Autumn (chapter 17) (Patreon)

The world appeared to normalize as summer cooled into fall. The Anytime Fitness on the street level of their apartment building reopened, as well as the Google Campus where Mike worked.

Being true to his word, he did wake up at 5 am his first full week back to make Autumn a hearty pancake and bacon breakfast before heading off for the day, but it was a difficult routine to keep up and by the second and third weeks he resorted to leaving finger foods on her desk like muffins, croissants or toasted bagels with cream cheese.

By Thanksgiving however, the new Omicron variant was beginning to spread, and the future still seemed uncertain, and Mike had to go back to wearing a mask at all times while on campus.

The family holiday dinners were canceled yet again and Mike and Autumn spent the closing months of the year in the company of just each other save for a couple of get-togethers with a handful of close friends.

Mike set his backpack down after work in late December then went up the stairs to find Autumn still sitting at her desk. He put his hands on her shoulders and gave them a soothing squeeze. “How’s work?”

She rolled back in her chair. “My boss is talking about possibly sending me to Europe for a few weeks next year, assuming the covid cases go down.”

“Really, where?”

“The Dublin office, maybe Paris and Vienna too.”

“Jesus, that sounds like a lot of traveling.”

“Yeah I know. I’m not counting on it though, just wait and see I guess.”

“Would you even want to go?”

“Not really, it would be exhausting, although I’ve never been to France.”

Mike peered at the empty plate next to her computer. “Can I get you something? There’s still those eclairs in the fridge.”

Her eyes softened sympathetically. “No thank you baby, no more carbs right now.” She paused. “ I was actually thinking about heading down to the gym. Want to join me?”

“Ummm, yeah okay, you sure?”

She leaned forward and placed her hands on the edge of the desk in an effort to get up. After a quick failed attempt she nonchalantly abandoned that strategy and instead reached towards Mike who promptly helped hoist her to her feet. After a short moment to catch her breath she gazed into pale blue eyes. “I just need to. (pant) I haven't had any physical activity in so long.”

He wrapped his arms around her waist then let his hands dangle against her backside. His lips drew a halfhearted smile. “Well lets just be sure to not overdo it or you’re gonna be sore for the rest of the week.”

She smirked haughtily. “I’ll be fine. Don’t (pant) worry, my ass isn’t going anywhere.”

“How do you always know exactly what I’m thinking?”

“Because I know you too well.” She wiggled a few steps away, turned and gave her hair a subtle toss. “But stop being so grumpy, (pant) my body needs exercise too, I can’t just keep gaining weight all the time.”

He shrugged. “I’m not grumpy.”

She put her weight on one hip and crossed her arms beneath her breasts. “Bullshit.”

He walked forward and again pulled her close. He smiled. “I’m just missing all the fun we had in the summer.”

“I know you are, but that’s just lust.” Looking at him directly she pressed her finger into his chest. “ Lust is a temporary fleeting feeling, love on the other hand is not.”

“But I love you.”

She rolled her eyes then turned around and playfully bounced her butt against his jeans. “Do you love me or just my ass?”

“Both.”

“Okay, I suppose that’s (pant) an acceptable answer, but if that’s true I need you to support me and come exercise with me, hold me accountable.”

He squeezed the sides of her waist and let her gushy body fall into his strong, solid physique. “I think you’ve lost some weight baby,” he said.

“Don’t get all fixated on my weight, but yes, I’ve lost a little, thanks for noticing.”

“You weighed yourself?”

“Maybe.”

“How much did you lose?”

She pushed him away. “I’m finally under 300 pounds again and I’d like to keep it that way. I have so much more energy than I did a few months ago.”

“Well that’s good.” His posture deflated, but he caught himself and quickly stood up straight and forced a smile. “It was sexy though, wasn't it.”

“What, being over 300 pounds?”

He stepped forward, reaching his arms around to clutch her ass with both hands. His voice lowered to an intimate rumble as his lips approached her ear. “Yeah, and feeding you in bed, seeing the numbers go up on the scale, watching you get so curvy and…chunky.”

Her body quivered as if his words sent shivers down her spine. “Okay stop it, you're (pant) going to turn me on with that kind of talk.”

He smiled and stepped back. “See I knew you loved it.”

“Well of course I loved it. What woman wouldn’t love being treated like a queen all the time, and getting all that affection…but we can’t do that forever.”

“Sure we can.”

With an opened faced palm she pushed him in his flat and hardened abdomen. “Stop it…”

He sighed. “Okay okay, I know you’re right, and I support you.”

“That’s a good boy. Now (pant) let’s get going before I lose my motivation.”

“Okay baby.”

Mike couldn’t say he was thrilled by Autumn’s unwillingness to continue gaining weight deep into the 300’s, but he did understand where she was coming from. Being that big had its drawbacks and he certainly couldn’t argue if she said she felt more comfortable and healthier at 280 pounds, rather than 310.

It was a little disheartening though, and confusing.

Why did the very idea of her losing weight feel like a dull knife to his heart?

She had already well surpassed his expectations. Never in his craziest dreams would he have ever imagined that a girl like Autumn could reach a weight as high as she did.

Shouldn’t he be happy?

Shouldn’t he be thankful and grateful that he was so lucky to witness such a sexy and stupefying progression that was his girlfriend’s growing curves?

Shouldn’t he be relieved that she imposed a limit on herself before her weight became out of control and started to seriously affect her health?

Would things be different if they were married?

In February of 2022 Mike pulled his CRV into Seatac airport departures and hopped out of the car to help Autumn with her bags. He stared at her next to the curb knowing it would be the last time he would see her in person for quite a while. “I’m gonna miss you,” he said.

She sighed and lifted a few strands of hair away from her eyes. “I’m gonna miss you too.”

He gestured at her purple roller suitcase. “You sure you’re gonna be okay getting all the way to the gate with that thing?”

“I can manage.”

He gave her a long tight hug then kissed her on the lips. “Watch out for Irish guys.”

She smirked. “Maybe I’ll run into Damian Rice and he’ll ask me to marry him.”

“Tell him you’re taken.”

She ran her left hand through her thick soft hair. “Guess I'd have to, otherwise how would he know?”

Brushing aside her teasing, Mike’s face turned serious. “Be safe and try not to work too hard. I love you.”

“I’m scared.”

“Scared of what?”

“I’m scared of being away from you for so long,” she said. “What if we like, you know, start to drift apart.”

His eyes danced over the entirety of her body. It was clear that she was no longer quite as big as she was at her peak back in September. She was still quite large, but her belly was less swollen and she seemed to be able to stand and move more easily and for longer periods of time than she used to. With her sophisticated and well put together way of dressing she looked like a very beautiful and extremely curvy young woman and less like the hot and sexy bloated mess she had been only a few months prior.  “I said I love you.”

She took a deep breath and gave him one last kiss. “I love you too.”

Mike stared at her for as long as he could as she walked away with her luggage rolling behind. Her skintight black leggings showcased her oversized backside magnificently and she was already beginning to turn the heads of the group of pilots that were chatting on the sidewalk.

How the hell was she going to squeeze that ass into economy seating? She would probably have to turn sideways just to walk down the aisle of the plane.

Shit.

Walk down the aisle.

All of a sudden, everything seemed more serious.

It was a bit of a shock for Mike to be alone again after spending nearly every waking minute with Autumn for so long. The apartment felt cold, dreary and sad, and the constant drizzle of Seattle rain didn’t make things any better.

He went to work, went home, ate top ramen and microwavable burritos for dinner and did countless pushups and pullups just to pass the time and suppress his anxiety.

He imagined Autumn getting hit on everywhere she went in Europe, and it dawned on him fully that if he didn’t put a ring on her finger there were thousands of eligible men who happily take his place and do the job for him.

But all the feeding and weight gain stuff had been such a thrilling gift that he was having trouble thinking of anything else.

The way Autumn had been talking lately worried him, and the more time they spent apart only served to fuel his concerns.

They Facetimed frequently, or as much as they could considering the time difference. She seemed to like Dublin okay, but she complained about all the walking and the lack of decent food.

As the days went by Mike’s mind went crazy with thoughts of Autumn being deprived of her favorite desserts, meeting guys with charming Irish accents and constantly walking the Docklands.

She would soon need to go to Paris and then maybe Vienna and it would just be more of the same and by the time she returned home she’d be a significantly slimmer version of herself.

Why the hell did these thoughts bother him so much and keep him up at night?

Why should he care?

Who was he to care? It was her body and he had no right to worry about what she ate or how much exercise she got.

She was not some art project of his to control. Obese, curvy or in between she was a real lady and a gorgeous woman of the absolute highest quality and he felt like a toxic masculine pig for not wanting her to lose weight.

Before she left he had sneakily wrapped a string around her finger while she was sleeping. He needed to pop the question when she got back, and he needed to get a ring and the ring needed to be the right size.

It was time, but what if Europe ended up giving her a new outlook on life?

What if she wanted to lose more weight, would he still want to marry her?

What if she ended up slimming down to the point where the ring would just slip right off her formally chubby finger.

What if.

Laying on his back on the sofa, Mike lifted his phone above his face and stared at the darkened screen. He could see only vague shadows of Autumn’s hair and face, but her voice came through crisp and clear. It had been a few days since they last spoke, and over two weeks had passed since dropping her off at the Airport.

“You would love it here, so much history,” she said.

Mike fiddled with his hair, distracted by his own image in the upper right corner of his phone. “Getting over the jet lag?”

“Yeah it wasn’t too bad actually, but maybe that’s because everything is new and exciting.”

“Turn on some lights I can’t see you.”

“Noooo, I just woke up, I don’t have any makeup on or anything.”

“Oh come on, you don’t need makeup.”

She leaned in and Mike could see a hint of a smile on her face. “Ooohh, five points to you for that remark,” she said.

“How was the flight from Dublin?”

Her eyes narrowed, smug and proud. “It was good, you’re not going to believe it but they upgraded me again.”

“What, first class?”

“Yep.”

“How is that even possible?”

“I don’t know? I’ve been lucky and keep getting these male flight attendants and I suppose I can’t help but, you know…exercise my feminine powers of persuasion. It's a good thing because…and I know I haven't flown in a while but I swear to god, it’s like coach seating (pant) has gotten even tinier and more crammed over the pandemic or something. I think they are more fat-phobic over here than they are in the states too. The hotel rooms are more compact, the doorways are narrow and even the toilet seats are smaller. ”

Mike's eyes brightened. “How’s the food?”

“The food? Way better than Ireland, it’s all just Pubs there, but Paris has so many options. My coworker Justine and I have been walking everywhere, my legs are sooo sore, but the coffee is amazing.”

“Did you get some crepes, or french fries or anything?”

“Not yet, we're actually a little north of Neuilly-sur-Seine, maybe we’ll explore more of old Paris this weekend and I’ll get to experience the real French cuisine.”

Mike sat up straight and cleared his throat.“What’s the word on Austria?”

She sighed. “Sounds like my boss really wants me to go.”

“For how long?”

“At least another week.”

“So you don’t know when you’re coming back yet?”

“No, not yet.” She paused for a moment. “How’s Samson?”

“Samson is good, but he misses you, we both do.” Mike brought his phone closer to his face. “Are you getting enough to eat though?”

She brought her screen close to her face. “Stop worrying about what I eat or how much I eat.”

“Okay, I’ll stop, I’m sorry,” he said somewhat sheepishly. “I’m glad you’re getting to explore Europe.”

“Thank you.”

They stared at each other silently for several seconds. “What?” Mike said finally.

Autumn pursed her lips together coyly before she spoke. “I have a confession to make.”

“Okay.”

“I may have umm, accidentally caved and umm…bought a pack of cigarettes.”

“Ohh baby no!”

“I know I know…I just couldn’t help it, seems like everyone smokes here.”

“Bad girl,” he said in a playful yet still scolding tone.

“Don’t worry, I’ll quit again, just need to get through this trip.” Her darkened eyes quickly shot downward. “Omigod, I need to shower and get ready for a meeting.”

“Yeah and I should get to bed.” He collapsed back down into a lying position. “Love you.”

She blew him a quick kiss. “Talk to you soon.”

“Bye.”

The call ended and Mike set his phone on the coffee table. He closed his eyes.

God he missed her.

He missed the sweet smell of her perfumes and lotions. He missed her touch, and the feeling of her thick soft hair tangled in his fingers.

He missed her ass.

Her big juicy ass.

But it wasn’t going to be quite as juicy as it used to be.

He already knew it.

She was smoking again. That would probably curb her appetite and French women don’t get fat.

He wasn’t there to make her breakfast every morning, he wasn’t there to buy her desserts every night, he wasn’t there to feed her.

And now it seemed likely that he would’nt see her again for at least another 2 weeks. It would be a whole month apart altogether if not more.

Shit.

A month is a long enough time to lose a significant amount of weight.

He grabbed his phone again and scrolled through his photos.

He found the pics of Autumn at their fourth of July party from the previous year when she was still gaining weight and getting close to her peak.

He stared like a hungry dog.

He zoomed in.

He put his hand in his pants.