Autumn (Chapter 19) (Patreon)

Neither Mike nor Autumn had interest in a big expensive wedding. The pandemic had changed them in many ways, and like so many others, they had grown accustomed to the more antisocial existence that had become the new normal for the past two years. Besides, COVID-19 was dying an excruciatingly slow death, as even in April of 2022 it seemed that people were still testing positive for the virus at alarming rates.

“I really don’t (pant) want to get a fat face baby,” Autumn said, looking at her phone.

Mike handed her a glass of wine then sat next to her on the sofa. He gently touched her cheek with the back of his hand. “You don’t have a fat face, you have the most beautiful face I have ever seen.”

She looked at him expressionless. “I’ve been researching Kybella.”

Mike grabbed the remote and put the TV on mute. “What’s that?”

She tilted her head up and inspected her neck with her hand. “It’s (pant) just a natural way to remove some of this, permanently kill the fat cells like under my chin.”

Mike shook his head. “You don’t need that.”

She took a big sip of her wine. “But just the (gasp) idea of a wedding is giving me an anxiety attack, and there will be pictures.”

Wearing only panties and a white camisole, the results of her indulgences were glaring and distinct. When fully dressed, her dignified and tasteful sense of style gave her the appearance of a picture-perfect voluptuous goddess, a plus-size socialite; but when naked or in her underwear as she was now, she looked indisputably obese, perhaps morbidly so.

This however still could not be said of her face, as her chubbiness had remarkably avoided that area. It may have simply been her genetics, natural beauty and idelic body structure, as she retained the high cheekbones and delicate jawline that never failed to turn the heads of both men and women alike, and the only notable facial development was the softening slope of her neck and a slowly budding double chin.

“You already look so perfect,” Mike said without a hint of falsity.

Her lips turned sultry and she shifted her hips towards him. “But I'm not in my twenties anymore, (gasp) and this way I can have a fat ass, without getting like chubby cheeks you know.”

Mike smiled, his pants suddenly feeling tighter. “If this is wedding anxiety, I’d be fine if we just went to the courthouse, signed the papers and went away somewhere, just the two of us.”

“We can’t elope, your mom would hate me.” She reached out her arm in the direction of the chocolate cheesecake that Mike had placed on the coffee table earlier.

He grabbed her the slice of creamy dessert and handed it to her with a fork. “She’d get over it, she’s the one who canceled Christmas two years in a row.”

She took a bite. “Mmm…I think (chew) we should apply online, (chew) get the certificate and just have a small ceremony somewhere fun.”

“That’s important to you, a ceremony?”

“Not really, (pant) but it would mean a lot to my dad.”

“To walk you down the aisle?”

“Yeah.” After a gulp of wine she took another bite. “I just (chew, chew) don’t know how I’m gonna fit into a dress.”

“Nobody looks better in dresses than you do.”

She pointed her fork at him. “That’s what you think, but what about your parents? They haven't really seen me in so long.”

“Let’s not wait though.” He gently ran his fingers through the ends of her hair. “I don’t want to be one of those couples that’s just engaged for years.”

“I agree with that.” She scraped more cake off her plate and shoved another forkful between her lips. “Mmm…I (chew, chew) actually kind of like the idea of doing it with the (chew) corona stuff still going on, it’s a good excuse for us not to have to invite a bunch of people, and I could really use a vacation.”

“How do you feel about Hawaii?”

She licked her mouth slowly with her tongue before she spoke. “For the wedding?”

“For a small ceremony. If people don’t want to fly, they don’t need to come. If they want, they can buy their own tickets.”

“Hawaii would be amazing, (gasp) but maybe somewhere other than Maui.”

“Right, the boyfriend who didn’t want to take you out to dinner.”

She rolled her eyes and continued eating. “Don’t (chew) remind me.”

“You’d love the big Island, it’s less touristy.”

“(chew)I wouldn’t (chew, chew) be opposed to that, but you know I’m going to need to fly first class.”

He scooted closer and began caressing her hip as if it was some sort of supernatural piece of art. He kissed her thigh, then looked up and wiped a dab of saliva away from the corner of his mouth. “Maybe we could just buy three seats, have a row all to ourselves and cuddle up by the window.”

She drained the remainder of her wine, then handed him the empty glass. “Don’t be cheap.”

“Buying three seats isn’t cheap.” Mike stood, then headed towards the kitchen to replenish her Apothic Dark Red. “Plus we need to save up for a house right?”

“We’ll be fine, don’t worry about money,” Autumn said as she watched him uncork the bottle.

Mike returned and gave her the wine glass, now filled nearly to the brim. His brows tightened. “Did you sell your Zoom stock or something?”

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, a long time ago.”

Sitting back down, he crossed his boot over his knee and draped his arm over the back edge of the couch. “Getting tired of this apartment?”

“There’s no need for us to live in the city other than your job.” She slurped her berry flavored wine like it was water then went back to working on her cheesecake. “(chew)I don’t know, (chew, chew) it's just that I always pictured that when I was married I would live in a house. (gasp) It just sucks that the market is so crazy right now.”

“There’s an old Chinese saying that says the best time to plant a tree is 50 years ago, the second best time is right now.”

“Okay Confucius,” she said, handing him her empty plate. “What’s the best time to order dinner for your soon to be wife?”

He looked at her, confused. “Umm, what, or…when?”

“(gasp)30 minutes ago.”

He put her plate on the coffee table. “You hungry already baby?”

“What’s (gasp) the (hiccup) second best time to order dinner?”

He smiled and stood. “I’ll grab my phone.”