waiting for me in all of her plump glory, and looked to have once again grown substantially since my last visit. Apparently those snacks consisting of entire cheesecakes were working their magic. I estimated that she now tipped the scales somewhere between 240 and 250, and had easily doubled her weight since I'd met her. It took two attempts for her to heave herself out of the lobby chair, obviously unaccustomed to the added bulk of her expanding figure. She rushed over and threw her arms around me, allowing me to bask in the vast softness of her warm body for several incredible seconds.
"I'm so glad you're here." She whispered softly as she rested her head on my shoulder.
"Hey, there's no other place I'd rather be." I said.
"She passed away about an hour ago." Liv said quietly.
"Oh my God, I'm so sorry." I said, patting her lightly on the back.
"It's okay. She was 92. She had a long, fulfilling life, and she went peacefully. That's about as much as she could ask for. It was just so... sudden. I wasn't expecting it to happen so quickly."
"So, what now?" I asked.
"Well, the funeral is in Dallas in two days, but I'm not sure I can stay in Grandma's house anymore. Too many memories, you know? I was thinking of booking a hotel room in Dallas until I can find some alternate living arrangements. I definitely want to get out of Paradise ASAP."
The wheels in my head started turning immediately.
"Well..." I started. "You could always stay with me in Houston. I've got plenty of room at my place, and the rent will be cheap, I promise."
"Seriously, Qui Gon? You'd do that for me?"
"Sure. I mean, you're mah gurl," I said in my best Forrest Gump voice.
Liv giggled, "You need to work on your impressions. That was terrible."
"Whatever, that was spot-on and you know it," I snapped jokingly.
"Okay, so say I took you up on your offer. What would the sleeping arrangements be?" She asked.
"Well, all I have is a twin bed, but you could always sleep on the floor," I said, trying to keep a straight face.
"Or, how about this alternate plan where you sleep on your tiny child's bed and I sleep on top of you like a mattress? Does that work?" She jabbed back.
"Okay, okay, I confess. I have a queen bed, plus a guest bed if you're so inclined." I said, finally relenting.
"I think we'll both fit nicely in the queen bed," she responded. "At least for now. That reminds me, I have something I want to talk to you about. You hungry?"
"Uhh, sure." I realized I hadn't eaten anything since my bowl of cereal that morning, as my sudden unexpected trip had taken me right through lunchtime and into dinnertime. "Where to?"
"There's this place called 'Yesterday's' that has the best burgers in the world. It's right across the street from the hospital."
"Let's go," I said, holding out my hand. She grabbed it and we locked fingers before heading out for dinner.
***
"A diner, really?" I furrowed my brow as the garish neon sign came into view.
"Hey, I thought it'd be appropriate since we met in a diner. Plus, their portion sizes are gigantic, and I've definitely been needing gigantic portion sizes lately." She began patting her stomach which sat nicely in her lap and obscured a portion of her fleshy thighs.
"You're the boss." I said. "I bet their migas aren't as good as yours, though," I trailed off as I turned into the parking lot.
I caught Liv smiling out of the corner of my eye.
The outside of the diner was an unassuming building, aside from the half dozen or so classic cars lined up out front. Inside was a different story. Designed to mimic a vintage 50's diner, the walls were adorned with movie memorabilia of the era, as well as a black and white checkerboard floor and employees wearing paper soda jerk hats. I really couldn't stand places like this, but Liv seemed enchanted so I kept my mouth shut.
We squeezed into a booth by the window and moments later, a young waitress clad in a flapper dress rolled up on a pair of skates to take our order.
She was smacking her gum "authentically" as she asked, "What can I getcha ta drink?" in the worst New York accent I'd ever heard. And Liv was making fun of ME for my Forrest Gump!
Liv took control. "Yeah, I'll start off with a root beer float, and can we go ahead and get some Ba-Ba-Loo Cheddar Fries with some ranch dressing on the side?"
"Sure thing, sweetness," the waitress said, still chewing obnoxiously on her gum. "How about you, short stuff?" She said, looking in my direction through her cateye glasses.
"I'll have a sweet tea." I said simply.
"Be right back," she said as she glided back to the kitchen.
"So, here's the thing." Liv said as she pulled a Snickers from her purse and began unwrapping it. "I... kinda, sorta... like gaining."
My left eyebrow cocked in doubt. "Come again?"
With a mouthful of peanuts and nougat, she continued, "Yeah, so a while back, I was sitting at the breakfast table binging on leftover bacon potato salad and feeling sorry for my fat self, when I had an epiphany. I started thinking, why do I like eating so much? Sure, the food itself is great, but that wasn't it. Eating was like a sexual experience for me. I found that the more I ate, the better I felt, so I knew there had to be a deeper reason behind it."
The waitress returned with our drinks and sat them down before us.
"Ya ready ta order?" She asked.
"We sure are," Liv said. "I'll have the Superman with crispy bacon, and onion rings on the side. And can I get a large chocolate malt, too?"
"Sure thing, doll. You know the Superman is a full pound double-cheeseburger, right?" The waitress asked.
"Yep, sure am. It's the best in town." Liv replied.
"Suit yourself," the waitress said, rolling her eyes slightly before turning back to me. "And what about you?"
"I think I'll take the grilled shrimp tacos," I said, feeling a little emasculated that my date was upstaging me with her dinner choices.
"Comin' right up." The waitress said before skating away again.
Liv scooped a giant spoonful of vanilla ice cream from her cup and popped it into her mouth before continuing. "Now where was I? Oh, right. So I was trying to figure out what excited me so much about stuffing my gut. Then one night, I was in the tub relaxing and I realized that my wide ass was touching both sides of the basin. I couldn't believe it, since just a few months earlier I could easily have fit two of me in there at once. But what surprised me most of all was how horny it made me, knowing that soon I'd be too big to fit in the tub at all. Then I thought about being so big that I'd have trouble fitting through doors or getting into a car. It was too much for me and I had to, well... you know, release the pressure."
"Say no more," I begged, holding up my hand.
"So anyway, it was at that point I realized that I'm not in it entirely for the food; I'm in it for the growth. It's exciting to see the number on the scale climb higher and higher every day. It's gotten to the point where I've been pushing myself to hit random goals I've set. Of course, that's not to say that I don't enjoy the hell out of the food itself, as well. I've become a serious foodie this past year, and nothing beats a great meal. It's just that it all has a purpose for me now."
The waitress returned once again with the appetizer; a massive mound of French fries covered in chili and cheese, then topped with bacon bits and sour cream. She set it in the middle of the table, but as soon as she was out of sight, Liv pulled it towards her and proceeded to dig in.
"So, was that the most disgusting story you've ever heard, or what?" She asked with a mouthful of carbs and grease.
I held my stomach as if I was about to puke. "Bleeeuuurrrggghh!" I feigned the action for as long as I could before bursting into laughter.
"You asshole! I'm being serious. I'm opening my soul to you here and you're barfing all over it." She couldn't help but smile a little as she crammed another forkful of the calorie-laden appetizer into her pudgy face.
"I guess I'm just surprised that you still don't get it," I said. "How many times do I have to say it? I'm all in, babe. If you want to get bigger, get bigger. It's your body and I'll love every inch of it regardless."
"D'aww, that's the most romantic thing anyone's ever said to me."
Another load of spuds disappeared into the vast emptiness of Liv's insatiable stomach when the waitress finally brought out our dinners.
My meal was nothing to write home about. The shrimp tacos were good, but nothing particularly memorable. Liv's meal, however, was a sight to behold. The burger consisted of four quarter pound patties layered with four slices of American cheese and all the trimmings, plus the pile of crispy bacon Liv had ordered as an add-on. It was so tall, it had to be held together with a thin wooden dowel to keep the whole thing from toppling. The onion rings were brought out on a metal support structure and were stacked vertically into a tower of deep fried decadence. Even the chocolate malt was more than a single cup could handle, as the metal mixing vessel containing all of the excess malt that the glass couldn't hold was set down beside it.
It was truly a meal for at least two people, but I knew Liv could handle it. Hell, she'd probably order dessert afterwards.
***
Chapter 6
Liv moved in with me the day after the funeral. In the couple of days leading up to the event, she and I shared a fancy hotel room in Dallas and finally 'sealed the deal', so to speak. I'll save you all the intimate details, but suffice it to say, it was something we had both waited a long time for, and we went at it like newlyweds for hours. Of course, eventually, Liv's belly started rumbling and we had to order room service.
The spread was tremendous (and expensive), and ranged from shrimp and chorizo brochettes to braised short ribs with bacon mac and cheese, to a chicken fried steak so massive you could use it as a blanket. I munched on a ribeye steak and watched in awe as my goddess, still naked, devoured every last morsel of her mammoth meal, which was easily enough for two or three people. As soon as the last creamy bite of pasta made it into her bottomless stomach, she was already grumbling about dessert, so a second order was placed that included a sampling of all five of the hotel's fine confections.
Like a machine, Liv worked her way through full servings of peanut butter toffee pie, caramel pudding cookies and milk, peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream, a double chocolate hot fudge sundae, and of course, a massive wedge of classic New York cheesecake. She was surprisingly tidy during her voracious frenzy, and only a few sugary morsels escaped her greedy lips and fell to her bare tits and bulging belly.
After all the plates were cleared, Liv turned her sights on the last few bites of my gravy-soaked mashed potatoes and steak.
"You gonna finish that?" She asked, stifling a burp.
"No, I'm stuffed." I said, setting the plate down in front of her and handing over my fork.
"Hey, now. Watch your phrasing there, guy." She said, smiling.
"Sorry, it's just that it was such a huge steak and I'm totally full. Hey, don't forget the herb butter. It totally makes the dish."
"Ooh," she squealed. "Gimme, gimme!"
I helpfully plopped the half-melted blob of butter down on the sizable hunk of leftover steak, and Liv was quick to smear it across its surface, making sure any excess made it onto the fluffy mound of potatoes. Within moments, the platter was clean and shiny, and Liv leaned back against the headboard while rubbing her soft, yet bloated belly.
"Damn, this place beats the Holiday Inn room service by a mile." She said, another tiny burp escaping her lips.
"You ain't lyin'" I said as I crawled back into bed. "So, now that you're full, ready to go again?"
"You better believe it," she said as she brushed the crumbs from her naked body. "Now get your Jedi ass over here."
***
Two weeks later, I came home to Liv sitting on the couch crying. An empty half-gallon of Ben & Jerry's sat next to her on the end table with the handle of a large spoon peeking over of the rim.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Nothing." She sobbed bluntly.
"Aww, come on. Not this again." I said, sitting down next to her. "You can tell me. Whatever it is, I'm here for you." I put my arm around her.
"It's just," she seemed hesitant. "I don't think I can gain anymore."
I was taken aback. As far as I knew, Liv was the happiest she'd ever been, and seemed to honestly enjoy gaining more than anything else.
"Why not?" I inquired.
She sniffed. "Because I'm scared."
"Uhh, scared of what?"
"Scared because... Because I've been here before."
"Okay, I'm genuinely confused," I said, genuinely confused.
"I have to confess something to you." She said. "Gaining is nothing new to me. I started college nine years ago weighing around 110. As soon as I developed a taste for the cheap, fast cafeteria food, I started packing on the pounds. For me, the freshman 15 was more like the freshman 40, and that's when I met Eric. He was a couple of years older than I was, and wasn't actually a student at UT Dallas. We quickly hit it off, and it wasn't long before I discovered that he was into feederism, and secretly wanted me bigger; much bigger. He always made sure I ate a little more than I could handle, and that I never left the table without having dessert. My sophomore year, I gained over 100 pounds, and hit my max weight of 268. Then, one day, I looked at my phone and I had a missed call and a voicemail from Eric. He met someone else and didn't want to see me anymore. I had no other explanation, and I never saw him again. I was devastated, but determined that it wasn't going to ruin my life. I started exercising and eating healthier, and by the time I graduated, I was back down to my starting weight, which I maintained for the next five years until I moved to Paradise." Liv wiped the tears from her cheeks and sniffled. "The combination of the church ladies' potlucks and the free diner food were too much to resist, and I started to backslide. I think you know the rest."
"Wow." I said, dumbfounded. "I never knew. So why the sadness all of a sudden? You seemed so happy. What's changed?"
"Well," She started. "I just stepped on the scale, and I'm now 268. It's the same weight I was at when Eric left me."
"So, what, you're still scared I'm going to leave you? Olivia, we've been over this so many times. I'm not-"
"I know, I know. You're in it for the long haul. But what if I keep growing? What if I get so big that I can't take care of myself? What then? Are you going to wash me and feed me and help me go to the bathroom? Huh?"
"If that's what it comes to, yes." I said flatly. "Liv, I would do anything for you, because... because I love you."
I could see the tears welling up in her eyes again as she opened her mouth to speak.
"I... I love you too, Liam."
I wrapped my other arm around her and we sat there for several minutes before I broke the silence.
"So," I said. "It's Friday night. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Uhh, probably not." She said as her sarcasm started to return.
"Pizza and Harry Potter marathon, of course!"
She tried to hide it, but I could feel her body jiggle as she muffled a deep belly laugh. "I'm going to eat so many pizzas." She said.
***
The weeks rolled on and everything was back to normal. Liv hadn't weighed herself since she hit her old weight record, but she finally seemed satisfied that I wasn't going to dump her for becoming "a big ol' fatty", as she put it. Today was the day she finally going to step back on the scale and see her progress since her night of confession all those weeks ago.
I could tell she'd grown substantially just by looking at her. Her belly had begun to sag just a bit more than it had before, and her boobs were spilling out of her bras. Her face was now looking softer, and the double-chin was quickly becoming a triple. In bed, she would get winded when she tried to take charge, so I'd have to do most of the work. I wasn't complaining, since it just meant I could have more control over all of the soft, wiggly rolls on her growing body. We introduced food into the bedroom, and foreplay regularly consisted of a hearty meal before the main course.
Now we were in the bathroom; Liv standing there, naked and anxiously waiting as I dug the scale out of the closet.
"What's your guess?" She asked me as I removed the lid from a plastic storage box.
"Hmm, that's a good question." I said, pondering the answer in my head. "Maybe... 285?"
"I think it has to be more." She said, excitedly. "It feels like it's a little more than that."
She grabbed her belly and began shaking it slightly. I caught this spectacle out of the corner of my eye and instantly became aroused. I hoped we could get this over with quickly so we could go back to humping like rabbits. Where is that damn scale?
Finally, my hand touched cold metal and I pulled the scale from the bottom of the storage bin. Liv began clapping her hands and squealing as she bobbed up and down, causing her flesh to ripple and shimmy in an incredibly alluring and hypnotic manner.
I sat the scale down on the tile floor and touched the "ON" button. The screen blinked to life, then flashed a couple of times before settling on '0.0', indicating it was ready.
"I'm so nervous," she said as she stepped forward onto the steel plate. "I can't look. Tell me what it says."
"Hmm..." I said, bending down for a closer look. "It says we need a new scale."
"Don't play with me," she said, smacking me on the back of the head. "What's the number?"
"Well, I'll just say that if you were one pound heavier, we'd be getting an error instead of the number. You've hit the max this scale will go."
"You son of a bitch! Just tell me what the max is!" She yelled sternly but playfully.
"Step off and I'll show you." I said.
She stepped back and I grabbed the scale and lifted it into her field of view.
"Holy shit!" She said. "I'm a true fatty now."
"Meh, I've seen bigger." I joked.
She smacked me again.
"Ooh, that reminds me," she said. "I bought something today that I want to try. Hang on, I'll go get it."
She lumbered out of the bedroom, and I could hear the stairs creaking and groaning under her ever-increasing weight. She was slower getting back upstairs, but when she reappeared, she was holding two paper grocery bags.
She reached into the first one and pulled out a large plastic tub with the words "MASS GAINER" emblazoned in pink lettering on the label.
"I was surfing the web, and I found a site that had an amazing-sounding recipe for a weight gain shake, so I thought I'd try it out. I mean, you know how much I love my milkshakes."
"You can say that again. You're a milkshake junky!" I said.
"Oh, and one more thing." She said as she reached into the second bag. "I want you to feed it to me." She pulled out a long clear rubber tube with a funnel attached to one end.
"You want to shotgun your weight gain shakes?" I asked.
"Is that what you call it?" She laughed. "I was never much of a drinker in college."
"Umm, okay then," I said, a little skeptical of this new development. "But first can we please get back to what we were about to do before the weigh-in?" I started thrusting my pelvis to demonstrate what I was talking about, just in case it was unclear to her.
"Ohh, no. We have to try this first. I want to be more stuffed than I've ever been before. I need at least a half-gallon of ice cream in my stomach before you're getting any of this." She ran her hands down her body in the most sensual way possible for a girl of her size. I was rock-hard.
"Okay, but hurry up. I'm not sure how much longer I can resist that sexy 320 pound body." I said.
I watched her waddle downstairs once again, my eyes locked on her massive bare ass as it jiggled with every labored step.
"Things are about to get crazy," I thought to myself.
***
Chapter 7
It was Friday evening and I was at the grocery store. I winced as the cold chill of the freezer billowed out onto my bare skin. I could feel goose bumps beginning to appear on my arm as I grabbed the first half-gallon tub of Mr. Frostee double churned Dutch chocolate ice cream. I loaded the second and third tubs into my cart, and my heart sank as I reached into the freezer and felt nothing but frigid air where the next carton should be.
"Oh, God... Please don't tell me they're out." I said out loud to no one in particular.
If there's one thing I didn't want to do, it was disappoint the hungry angel waiting for me at home. A few months earlier, we had run out of ice cream during one of our 'sessions'. There was no yelling or screaming, in fact not a word was spoken, but the look I got from Liv made me want to crawl into a hole and curl up in the fetal position for the rest of my natural life. That day I made a promise to never disappoint her again, and I wasn't about to break that promise today.
After a bit of searching, I was able to talk to the manager, Jim. He was a burly man in his late forties wearing an apron that had 'Robertson Grocery' embroidered across the chest. His bald head glimmered under the fluorescent lights and could cause temporarily blindness if caught at just the right angle.
"Do you have any more Mr. Frostee double churned Dutch chocolate?" I asked simply.
Jim eyed me suspiciously, seeing as my cart already contained three cartons of the creamy dessert.
"I doubt it." He said. "We go through that stuff pretty fast, so most of our stock is usually out in the store. You havin' a party or somethin'?"
I considered telling him the truth — that my girlfriend was a gainer and actively trying to get bigger by chugging glass after glass of weight gain shake, and Mr. Frostee double churned Dutch chocolate was the only brand and flavor she liked to use — but I decided that would take too long and settled on "Yeah, something like that. I really need six containers to cover everyone."
In actuality, I just needed six containers to get Liv through the weekend.
Jim sighed. "I'll check in the back, but don't get your hopes up," he said as he disappeared into the storeroom.
I took the opportunity to load up my cart with some additional items I knew we were running low on. A few boxes of snack cakes, several packages of Oreos (double-stuffed, of course), numerous flavors of potato chips, a couple of cases of Dr. Pepper, three icebox pies, a dozen frozen pizzas, the store's entire stock of ham and cheese Hot Pockets, and a full display case of candy bars made it into the basket which was now nearly overflowing.
I rounded the corner just in time to see Jim returning from the storeroom with a single gigantic bucket of ice cream.
"This is all we have left," he said, heaving the two gallon tub into my cart.
"You da man, Jim!" I said, holding up my balled fist to him.
Without reciprocating my fist bump, Jim politely smiled and said, "Have a good day, sir," before once again vanishing into the back room.
After picking up a few extra snacks that I'd forgotten in my haste, I finally wheeled my overloaded buggy up to the checkout line.
"You must be having a party," the skinny woman at the register said after catching a glimpse of my basket.
I sighed. "Sure am!" I said with a fake smile and a bit too much enthusiasm.
Ten minutes and two hundred forty-seven dollars and fifty-three cents later, my car was loaded with groceries and I was on my way back home. I stopped at Burger Queen to pick us up some dinner, since it was nearly 6 p.m. and I knew Liv wouldn't want to wait on the frozen pizzas to cook. I ordered three half-pound bacon double cheese burgers, two large orders of chili cheese fries, and a large milkshake for Liv, and a chicken sandwich combo with a Coke for myself.
***
When I entered the house, I could hear the familiar sound of George Costanza arguing with someone over some mundane topic, and I immediately knew Liv was watching Seinfeld reruns. I wasn't surprised — this was a typical evening for Liv, since Seinfeld came on every day at this time.
As I made my way to the kitchen, I noticed that Liv didn't greet me, and when I peeked my head into the living room, I saw why.
There lay my gorgeous girlfriend, all 400 pounds of her, surrounded by empty candy wrappers and fast asleep on the couch. She was wearing only her bra and panties, and her enormous, sagging belly hung over the edge of the couch and drooped a couple of inches towards the floor. Clutched tightly in her plump hand was a rapidly melting half-eaten Snickers bar that apparently she had been too tired to finish.
I crept up and began massaging her soft exposed gut, and she began to stir slightly. Without opening her eyes, she smiled and yawned.
"What'd you bring me, Qui Gon?" She said, dazedly.
"I was running late, so I picked up some BQ on the way home. Got you your usual." I replied.
"Great, I'm starving," she said as she began to sit up. She quickly popped the remainder of the gooey candy bar into her mouth, barely chewing before it disappeared into her mountainous belly.
"I hope you're serious," I said from the kitchen. "Some of this ice cream got pretty melty, so I think we're going to have to use a bunch of it tonight."
"Pffft. I can do that in my sleep. Just bring me my burgers so we can start the movie."
As the flat screen flickered to life and Frodo and the rest of the Fellowship embarked on their journey to return The One Ring to Mordor, Liv began a quest of her own; tearing into the Burger Queen bag with reckless abandon. The first burger was demolished in roughly ninety seconds, and she wasn't even finished chewing before she began unwrapping the second. She made short work of that one, as well, momentarily stopping to give herself a much deserved belly rub in the process. I watched in awe and silently wondered how much junk food my growing angel had already devoured before I arrived home.
The past several months had been a whirlwind of pure gluttony for Liv. She rarely went more than a few minutes without munching on something, and the foods she was eating were nearly always brimming with obscene amounts of fat and calories. It was a good thing the client in Oklahoma City was bringing me so much commission, otherwise I probably wouldn't be able to afford the grocery bills.
We rarely went out anymore, instead opting to stay in and enjoy a meal and a movie or play some video games together. Not that I was complaining; quite the contrary. Never being much of a partier or a sports guy, I had always been content to stay home on the weekends and partake in various nerdy activities. The only difference was I now had someone to share in my reclusiveness.
Her increasingly sedentary lifestyle, coupled with the astronomical calorie intake had sent Liv's metabolism into a tailspin which her body was doing a pitiful job compensating for. We finally bought a new scale with a much higher capacity, and the last time Liv weighed herself, which was a week ago, she had packed on another 83 pounds, putting her at an absolutely rotund 403. We celebrated her breaking 400 with a trip to a local buffet where she managed to eat more plates of food than I thought humanly possible.
Liv finished her third burger and went to work on the pile of chili and cheese covered fries, savoring each bite for but a moment before stuffing in another forkful.
"I wish Lembas bread was real," Liv said as the Hobbits discussed the elven pastry on-screen. "It's hard work having to eat so much all the time."
"Heh, yeah, but you'd get tired of that stuff after a while, even though you wouldn't have to eat much of it. You aren't thinking of giving up, are you?" I asked.
"Are you kidding? I'm just getting started!" She exclaimed. "I'm a little shrimp right now compared to what I want to be. I don't want to be able to leave this house!"
I didn't know if she was joking or serious, but the thought of Liv physically not being able to fit through doors aroused me greatly.
"Aye aye, captain." I said, giving her a faux salute.
At the movie's halfway point, we took a 'shake break' as I called them, and I handed Liv a couple of candy bars as I made my way to the kitchen and grabbed one of the cartons of chocolate ice cream from the freezer. I emptied the entire contents into our commercial-grade blender, then added two cups of heavy cream, a generous serving of chocolate syrup, a massive dollop of peanut butter, and three heaping spoonful's of weight gain powder before hitting the 'Frappe' button. We had done a lot of experimentation with the shakes in the past few months, and this combination was by far Liv's favorite. She could easily go through two full pitchers of the creamy concoction in an evening, even after wolfing down an entire meal. I honestly wondered where she put all of it. I mean, her belly was getting huge, but it seemed like this was too much even for that cavernous void.
I poked my head back into the living room and tossed Liv another Snickers.
"Everything okay in there?" I yelled over the sound of the blender whirring.
Liv caught the candy bar and gave me a silent thumbs-up before quickly unwrapping it and cramming half of it into her mouth.
After checking to make sure the shake was well blended, I pulled out one of our kitchen chairs and set it in the middle of the tile floor of the dining room. A walked back to the living room and Liv held up two hands to me, which I grabbed and leaned back, helping her to heave her bulky form off the couch and onto her feet. She waddled to the chair I'd set up and plopped down onto it — her gelatinous ass hanging off of both sides generously. Her mountainous belly sagged between her legs, and her breasts were perched atop it like two overfilled water balloons.
Looking at Liv as she was now, I couldn't believe I had ever been into skinny women. In my eyes, she was absolute pinnacle of what the female form should be.
I grabbed the tube and funnel, then popped the tip of the rubber hose between her plump waiting lips. Grabbing the blender full of shake, I lifted the funnel end of the tube as high as I could reach.
"Ready?" I said, looking Liv in the eyes.
She nodded slightly and I began to pour the viscous liquid into the plastic funnel. I saw Liv's puffy cheeks invert a bit as she began sucking on the clear rubber tube and watched as the thick brown shake made its way through the opening and into her greedy mouth. There was an art to pouring the shake, too, since pouring too slow would create air bubbles and cause Liv to choke, whereas pouring too fast would obviously overfill the funnel, causing it to spill its precious cargo onto the floor and the ravenous girl below. Tonight, however, Liv was ingesting the mixture faster than I could pour. She definitely seemed even more insatiable than usual, but I didn't know why.
Once the first pitcher of shake was but a distant memory, we went back and finished the second half of the movie. By the time it ended, Liv had managed to pack away six more Snickers bars and nearly an entire box of Twinkies. As the credits rolled, she looked over at me hungrily, and I knew it was time for round two. Repeating the process from earlier, I whipped up another batch of the sweet elixir which Liv, being the magician that she is, quickly made disappear. Now visibly satisfied, she groaned as she rubbed her engorged belly.
"Take me upstairs. I want to weigh myself." She said woozily.
Stuffed to the max and unable to move without assistance, I helped her up the stairs and led her to the bathroom where the industrial scale awaited silently. She lumbered over to it and stepped on.
I watched the grey screen as the number appeared. "411 pounds." I told her.
"Woohoo!" She screamed, waving her blubbery arms in the air.
"Uhh, what's with the celebration?" I asked, confused.
"That's 300 pounds gained since I met you." She said proudly. "Isn't that insane?"
"Yeah. Holy shit, yeah. It IS insane." I said, dumfounded.
I knew she was huge, but realizing that she was 300 pounds heavier than she'd been two years ago when I first met her really put things into perspective. I guess that's why she'd been pushing herself even further tonight. She knew she was close to this goal and was anxious to reach it.
"My God, Liv. You're so..."
"Fucking huge?" She said, finishing my sentence.
"Well, yeah, although I was going to say sexy." I responded.
With that, she grabbed my shirt and ripped it off, popping the buttons which went flying in all directions. She followed suit with my jeans, although the button stayed attached. With some effort, she removed her pink panties as I pulled down my boxers, revealing my growing fondness for her expanding body. She shimmied her massive naked ass onto the counter, and we made love in the bathroom twice before moving to the bed.
***
Chapter 8
As soon as I entered the house, I was overwhelmed by the savory aroma of home cooking. Today was the third anniversary of the day we'd met, and Liv was obviously whipping up something special in the kitchen. This was a rare treat, as Liv didn't do much cooking these days, and my nose immediately went to work trying to determine what was in store for me. The smell was awfully familiar, but for some reason I couldn't quite place it.
Rounding the corner into the kitchen, I spotted Liv bent over in front of the refrigerator. The fridge door was open and she was digging in one of the crisper drawers for an unknown ingredient. When she stood back upright, she nearly obscured the entire refrigerator with her vast mountain of a body, and I couldn't help but smile at the sight. I cleared my throat slightly, and she turned around, startled.
"You scared the shit out of me!" She said, looking flustered. "I thought you weren't supposed to be home for another half hour. I would've had all this stuff ready."
"I left work a little early." I said. "I had some errands I needed to take care of and they didn't take quite as long as I'd expected. These are for you."
I held out the bouquet of pink roses I'd been hiding behind my back and Liv beamed with excitement.
"Aww, Qui Gon." She said "You always know how to make a girl feel loved."
I leaned in and gave Liv a kiss as I grabbed a vase and filled it with water.
"I know they're your favorite. I got you some chocolate, too. It's in the living room. Kinda heavy and hard to carry."
"Mmmm..." Liv said, turning back to her cooking. "Well, give me ten minutes and we'll get this anniversary evening started. I have something I want to talk to you about."
"Me, too." I said as I left the aromatic kitchen.
I sat down at the dining room table, which gave me a clear view of my beautiful girlfriend as she waddled around the kitchen. Liv's weight had plateaued at around 450, and she'd been stuck there for the past several months. While she was initially upset about the fact that her gain had hit a brick wall, she slowly began accepting the fact that this was apparently where her body wanted to be, although it certainly didn't discourage her from trying. She was eating more than ever before, and I knew this was only a temporary setback for her, since her 30th birthday was right around the corner and her metabolism would quickly start to deteriorate after that. I was certain that big things were in store for Liv's future.
A few minutes later, Liv brought out two plates and I instantly knew why it had smelled so familiar.
"Migas!" I exclaimed. "I haven't had these since the diner."
"I know," Liv said with a devious grin on her face as she sat down next to me. "I want to start cooking more."
"You know I won't complain about that." I said, taking a large bite of fluffy seasoned eggs.
"I'm glad." She said, biting her lip. "Hey, speaking of that, you know that breakfast place over off of I-45? Mel's?" She asked.
"Uhh, yeah, I think so. The one that always looks like it's about to go out of business?"
"That's the one. In fact, it actually IS going out of business. I was in there this morning and I overheard the owner talking to a realtor about listing the place."
"Ohhh kay." I said. "Where are you going with this?"
"Well... What if we bought it?"
I was caught off-guard and nearly spit my eggs onto the table.
"Are you serious?" I said.
"Well, yeah. I miss working in the diner, and I think it would be good for me to get out of the house and back out into the working world. Plus, I'd love getting to make my own menu, and I'd get to run things MY way, without Pearl's icy stare watching my every move."
"Baby, you know I'm all for whatever you want to do, but do you really think you can handle it? I mean, 450 pounds will be tough to haul around on your feet all day."
"455. I'm up to 455 as of this morning. And yes, I do think it'll be tough at first, but eventually my leg muscles will strengthen up and I'll be gliding through that place like I was back in Paradise."
"If that's what you really want, I'm behind you all the way." I said skeptically. "On the bright side, I'll finally get to enjoy your migas on a regular basis again."
"I'll make you migas every day if you want." Liv said, licking some stray cheese off of her finger seductively. "So, that's all I've got. Didn't you say you had something we needed to talk about?"
Oh, shit. I almost forgot!
"Right, yeah. I, um. I have something for you." I pushed back my chair and disappeared into the living room for a moment. I returned with a small paper bag and handed it to Liv. She reached in the bag and pulled out a rectangular box the size of a DVD case, only about twice as thick.
"Oh my God, Liam. This is... Unbelievable!"
"Yeah, it's the ultra-rare blu ray director's cut of John Carpenter's The Thing."
"Dude, I know what it is." She said, rolling her eyes at me. "There are only like twelve copies of this thing in existence."
"I know," I said proudly. "It was hell finding it, plus it was pretty damn expensive. I had to go to a specialty movie shop in Liberty county to get it."
"Oh, baby, you always give the best gifts." She said as she leaned over and hugged me.
"Check inside," I said. "There's a frame from the original film negative signed by Carpenter himself."
I could feel the heat radiating from my face as she tore off the shrink-wrap and popped open the magnetic cover. The ring was nestled tightly within some carefully placed cotton, and by the time Liv saw it, I was down on one knee next to her.
"Liv, these past three years have been the best years of my life, and I can't imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone else. Olivia Marie Carter, will you marry me?" I grabbed the ring from the box and held it out as Liv's eyes filled with tears.
"Of course." She said as she wrapped her soft, plush arms around me.
"I love you." I said.
"I know." She replied.
I slid the ring on her plump finger. It fit perfectly, but I was sure we'd have to have it adjusted if Liv gained any more weight.
"Why didn't you propose first?" She asked. "I wouldn't even have brought up the diner if I'd known."
"It's fine. We can do both." I said, assuredly.
"Are you sure we can afford both?" She asked. "I don't think they'll let that place go for cheap."
"That's actually the other thing I wanted to talk to you about." I said, smiling. "I just got a big fat raise today."
"Shut up." Liv said, smacking me on the arm. "Really?"
"Yeah. I just picked up another high profile client right here in Houston."
"Oh yeah? Who?"
"Oh, just some obscure retired boxer who goes by the name of GEORGE FOREMAN!"
"Seriously? THE George Foreman?"
"Yep, the one and only. We finalize the details on Friday. Once that happens... Well, let's just say that money will no longer be an issue for us."
"Oh, Qui Gon, this is the best anniversary ever! You know the only thing that could make this night even better?" Liv said with a twinkle in her eye.
I had a feeling I knew the answer, but I decided to play dumb and just shook my head.
"I want to be stuffed to the gills. I want all the ice cream in our freezer to be inside me, and then I want you to make love to me until I get hungry and then feed me some more. Help me to finally break 450 so I can really start getting big."
Sweet mother of Moses, she knows how to get me excited.
"I thought you said you were 455." I said, smirking with a cocked eyebrow.
"Hey, quiet you." Liv said, pointing towards the kitchen.
I bolted out of the room, nearly tripping over the chair I'd pulled back from the table, and frantically opened the freezer, grabbing the first tub of ice cream I could get my hands on. I whipped up the fastest batch of gainer shake I'd ever made, then grabbed the funnel out of the cabinet and made my way back to the living room. Seemingly by magic, Liv was sitting on the couch and had changed into the nightie I had bought her over a year ago when she had been many, many pounds lighter. Her already full belly protruded from every opening, and her tits bulged forth like rising bread dough.
"Feed me, Seymour!" Liv begged.
"S-Seymour? What the hell are you talking about?" I said, perplexed.
"Really?" She said sarcastically. "It's Little Shop of Horrors."
I stared at her blankly.
"1986? Rick Moranis?" She continued. "You know what, never mind. We'll watch it later. Just get over here."
I brought the rubber tube to her lips and she greedily put her mouth around the tip. Holding the funnel above her head, I looked Liv in the eyes.
"Ready?" I asked.
She nodded and I began to pour. She guzzled the light brown liquid for seemingly several minutes without taking a breath, until finally the pitcher was empty.
*Buuurp* "More." She said simply, a small droplet of shake dripping onto her chin.
Back to the kitchen I flew, quickly pouring another quart of heavy cream into the empty blender, along with another half bottle of chocolate sauce and two more heaping scoops of weight gain powder and another half-gallon of ice cream. It didn't seem humanly possible for one person to hold this much at once, but Liv has proven to me time and time again that she's no ordinary girl.
The second batch was slower than the first, but my bulging fiancé was eventually able to get it all down.
"How much ice cream is left?" Liv asked, looking visibly uncomfortable.
"Just one more tub." I said.
"Feed it to me."
"You sure? You're looking awfully full." I said, feigning concern.
"Weren't you listening? I said I wanted all of that," she pointed at the empty pitcher, "in here." She patted her immense tummy, causing ripples that travelled across its incredible expanse and up into her globular rack.
I had never been so turned on in my life. Heading to the kitchen for a third time, I grabbed the last carton of ice cream which I'd set on the counter earlier, as well as a large silver spoon. I heard another burp from the living room, and I could tell Liv was trying to make as much room as possible for her third dessert course. I knew she was quite literally an eating machine at this point, but even I had my doubts about whether or not she'd be able to finish yet another half-gallon of the rich, creamy dessert. I mean, she had to have a limit, right?
When I returned, Liv had adjusted her position on the couch and was now reclining on the armrest while massaging her giant dough ball of a belly. Her eyes were closed and she had smile on her face that read total satisfaction. The smile only grew wider when her eyes opened and she saw me standing there with a carton and a spoon.
"Bring it on." She said seductively.
I scooped out a spoonful of the partially melted ice cream and placed it in her mouth. She moaned as the cold confection slid down her throat, and she opened her mouth for more. After several more scoops, the moans turned to groans, and I could tell she was finally beginning to hit her limit. Then, all of a sudden, she stopped.
"It's time. Pants off." She said, nearly panting.
"What?"
"Stop talking and get your pants off. I need you inside me now."
Without further argument, my jeans hit the floor in record time and I climbed on top of my bulging bride-to-be.