- Author
Posted October 25, 2015
CHAPTER 7
Winter came and went, and it was already time for Spring Break. For Emily, that meant flying home again to see her family. While she loved her family, this trip did not come without anxiety, as she had not stuck to her New Year's resolution. While she had certainly not noticed any less looks due to her expanding figure (the opposite, if anything), she knew judgment would be coming from her stick thin mother. As such, her unbuttoned jeans and tight T-Shirts would not do.
She went clothes shopping with Emeko to find some clothes that were both appealing and hid her gain. "Now that the weather's getting nice again, I really need to get back in shape. I can't afford to buy new clothes every couple months, this is ridiculous!", she complained to Emeko, who didn't respond.
Emeko was partially to blame for her friend's weight gain, herself now hovering around the obese BMI line. She wasn't particularly displeased with her own weight gain, with the pounds mostly going to her lower body, balancing her natural apple shape. "Cinnabon?", she offered.
Emily signed, looking down at her gut. "Might as well. I'm going to be sucking in and watching what I eat all next week."
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When Emily got home, she made sure to suck in her belly and arch her neck a bit to minimize her developing double chin as best she could. She could notice her mother check out her figure, but made no comment about it.
Emily had a good time with her family, and her weight was never an issue. She was relieved when she met up with some of her friends from high school and saw she wasn't the only one who had put on weight.
"Emily, you look so good!", remarked her friend Kara.
"Hehe, thanks. I've been overdoing it on the beer and cheese, as you can tell", she chuckled, patting her stomach.
Her other friend Lauren laughed, lifting up her shirt and grabbed a roll of belly fat. "I can't say that I've avoided the Freshman 15 myself. You do look great though. Curves look nice on you."
Emily shrugged. "Thanks. I don't think my mother agrees though."
Lauren rolled her eyes. "You're an adult now! f*ck what she thinks, you look great. Now let's get drunk!"
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Emily returned home a few hours later very tipsy and full of Taco Bell. She took off her coat, her full belly very visible through her T-shirt, not noticing her mother standing there with her arms crossed and a smug grin on her face. "You've been keeping up with the healthy eating and exercise I see."
Emily's face turned beet red, as she quickly sucked her gut in. "Mom, I..."
"It's alright dear. You are your own person. If my daughter doesn't want to take care of herself, that's fine with me. Out of curiosity, how much do you weigh these days?"
"Oh, uh, I don't know..."
"Hmm I should have known you wouldn't find much use for that scale I bought you. Well, no worries, I have one! I got all the way up to 122 after the holidays and have been trying to shed those last few pounds. Let me grab it!"
"Come on mom. Why are you being this way?"
"What way? Let me go grab it!"
Emily sighed. She knew her mother would disapprove of her figure, but this was ridiculous. 'I'm not even overweight', she thought.
Teresa got on the scale, which read 112.4. "Well, only two or three pounds to go.. I need to start drinking my coffee black. Come on Emily, hop on."
Emily groaned and stepped on the scale, lamenting her decision to pig out on fast food that night. Both Emily and her mother were surprised with what the scale read: 155.8
"155... Uh, well, hey, you know what they say, real women have curves", Emily's mother taunted.
"You're mean!", Emily shouted, running upstairs sobbing. Her father came down. "Teresa, what was that all about?"
"Our daughter is OVERWEIGHT is what this is all about. That girl needs to learn some self control!"
"She is, really? Well, she's an adult, she can make her own decisions. I don't need you to make her cry. Shaming her isn't good for her health, physically or mentally."
"I know, it's just... I just want what's best for her!"
"What's best for her is to have a supportive mother, not an eating disorder."
"But-"
"No 'buts'. I don't want her to hate visiting her parents. Now let's go to bed - and put that scale away!"
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Emily's parents were were nice to her during the last couple days of her visit, but she was upset. Upset at her mom, upset with herself for turning the Freshman 15 into the Freshman 35. In her room, she looked at herself in the mirror - she carried it well - a nice soft hourglass figure. The main thing she didn't like was her chubby belly, which protruded if she didn't suck it in.
Before she left, her mother knocked on her door. "Can I come in?"
"I'd prefer you didn't."
"Please Emily."
Emily sighed, put on a sweatshirt and opened the door. "What?"
"Well, I just wanted to apologize. You know, how I acted was mean and childish. I just... I worry about you. I look at you, and you're such a beautiful girl - prettier than I was at your age, but gaining 30 pounds in a few months... I just don't want you be unhappy."
Emily frowned. "I didn't mean to... It just sort of happened."
"I know dear. I won't harangue you about your weight any more. Just... understand where I'm coming from. I want you to be healthy, that's all."
Emily nodded with a faint smile.
Emily's mother gave her a hug and they both cried. "Hey mom, could you do me a favor?"
"What is it, sweetie?"
"Thank Dad for me."
- Kyubey
- 1
