# Trouble with Truffles  by Madeline Maple (SSBBW, Feeding, Imagery, ~XWG)



## Madeline Maple (Jan 8, 2010)

_SSBBW, Feeding, Imagery, ~XWG_ &#8211; A woman runs into trouble by eating some exotic truffles.


*TROUBLE WITH TRUFFLES
By Madeline Maple*


*A short story in 6 chapters and an epilogue.*​
*CHAPTER 1*



“I thought it was our turn to pick the restaurant?” Ester said to her husband.

“I know, I know,” Harry replied as he kept his eyes on the road ahead. “That’s why I suggested we try that new pizza place over in Port Moody.”

“Well then why are we going back to that same bar and grill? It’s a bit gauche, don’t you think? What’s it called? William’s Bar and Grill?”

“It’s called Wilson’s Bar and Grill,” Harry corrected, “and I’m not quite sure why we don’t try another restaurant. Maybe Julie and Jack really like the food there? Maybe Jack wants another go at beating me at pool? I don’t really know. All I can say is that when I suggested the pizza place Jack acted a bit uncomfortable and finally asked if we could go back to Wilson’s. I didn’t really want to make an issue of it, so I agreed.”

Ester and Harry drove in silence for a minute or two, until Ester said, “Hmmmm.”

“What?” asked Harry.

“I wonder if there’s something about that restaurant that makes it easier for Julie?”

“How’s that?”

“Well,” Ester responded, “they don’t have booths and instead have those armless metal chairs. And they have wide aisles and it’s never too crowded so you don’t have to stand around and wait for a table.”

“Yeah, maybe so,” said Harry not wanting to speculate. Ester, however, was in the mood for guessing.

“Just think about it. There’s no way Julie could fit into a booth. Nor could she fit into any normal sized chair, and a wooden chair might collapse under her weight. And you’ve seen how out of breath she gets. There’s no way she could stand around for thirty minutes waiting for a table. Didn’t you notice that she sat down on the couch at the department holiday party and didn’t get up the entire time? She probably needs to be careful about where she goes out to eat.”

“C’mon, Ester, let’s show some respect. I’m sure Julie wouldn’t like us talking about her size like this.”

“I AM being respectful, Harry,” sounding rather indignant. “I’m not judging. At least I’m not judging her negatively. I’m just curious, that’s all. How much do you think she weighs? She’s gotta weigh at least 400 pounds, right? She might even be closer to 500? But then again she’s kinda short. Maybe she’s closer to 400. But she’s at least 400 pounds. Probably more given that belly she lugs around, even with being a bit short.”

“Uh, yeah, something like that” said Harry still not wanting to take the bait.

“Now c’mon, Harry,” said Ester starting to get a little angry. “Don’t act so naive. I know your taste in women, and I saw you taking a second, third, and even a fourth glance at Julie when you knew she wasn’t looking. I know she at least turns you on a little. I mean, I know you prefer us girls with a pear shape but a person of her size with an apple body has to spark some interest.”

“I only have eyes for you, my dear,” Harry said as he turned to his wife and smiled. He saw her with her long, curly brown hair with her large eyes and cute, dimpled cheeks. Even with her coat designed to brace against Vancouver’s fall winds, he could see the outline of her breasts and in the shadow of the car seat he could imagine her bountiful hips and thighs. “And even at 200 pounds you take my breath away.”

“I’m 210 pounds, thank you very much,” said Ester a bit defensively.

“I would love you no matter what you weighed, sweetie,” Harry said.

“I might take you up on that…sweetie,” Ester replied in a mocking tone, still feeling a bit annoyed at her husband for pretending that he wasn’t interested in talking about Julie’s immense size.

As the couple turned into the parking lot for the restaurant, Ester couldn’t resist another opportunity to express her mild agitation, saying, “You three aren’t going to blabber on and on about some anthropology thing, are you? Sometimes it’s really annoying to be the only non-academic around. Oh, god, and especially when you just start bitching about your students.”

“Alright, alright, Ester, you’ve registered your annoyance,” Harry replied with a hint of exasperation.

Ester and Harry soon arrived at the restaurant and walked through the front doors only to be met by the subject of their previous conversation. Julie was seated in front of them on a stone bench in the restaurant’s foyer. She was certainly a very large woman. Julie had dark hair pulled back in a sensible bun with wisps of hair hanging down that framed her large second chin that seemed to engulf the entirety of her neck. Her dark eyes stood out amidst her chubby face with her small nose and mouth. She was wearing a long, black linen coat but beneath that layer it was still easy to see the general outline of her body. She sat with her legs spread wide to allow space for her pendulous belly which hung to her knees and pressed against the inside of her thighs. Her puffy arms were extended as far as they could go to allow for her hands to be folded at the top of her heavy stomach.

As soon as Julie saw Ester and Harry her face lit up and she extended an arm to shake hands with them both. As she reached out it was obvious the copious amounts of fat that hung from her upper arm. She couldn’t lean forward very far because the bottom of her belly was pressed against the front of the stone bench. As a result, Ester had to lean forward to reach Julie’s hand.

“Hey, how’s it going?” said Ester as the two women shook hands. Ester now felt a bit embarrassed for talking so explicitly about her new friend’s size.

“I’m just fine,” replied Julie. “Jack was just parking the car.” And with that, Julie’s husband came through the door and there was a round of smiles and handshakes.

“The party’s all here,” said Jack. “Harry, why don’t you and Ester go ahead and get a table. We’ll be right behind you.”

“No problem,” answered Harry. And he and Ester started toward the hostess, but not before Ester noticed out of the corner of her eye that Jack was carefully helping Julie to her feet.

Harry and Ester sat down at the table directed to them by the hostess. Ester again noted how much space there was between tables and even a person as big as Julie wouldn’t brush against people’s chairs as she walked by. Now Ester was convinced that Julie and Jack picked the restaurant to accommodate Julie’s size. She looked around and noticed a few other supersized people. The hostess, for example, was easily 300 pounds or more. She noticed one of the waitresses who was probably closer to Julie’s size.

Ester tried not to stare as Julie and Jack made their way to the table. Julie no longer wore her black coat, and instead she was clad in a sensible brown cotton pullover with a long black skirt that must have been pulled up over her hanging stomach. She took her time walking, slowly shifting her weight from one foot to the other, and it looked like it was a bit of challenge to push her belly along which still hung down and probably rested somewhat on her thighs even while she walked. It was quite a contrast between the two members of the couple. Julie simply dwarfed her husband in girth, although Jack was about a foot taller than Julie. Jack was quite thin, dressed in a dumpy blue sports coat. His thick brown beard and rumpled hair set him on track to age into the classic &#8216;absent minded professor’ look. Ester thought Julie and Jack made a cute couple.

Ester then turned to look at her husband. In that moment she felt envy for how men just age to become more and more handsome. Harry wore that same argyle wool sweater that he almost always wears, and although Ester often gave him a hard time for having boring fashion, she secretly loved that argyle sweater. She looked at Harry’s kind blue eyes and strong chin. Ester loved his long face with long blonde hair and slight build.

By this time, Julie and Jack had arrived at the table. Both Ester and Harry tried not to be too obvious in looking at how Jack had to help Julie ease her way into her chair. Jack tried to play it off that he was just being gentlemanly and pulling out the chair for his wife, but it was clear that Julie kept her arm against her husband for support.

Once everyone were seated the two couples engaged in lively conversation, and Ester was having a wonderful time, aided by a couple of glasses of wine and a delicious Caesar salad with a juicy burger and a plate of fries. After dinner, Harry and Jack were about to go to the adjacent bar to play pool, but before they left, they checked in with their wives.

“Is there anything we can get for you lovely ladies?” asked Harry.

“Yeah, are you two all set?” added Jack.

“Will you send the waitress over here? I want to order some dessert,” Ester answered.

“Sure thing,” replied Harry, and the two men left for the bar.

Ester turned to Julie and said, “It’s great having these skinny men dote on us big girls, huh?”

“Uh, sure,” responded Julie.

After a bit the waitress returned. Just like the hostess, the waitress was more than a bit plump, although she wasn’t quite as big as the other waitress Ester noticed previously. Ester was starting to like this place.

“What can I get for you gals?”

“I’ll have Wilson’s Cheesecake,” said Ester.

“I’ll just have more decaf coffee,” Julie responded.

“You sure you don’t want anything? The chocolate cake sounds amazing.”

“No,” said Julie turning to the waitress. “Just the coffee, please.”

With that the waitress grabbed the dessert menus and left, leaving the two women to chat. After a while, Ester’s order of Wilson’s Cheesecake arrived. It was a huge slab of dessert that must have been at least one-third of a whole pie, with a moist crust and loads of whipped cream on top.

“Oh, man, this looks amazing,” Ester said. She brought a forkful to her lips, and she gave a big smile as her eyes brightened. “You’ve got to taste this,” handing her fork to Julie.

Julie didn’t grab the fork. Instead she leaned back a bit and looked right at Ester, saying, “Listen, Ester. There’s something I need to talk to you about.”

“Okaaaaay.” Ester responded slowly, taking back the fork and then diving into the cheesecake with a passion.

“I like you,” continued Julie. “And we’re becoming friends, so I want to be open and honest with you.”

“I like you, too,” Ester muttered through a mouthful of cheesecake.

“But I need you to understand something about me,” Julie said. “I don’t really like it when you do things like push me to eat dessert. I know you are just being friendly. And I know you think we share some kind of fat women solidarity. But in all honesty, you have no idea what I go through. What are you? 200 pounds?”

Ester didn’t even respond, feeling rather hurt in the moment.

Julie continued, “Well…I know you are pleasingly plump, and compared to what’s considered an &#8216;average’ weight, most people consider you to be a fat woman. But girl…you are nowhere near my size.” Julie paused to be emphatic, and then continued, “Now I wasn’t always this large. I was never thin, but I wasn’t always supersized. When I was in college I was about your size, in fact. I love to eat, so I would eat the occasional potato chip or cheesecake, and I was no worse for wear. But after I had my kids, something changed with my metabolism. I used to splurge a little here and there, but quite quickly I learned that I needed to be very careful about what I ate. I started to gain a lot of weight very quickly when I was in grad school. I tried to cut back. I would eat what most people would consider a normal diet, but I would still gain weight. That’s when I met Jack. He helped me learn to love myself no matter what my size. But it was still hard getting so big. Now I’ve learned how to live as a supersized woman. I’m sure most people think I’m constantly binging on junk food to be so fat, but it’s not true. In fact, I eat very little, and all that does is to maintain my current weight.”

“Wow,” replied Ester, slouching a bit in her chair, already finished with her cheesecake. “I had no idea.”

“I know you didn’t, and I hope this doesn’t come across as mean,” urged Julie. “It’s just that I want you to understand why I don’t do things like share a dessert with you. And actually I like the fact that you made the offer. I feel comfortable with you. Sometimes I get the impression that people who aren’t supersized act weird around me, as if being fat is a disease or something. But I don’t feel that way with you.”

“Well thanks, Julie. I appreciate that.”

At that moment, the two men returned from the bar.

“Well, that’s about as much of a beating as I can stand for one night,” said Harry.

“You’re getting better,” said Jack with encouragement.

“So what were you two talking about?” Jack asked as the two men took their seats.

“I was just telling Ester some of the trials and tribulations of a woman with an excruciatingly slow metabolism,” responded Julie.

“Ah, yes.” Jack said. “And speaking of metabolisms, did either of you hear the presentation about truffle eating Sherpas at the National Anthropology Conference last spring?”

“Oh, I love truffles,” Ester quickly interjected, hoping to avoid entering into a lengthy and boring conversation about academics. “Especially the raspberry truffles they sell at Whole Foods.”

“Actually we’re talking about the truffles that are fungi. They are similar to mushrooms in that they reproduce via spores, and in many haute cuisines they are a delicacy.”

“_Oh, great_,” Ester thought to herself. “_Here we go._”

Jack continued, “So I heard someone present a paper about a certain tribe of Sherpa. You know the Sherpa, the people who serve as guides for those who climb the Himalayas?” Harry and Julie nodded. “Well this paper was talking about a tribe, living in a particularly harsh region that eats a certain kind of truffle that is said to affect their metabolism. The researcher hypothesized that they eat the truffles as a ritual to slow their metabolism so that their bodies are more efficient in processing calories, making them better able to handle difficult mountain climbs. I guess that if they make better use of calories, they would have to take less food with them when they climb,” finished Jack.

“Fascinating,” said Julie.

“Yes, quite interesting,” Harry added.

“So wait,” said Ester, now perking up and feeling a bit interested in the topic. “Are you telling me that these…Sherpa…eat a truffle that slows down their metabolism?”

“Yes, that’s precisely what I’m saying,” Jack said. “Although it’s not clear to what extent the effect is biological and to what extent is embedded in the cultural practices of their…”

Jack continued, but Ester stopped listening to the academic babble. Instead she sat back, sipping her coffee, feeling content with a belly full of cheesecake, wine, burger, fries, and salad. She kept thinking about what Julie confided in her, and meanwhile thoughts of these exotic truffles kept popping into her mind.


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## idtentional (Jan 9, 2010)

continue on please!


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## Madeline Maple (Jan 9, 2010)

*CHAPTER 2*


That night, Harry and Ester were getting ready for bed. Harry was lying down, watching his wife slip into her satin nightgown. He watched as she raised her slightly chubby arms as she worked the nightgown past her arms and head. It glided past her two small rolls of fat on her sides, but the clothes collected at her waist, being stopped by her mildly protruding hips and rear. Ester reached down and worked the nightgown past her hips, and she turned to face her husband. She noticed that he looked rather excited.

Like what you see?

Oh, yes, come here, sweetie, Harry said slowly.

Ester climbed on the bed on all fours as she slowly moved toward her husband with her bountiful bottom in the air. When she reached Harry, she stuck out her finger and started gently stroking his leg.

Honey? Ester said coyly.

What? Harry said, a little annoyed at the interruption of what he thought was the beginning of an intimate night together.

I was thinking about something.

What is it? Harry replied, now completely annoyed that they were still talking. Meanwhile, Ester was still currying his favor by gently stroking his leg.

Werent you fascinated by Jacks story about those Sherpa and those truffles?

Ohyes, that was something I didnt know about before. Then Harry looked at Ester quizzically with his head cocked to one side. What are you getting at?

Well, continued Ester still with a coy tone of voice, you know how Ihow I

Go on urged Harry, now not so much annoyed as curious.

Wellyou know how sometimes I like it when you.you know

When we play our little feeding game? finished Harry, quickly realizing that Ester doesnt use that tone of voice unless she was talking about how Harry would sometimes feed Ester as a part of foreplay. He knew Ester was really self-conscious about her deviant desire, so he learned to tread carefully on the topic.

Yeah, when we play our little feeding game, Ester continued with renewed confidence. And dont you think it might be fun to try to get some of those truffles? You knowto enhance the experience?

Youre saying that these alleged metabolism slowing truffles would act as an aphrodisiac for you? asked Harry, as he put his hand gently on her shoulder in an effort to show support for his wife.

WellyeahI think it would be fun to try it out. As if what you fed me would be even more likely to make me put on a little weight. And I know you like it when I put on a little weight.

Harry couldnt deny that. He loved his wifes body, but he also sometimes fantasized about what it would be like if she were to get bigger.

I mean, really, continued Ester, those truffles probably wont even do anything. But we could pretend, couldnt we?

Well, lets see Harry said, now considering the idea. How would we even go about finding these truffles?

Ive thought about that, answered Ester. In Chinatown they sell tons of really weird, exotic stuff from the East. I bet somewhere they sell those Himalayan truffles.

Yeah, but wed need to know their name. There are hundreds of varieties of truffle. Harry thought for a moment, and then suddenly said, Wait, I know! All of the papers from the anthropology conference are posted online. Maybe theres more information about the truffles there.

Ester left to get the laptop and brought it back into the bed. Harry searched and found the paper that Jack had mentioned. They both huddled in front of the screen, quickly reading through the paper for mention of the truffles.

There it is, Ester said pointing to a place in the paper. The scientific name is the Tuber Himalayensis truffle.

According to this, they are grown in the Rolwaling valley of Kathmandu, added Harry. Hmmm.that might be just enough information to find what we need.

Ester smiled as she turned to her husband, Soit seems that you are getting into this.

Well, Harry replied, I think we should be careful. This is only preliminary research, and we dont know anything about these truffles.

Fair enough. Butcan we go tomorrow and see if we can find them? Ester pleaded, returning to the gentle stroking of her husbands leg.

Okay. Harry said as he smiled at his wife, and then put the laptop on the bedside table. He turned out the light and embraced his wife.

The next morning, Harry and Ester were walking along the many blocks of Vancouvers Chinatown.

Were never going to find them. Its like looking for a needle in a haystack! Ester said in frustration.

Hold on, sweetie. It not like we cant find them. Its more like we cant find people who speak enough English to explain to them what were looking for, Harry cautioned. Lets try this place, pointing to a large store across the street.

As with the other stores they entered, Ester was in awe of the strange things for sale. It was hard for her to believe she was still in North America. She glanced at hundreds of dried fish, strange spices, and herbs she had never heard of, most of which were labeled only in Chinese. They walked up to the sales counter and inquired about the Himalayan truffles. The man behind the counter didnt say a word. Instead, he turned around and left for a room in the back of the store.

See? Ester said in anger. Were never gonna find them!

Just then, the man returned with a teenage boy who looked to be about 13. In perfect English the boy said, Can I help you?

Oh, wowhey, yeah, muttered Ester, surprised to finally be able to have a conversation.

Were looking for a rare type of truffle grown only near the Himalayas, said Harry. He then proceeded to give the boy all the information they had.

Hold on a moment, said the boy as he left for the back room, only to return quickly carrying what looked to be a medium-sized phone book. This is the catalog for our biggest supplier. If I cant find your truffles in here, chances are youll have to fly to Nepal to get them.

Ester was standing on tiptoes, she was so excited. She had almost given up the search, but now she clung desperately to this shred of hope as the boy thumbed through the catalog.

After a minute or so, Ester could no longer stand the suspense, saying, So, can you find them?

Hold on. There are like two billion truffles listed here, and its not easy translating. Youre welcome to look for yourself, lady Then all of sudden his eyes opened a bit wider, saying, Wait, I found them.

Great! Order three truffles for us, please, Harry said.

Only three? Asked Ester, looking at her husband.

Cmon sweetie, answered Harry. You promised to be careful.

Okay, replied Ester, feeling only a little disappointed.

Well, youll have to buy an entire bag, the boy said. We cant buy them individually from the supplier, and we cant keep something so obscure in stock.

Harry looked at Ester and mouthed the words, Be careful, and then turned to the boy and said, Well take a bag. How long until they arrive?

They should arrive the day after tomorrow, sometime in the morning, answered the boy.

For the next two days, Ester was looking forward to trying her new aphrodisiac. The night before the truffles were scheduled to arrive, she could hardly sleep. By the time Harry returned with the truffles, she felt like a little girl on Christmas morning. 

Oooh, let me see them! she said.

Harry pulled out a paper bag and handed it to Ester. Inside were several dozen small black spheres.

They look almost like the kind from Whole Foods. But they sure dont smell the same! she said, as she recoiled from a whiff of the Himalayan truffles.

Ester immediately pulled a truffle out of the bag and started inspecting it, smelling it, and even gave it a little lick.

It tastes kinda bitter, she reported.

Harry then took the truffle out of her hand, set it down, took both of her hands in his and looked into her eyes, saying, Now, sweetie, we dont know anything about these things. I know youre excited about them, and I have to say Im a bit intrigued, too. But will you promise to take it easy until we have more information?

Ester nodded, saying, I know. Im just thrilled that we actually tracked these things down! But Im not an idiot. How about if I eat three of them, and well see what happens?

That sounds okay, answered Harry, but I wonder if theres a way we can get some more information?

Can we get them tested or something? Ester asked.

Hey, thats a good idea, Harry said. I know a guy in the biochemistry department at Simon Fraser. I wonder if hell run some tests for us?

That sounds great, she said, as she again reached for a truffle, but this time, Harry didnt stop her. She put the whole thing in her mouth and bit down.

It tastes like a bitter mushroom, and its a bit crunchy, she reported. Do people really consider this fancy food?

Yes, they do, but there are probably different ways to prepare them, Harry answered.

Ester finished chewing and swallowed the entire truffle. She then looked intently at her husband and raised her eyebrows ever so slightly, signaling her interest in more than just truffle eating. Harry took the hint, taking his wife by the hand and leading her into the kitchen for some food-based foreplay.

How about some French toast? Harry said, taking a loaf of bread out of the refrigerator.

Youre gonna need another loaf, Ester replied, pulling out a second bag of bread, smiling.



*CHAPTER 3*



One month after receiving the truffles, Harry was reading in bed while his wife struggled to fit into her satin nightgown. Ester had one arm through the sleeve and was working hard to get her other arm through, but all she succeeded in doing was to keep jabbing her elbows into her breasts. Ester was starting to get rather frustrated, making little grunting noises. Harry looked up from his book, and noticed his wifes difficulty.

Hey, there, hot mama. Why even bother with that thing? Ill be taking it off in a minute.

Ester smiled at him, still with one arm in the nightgown but dropping her other arm to her side. Harry took a good look at his wife. In the first few days after they got the truffles, Ester ate three of them, and Harry was quick to send the rest off for testing, fearing Esters temptation would be too much for her to resist. In the past month, the husband and wife had been enjoying some mild changes in Esters frame. Her shape was still the same, but everything was just a little bit fuller. Her second chin was a little more pronounced. Both her upper and lower arms seemed a little more padded. Her breasts swelled ever so slightly more, and her little tummy was more rounded. Her hips were always her most striking feature, and they, too, were a bit wider, with her thighs and calves also taking on a bit more weight.

Have you weighed yourself recently? Harry inquired.

Just did, Ester answered.

And

And, what? Ester said playfully.

Cmon. Dont keep a fat admirer waiting to hear his gaining wifes current weight! Thats cruel and usual punishment, he said.

Im already up to 225 pounds.

Well, well, Harry said smiling. Thats fifteen pounds in only one month. Thats impressive.

I know. It is, right? I usually never gain this quickly. No matter what I eat, she said.

Well, it looks like those truffles really did something, dont you think?

Yeah, Ester answered, I think so. And I think I like what they did. Ester said while looking to her husband for confirmation.

Harry only smiled, put his book on the nightstand, and opened his arms for his wife to come to him.

Ester flung the nightgown in the direction of the trash. Ill go shopping for another nightgown tomorrow. And with that, Harry turned out the light.

The next two months were quite busy with the end of the semester, holiday parties, and the general insanity that comes with the end of a calendar year. Harry had noticed Ester eating more than her fair share of cookies and sweets, and he also noticed that she had continued to put on weight. But neither of them said anything. Instead, they choose to express themselves in bed.

One night, however, Harry was again in bed while Ester was getting dressed for the night. And like the evening two months before, she was struggling to put on her nightgown. This time she was able to pull the nightgown over her upper body, but she was trying to pull the garment over her ample hips and bottom, but to no avail. As she struggled, Harry looked up from his book, and said in a carefully inquisitive tone,

Sweetie?

Ester looked up from her efforts. What?

Um, it looks like you outgrew another nightgown?

Ester didnt say anything but returned to her efforts to get dressed for the night.

Um, Harry continued, Um, I thought you bought a 2XL this time?

This IS a 2XL, Ester said.

Harry was surprised but also a bit excited to find out that her wife had outgrown clothing that was so large. He took a moment to inspect Esters changed body. Again her shape was pretty much the same, but there were several important changes. Where she used to have just two small rolls of fat on either side, these rolls now numbered three and seemed to dig deep into her sides in such a way as to extend onto the sides of her back and ended in upward sloping lines that gave shape to the soft fat of her back. While she used to have a small, soft tummy, she now had a small belly. It hung out a little and blended into her hips on the side. Her breasts were perhaps a bit larger, but it was difficult to tell given how much the rest of her had grown. Her face seemed chubbier, and her second chin gave way to a couple of smaller chins that gracefully meshed with the puffy flesh on her shoulders. Her hips and rear had grown the most. Her bottom now protruded from her back to make a small, sloping shelf that formed an outcropping from the small of her back. She could no longer rest her arms at her sides perpendicular to the ground, as her hips stuck out about five or six inches from her torso. Her thighs had also grown, reaching a circumference that used to be the size of her waist, and each calf had a lovely, rounded shape that sloped nicely to her small feet.

You look incredibly beautiful, sweetie, said Harry encouragingly.

Ester smiled and looked up at her husband. Thank you. Thanks to you I always feel beautiful, but it seems that my hips have gotten a bit bigger, huh?

How much have you gained, Harry asked quietly, knowing that this might now be a bit of a sensitive topic given how quickly she had grown.

Ester looked a bit agitated by the question, and she looked down and muttered something that sounded like, I dont know.

Harry kept looking at his wife, and he just said, Ester?

She stopped fussing with the nightgown and looked at him a bit sheepishly. I just weighed myself, and Im already up to 260.

Harry immediately sat straight up in bed and paused for a moment. Youve got to be kidding, he finally said.

No. Im sure of it, she said.

Thats 50 pounds in three months? he said.

I know it is, she said a bit defensively.

I meanyouve been eating a bit more, but that just doesnt make any sense.

I know, Ester replied. Ive never been able to put on weight like this.

Its got to be the truffles, he said.

Dont think it hasnt crossed my mind, she said.

We have to find out whatever we can about them. Ill contact my friend in the biochem department and see if he has any information for us.

The next day, Harry returned from work, looking a bit distressed.

So, Ester inquired, did you find out anything about the truffles.

Yes, I did, he answered. But not all of it is good news.

Well, lets have it, she said, steeling herself.

First, I found out that the same researcher who spoke at the conference had published a paper on his findings, and the article has some more information on how the Sherpa tribe uses the truffles. Evidently they only use shavings from the outside of the truffles and use it to brew tea that they drink during a rite of passage ceremony that happens when their children reach young adulthood.

Oh, great, Ester said sarcastically. So they dont eat the whole thing and they only eat them once during their entire lives.

Yes, thats what this researcher found. He continued, And I talked to my friend who ran some tests on the truffles. He had a graduate assistant he put to the task of studying the effects of the truffles on mice.

On mice? Ester said.

Yes. Thats how they do it over in the natural sciences, he replied.

Go on, Ester prodded.

And they two took groups of mice. Both mice were given the same conditions. Same food. Same water. Same exercise. Same everything. Except one of the groups were fed pieces of truffle and the other group wasnt.

So what happened? Ester asked with anticipation.

Wellthe mice who ate the truffles gained a lot of weight.

How much weight? Ester asked, starting to feel a lump form in the pit of her stomach.

Well, theres some good news there, Harry reported. The effects varied. Some mice only experienced a light increase in their body mass.

What about the other mice? she asked.

Um, yeahwellsome of the mice had a rather dramatic increase. One mouse even reached five times its original body mass.

Ester looked like she had just seen a ghost. Her skin was pale white, and she was staring blankly out the living room window.

Ester. Harry said as he moved closer to his wife on the couch, putting an arm around her shoulders. But these mice in the experimental group received a much higher dosage of the truffles relative to their body mass as compared to the three truffles you ate.

Upon hearing that, Ester started sobbing uncontrollably. She leaned forward, holding her hands to her eyes. Harry could only hold his wife closer, and try to comfort her in this difficult moment.

There, there, sweetie, Harry said. It was good we decided to be careful, thats all. I know youve put on a little weight, but you look great, and its not like you received a dosage anywhere near what those mice got.

Ester continued to sob and sob, finally saying, You dont understand, in-between cries.

What, sweetie? What dont I understand?

I wasnt as careful as I said I would be.

What do you mean? Harry asked, starting to feel a bit afraid himself.

Ester took her head out of her hands and looked at her husband with bloodshot eyes and tears still streaming down her face.

I went back and got another bag of truffles. Ive been eating them secretly the past few months.

It was then Harrys turn to go into shock. He finally asked quietly, How many more did you eat?

I lost count, Ester answered, as he wiped away some of her tears. When I realized that my weight had already hit 250 pounds, I stopped eating them, which was a few weeks ago. But by then I had already ate almost a whole other bag.

You must have eaten like thirty more truffles! Harry exclaimed.

No, I finished one bag and then almost finished a second bag, Ester said quietly.

Holy shit Harry said as he trailed off.

The couple just sat in silence, trying to comprehend this new information.

Well, Ester said finally, starting to gather herself. Im done eating those blasted things. It was fun while it lasted, but I cant take any more chances. How long do you think it will take until these things are out of my system? I can just eat like a bird until then.

No, you dont understand, said Harry still in mild shock. The scientists gave the entire truffle dose at the beginning of the experiment, and the weight gain remained nearly constant for the entirety of the experiment. Furthermore, theres probably a reason why the Sherpa only drink the truffle tea once in their lives. If the effects were temporary, they would probably have developed a ritual of drinking the tea every time they were about to go mountain climbing.

What are you saying? Ester said.

Well, we cant be sure of anything just yet, Harry replied.

But what is it youre thinking? Ester asked.

Harry sat quietly for a moment and then took his wifes hands, and said, We need to face the possibility that the effects of those truffles will be permanent.

Permanent? she said, trying to understand the implications of this word.

Its possible that those truffles have permanently damaged your metabolism.

At that, Ester leaned toward her husband, who put his arms around his wife, gently stroking her hair as they contemplated what the future might hold.


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## LumpD (Jan 9, 2010)

Continue, please! Excellent start!

LD


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## chicken legs (Jan 10, 2010)

I totally agree


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## tarquin (Jan 10, 2010)

and exceptionally well written! Looking forward to the next chapter. Thanks, Madeleine!


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## Madeline Maple (Jan 10, 2010)

*CHAPTER 4*

The late summer sun shone through the kitchen window as Ester hurried to answer the phone as fast as her frame would allow.

Hello, she said, trying to hide being so out of breath.

Hey, Ester! the voice on the other end answered excitedly.

Julie! Its you! Are you and Jack back from Eastern Europe?

Yeah, we just got back yesterday, Julie answered.

And howd it go? Ester asked.

Oh, it was fine. It got a little boring spending the entire summer over there, but we both got a lot of good research done, thankfully. But the important question is, as Julie shifted her tone slightly to sound sympathetic, how are YOU doing? Based on your emails youve been having a difficult summer.

Yeah. Its been tough, Ester said softly.

Oh, Ester, I feel for you. But lets do something to get your mind off the whole thing. Id love to see you.

Okay, Ester answered, her voice brightening a bit.

Lets go spend the afternoon at the mall.

Esters voice fell as she said, Julie, I cant wear anything off the rack anymore.

Im not talking about the tacky clothes they sell for those skinny minnies, Julie said. Im talking about a trip to get a pedicure and a search for the perfect handbag. What do you say?

Sounds like fun, Ester said, feeling her spirits lift.

Great. Ill pick you up in an hour.

Later on, Julie pulled the minivan up to Harry and Esters house. She slowly easing herself out of the drivers seat, down the front path, and rang the doorbell. She did her best to hide the shock on her face upon seeing her friend as Ester opened the front door. Having been out of the country for the past several months, Julie hadnt seen Ester for a while. She could hardly recognize her old friend. When she last saw Ester, she had just topped the scales at 300 pounds, but the woman she saw was clearly much heavier. The first thing Julie noticed was that her friend nearly filled the door frame. Her hips had expanded greatly, and they stood out from her midsection while the brightly colored cotton fabric of her sleeveless summer dress clung tightly around her hips in such a way as to make the fabric bunch up a bit at the top of her thighs. While Esters belly couldnt hold a candle to that of Julies, Ester had since developed quite a bulging stomach. It hung down a bit and was framed on either side by her wide hips.

Esters face was much fuller, and the fat of her second chin bulged a bit in a soft curve that ended in a couple of small folds that eased into the sloping fat of her shoulders. Ester reached out her arms to hug her friend, and Julie noticed how much fat hung loosely from her upper arms. In that moment, Julie empathized with her friend. Ester had obviously gained at least another 50 or 60 pounds over the summer. That, added to all the weight she had gained over the previous year had really changed Esters body. The two women embraced, and although neither of them could really wrap their arms very far around the other, it still felt good to get a hug from a friend.

Neither of them wanted to stand in the warm summer air any longer than they had to, so the two women made their way to the minivan and to the shopping mall. Julie didnt want to be too pushy and ask about her friends weight. Ester had confided in her about the truffles and her newfound problems with her metabolism. And Julie knew that all she could do is to be kind to her friend and show her support.

The two women had a wonderful day at the mall. They had the pedicure. Julie knew a place that had armrests that could be raised so the two women had no trouble fitting in the chairs. Afterward they looked over some darling handbags and both settled on a delightful new purchase. After this excitement, they decided to rest for a bit in the food court. Both women took pleasure in sipping their iced teas and taking a load off their feet.

So hows work going? Julie asked.

Oh, thats been great, Ester answered. I actually just got promoted to database manager.

Congratulations, Julie said. And this is the same job you took with you from Toronto, right?

Yeah, thats right, said Ester. When I told my boss that we were moving to Vancouver, he didnt want to lose me and allowed me to telecommute. Now hes moved on, and Ive been promoted to manager. Its a pretty sweet gig. I can work from my laptop from home, whenever I want.

Thats wonderful, Julie replied.

Yeah, the jobs good. Ester said optimistically. And everythings going well with Harry. Hes been really supportive, even as the clothing bills keep coming.

Julie offered a small, encouraging smile at the half-joke.

I must look rather different to you now, huh? I gained a lot over the summer.

You still look like the same old friend to me, Ester.

Thanks, Julie,

The two women sat for a moment. And then Ester continued, Its just been really hard. I stopped eating those stupid truffles over six months ago. Yet Ive gained 100 pounds since then. Ive gained about 150 pounds since I first ate them.

Julie took Ester by the hand and gave it a gentle squeeze as she noticed a small tear streaming down her friends face.

And II Ester had trouble finishing as the tears started to flow more freely. She managed to utter, and I dont know when its going to stop.

Julie, knowing exactly how her friend was feeling, took Esters other hand and held them both. She then said, I know, Ester. Believe me; I know what youre going through. Its not easy. But are you sure there isnt anything they can do to counteract the effect of the truffles?

They dont even know whats in the truffle that changed the metabolic rate. Without knowing that, theres nothing they can do, Ester answered.

For years it seemed like I kept gaining weight no matter what I did, said Julie. I would try dieting and starve myself, which sometimes let me lose a few pounds. But the weight always came back with a vengeance. In reality, I dieted my way up tonow, she said as she gestured to her own supersized body.

Im so happy that youre my friend. I dont think I could make it alone, said Ester.

Julie gave Esters hand another squeeze, and she tried to raise her pitch to put some enthusiasm in her voice. The afternoon is still young. How about we go to my place and veg out with some television?

That sounds fantastic, Ester replied.

The two women went back to Julies house. Both women were exhausted from their outing at the mall. Neither of them had much energy to spare other than to watch some television. Julie was especially feeling the fatigue, as her pendulous belly was a lot to carry for an afternoon, so she plopped down on the reinforced couch, doing her best to leave room for her friends ample hips.

I cant find the remote, Julie said. Would you mind just pressing the power button on the TV?

Sure thing, Ester answered, feeling a little winded by her trip from the minivan. She absentmindedly turned on the TV and joined her friend on the couch. The two women filled the couch with no room to spare.

Although the sound was off, it didnt take long for both women to realize the subject of the television show that happened to be on.

Pretending not to notice what was in front of her, Julie searched with her hands between the cushions of the couch. Where IS that remote control, she said.

Ester just stared at the television, unable to say a word as Julie made a vain effort to find the remote. Finally Ester said in a soft, even tone, Its okay, Julie. I want to watch this.

The television showed an enormously fat woman. It was obviously a television talk show, and the writing at the bottom of the screen read, Donna weighs over 800 pounds and is too heavy to leave her own home. The camera framed the entire womans body. It must have been perched above her, looking down on her massive form. The woman appeared to be mostly lying down. Although her upper body was propped up slightly by what must have been cushions or pillows. It was difficult to see what she was lying on, as it might have been a bed or perhaps some sort of converted sofa. But her gigantic body was such that you couldnt really see what was underneath her. What was clear is that she must not be able to get up without much assistance. On the tables on either side of her, one could see a phone, a laptop, a box of tissues, what looked to be a reach extender, and a host of assorted items that one would need at arms length if one were immobile.

The womans hair hung down rather lifelessly on either side of her fat face. She had a bulging second chin that separated her comparatively small head from the voluminous body beneath. She wore a surprisingly tight, house dress of some sort. It was of a faded, pastel floral print that clung to every curve. The arms and legs were exposed, most likely to keep the womans large body cool beneath the layers of fat. The womans arms were full of bulging fat, and her upper arm folded over what one would assume to be her elbows. She didnt have much shape, as her midsection seemed about as wide as her legs. Beneath the thin layer of clothing one could see various folds and flaps, and one could kind of see the outline of large, pendulous breasts that hung to either side. The womans thighs were quite thick, matching the width of a standard armchair. There were avalanches of folding fat on the sides of the thighs and calves. There were no discernable knees, although the ankles were marked by large folds of fat at the base of the calves that hung a little over the feet.

The woman had been talking this entire time, although with the sound off, Ester and Julie had no idea what she was saying. Then, Julie finally found the remote control and raised the volume. The camera cut to the talk shows studio, which featured the regular talk show host and an older and younger women, both of whom looked heavy, but only in the neighborhood of the low 200s.

And how do you care for your sister? the talk show host asked of the younger woman. 

Well, I come by a couple times a day and help clean up and all that.

And I come over sometimes, too, and do some of the cooking, chimed in the older woman.

How does it feel to need your sister and mother to take care of you? asked the talk show host.

The camera then cut to the same image of the immobile woman who must have been connected via satellite. It doesnt feel very good, the fat woman answered. It doesnt feel good to have to ask somebody for every drink of water. For every bite of food. Its hard to feel good about yourself when youre too heavy to stand up long enough to take a shower.

At that moment, Ester started crying, and Julie quickly turned off the television and shouted, Thats nothing but sheer exploitation! She leaned over and tried to hug her friend, but her belly was so large and her friends hips spread out so that it was hard for her to do more than put one hand on Esters shoulder and the other hand on the top of her own belly.

I want to show you something, Ester said, slowly rising to her feet. She pulled up the fabric on her dress to expose the middle of her thighs. SeeI already have folds on my thighs.

Sure enough, Julie noticed that at a couple of places on Esters legs there were small creases in her flesh.

Youre not supposed to have folds of fat on your legs, Ester said, and Julie could hear the fear in her voice. Julie, I cant stop it. I cant stop gaining. I dont want to get fatter. I dont want to look like that woman on TV. I just want it to stop. And she collapsed back on the couch and cried and cried.

Julie did her best to console her friend, although she, too, wondered when Esters weight gain would stop.


*CHAPTER 5*


In the cool, fall night air Ester slowly made her way toward the front door of Wilsons Bar and Grill. For the first time in a long time she was starting to feel a bit more like herself. As she opened the door, she was in a good mood, excited to spend a night out with her friends. No sooner did she have the thought than she was greeted by the warm smile of Julie whose heavy body was resting on the familiar stone bench in the restaurants foyer.

Hey, Jules.

Hi, Ester. Harry parking the car?

Yep. Jacks doing the same I assume.

Yes, Julie said. Why dont you have a seat with me on this bench?

Dont mind if I take a load off for a minute, Ester said, feeling winded by the walk after being dropped off by the front door.

This bench is really low to the ground, though, Julie cautioned. Will you give me a hand up, so that I can make room for you?

Ester moved closer to Julie and took her friends fleshy upper arm, as Julie started to rock back and forth a little bit to get some momentum to help rise to her feet. After a few back and forth movements, she partly pushed and partly pulled herself to a standing position, holding fast to Ester. As Julie rose to her feet, her hanging belly bumped into Esters now sizeable paunch, knocking Ester to the back of heels. Julie gasped and pulled Ester back onto more solid ground. The two women then embraced, laughing at themselves and the spectacle of two very large women trying to navigate the pitfalls of supersized living.

The two women were quite a sight standing together. They both weighed about the same, but the weight was distributed very differently. While much of the fat in Julies 450 pound body was stored in her belly, a lot of Esters weight collected in her hips, bottom, and legs.

Since the summer, Esters weight continued to rise at a steady rate to reach her current weight of 450 pounds. The changes in her body forced some changes in her activity level and lifestyle. While she was still an active and lively woman, she was forced to contend with being extraordinarily heavy. Now, when she went to the grocery store or big box store, she always used the motorized wheel chairs intended for the disabled. She and Harry had to get a larger car for her to fit behind the wheel, and even with the larger car, she was starting to find it difficult for her to turn the wheel and still touch the pedals without the wheel rubbing against the front of her belly. In addition, even with a seat belt extender she was having trouble buckling the belt, and she often asked Harry to hand the belt to her, because she found it difficult to twist her body around enough so she could reach the belt from behind her. Simple tasks like taking a shower or washing the dishes were more difficult than they used to be. She started relying on a stick with a soapy washcloth at the end for cleaning herself in places where she had difficulty reaching, and she starting using a tall metal stool in the kitchen so that she could have enough endurance to complete tasks. Chaffing between her legs was a constant problem, and every night, Harry would put baby oil over every inch of her body. This last change was not so much a hassle as an added bonus.

Ester now found pants both uncomfortable for her to wear and nearly impossible to find in her size, even through online merchants, so she took to wearing either skirts, or loose, one-piece dresses. This night, she was wearing a long, burgundy, cotton dress that was made with 10% spandex to allow it to stretch a bit more where needed. Her considerable weight meant that the location of her fat often shifted somewhat, depending on her position. When seated, the fat on her sizeable bottom caused her body to appear higher, which often meant that the fabric across the top of her thighs needed to stretch. Esters face hadnt changed much since the summer, despite putting on nearly 100 pounds. Her arms have a bit more pudginess around them, and her elbow dimples were a little more pronounced. The rolls of fat on her sides hung a little more loosely. Her belly was bigger, now reaching the size of a fairly big pumpkin. But her bottom half is where much of the last 100 pounds went.

Esters hips had gotten even wider, making it difficult for her to walk through some doors without turning her body slightly. Her rear stuck out even more from her back. Her thighs and calves were now quite large by almost any standard. The two small creases that Ester complained about during the summer had now developed into substantial folds where one part of the thigh creased over another. Her knees were fast losing their definition, with the rolls of fat hanging down on either side. No folds had yet developed on her calves, but they were quite round.

Now that Julie was on her feet, the two women carefully sat down, sharing the small, stone bench in Wilsons foyer. Esters wide shape meant that she had to take up much of the space, and Julie, having smaller hips, was able to fit by sitting with her back to Esters side, straddling the bench with her belly hanging off the edge. The two women paused for a moment to let themselves catch their breath. Then Ester was the first to speak, When were we last here? Was it last month?

It hasnt been long, Julie replied. I know that.

The front door then opened, and the husbands entered. Jack gave Ester a warm handshake and Harry did the same to Julie. Then the two skinny gentlemen went over to their respective wives and helped each woman to her feet. Julie and Jack had their method down pat, having years to perfect the fine art of helping a supersized woman from a low seat. With Esters quick gain, Harry and his wife were still learning. Moreover, since Esters weight changed almost daily, it was rather hard to develop a standard form of assistance. Harry, rather clumsily, tried to both push and pull Ester from the side while the poor woman tried to push herself up with one hand pressing against the edge of the bench. They soon gave up on this attempt. Instead, Harry went in front of Ester and just pulled her up with both hands as she pushed off on her legs. This method succeeded.

The two women and their husbands followed the same 300 pound hostess to the table. Ester was quite happy to have plenty of room to move between tables, and she felt comfortable there, as she saw a couple of other supersized people, one of whom was almost as heavy as she was.

The two couples had a wonderful time together. They shared stories and laughed like good friends do. Harry was feeling especially good about that night, because he noticed that Ester wasnt as withdrawn as she had been recently. She seemed to be all smiles that night, and he was glad to see it.

As they broke into their second bottle of wine, Ester spoke while refilling everyones glasses.

I want to make an announcement.

A chorus of cheers came from the rest of the table.

Lets hear it! said Jack.

Ester raised her glass, and Harry, Julie, and Jack did the same.

Its no secret that the past year has been a big one for me, she said smiling and with her other hand gesturing at her now bulging body. And its also no secret that Ive spent a lot of time moping around and feeling sorry for myself. At that, the others shook their heads and muttered some words of encouragement, but Ester waved them off. Now, now, I know this to be true. But I want you all to know that Im through feeling sorry for myself. Im not the kind of person to let something like trouble with truffles keep me down. And with that, Ester raised her glass a bit higher, saying, Heres to the future.

Harry, Julie, and Jack repeated Heres to the future. And they clinked their glasses and drank their wine.

At that moment, the waitress came past the table, and Ester flagged her down, saying, Excuse me. Can I have a piece of Wilsons Cheesecake, please?


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## Bluestreak (Jan 11, 2010)

This a very charming story! Well written, adult and insightful. 
Thanks!


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## Tsap (Jan 11, 2010)

I agree with Bluestreak. I love the story!

Oh, left in an order for some truffles, too...


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## hello97 (Jan 11, 2010)

wow, very good story indeed.


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## Kenster102.5 (Jan 11, 2010)

Very well written, nice to hear about some familiar landscapes.


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## Madeline Maple (Jan 12, 2010)

*CHAPTER 6*

Calling out from the back of the minivan Ester had to raise her voice to be heard by Julie in the drivers seat, Thanks for taking out one of the seats.

Its no problem, Julie replied. It was easy. Are you okay back there?

Yeah, Im fine, answered Ester.

Where almost to Stanley Park , Julie called.

The minivan entered the park and started on the winding roads.

What kind of spot are you looking for, again? Julie asked.

It doesnt really matter, Ester answered. Somewhere green. With a nice view. Preferably a little secluded.

Julie found a perfect little place on the north shore of Stanley Park at the edge of the bay facing Grouse Mountain. She pulled the minivan over to the side of the road. Ester heaved herself out of the drivers seat, closed the door, and went to the other side to help her friend. She opened the minivan door and said, How was the ride?

Well, I didnt have the luxury of the seat padding, Ester said. But thankfully I brought plenty of my own, and she laughed while gesturing to her tremendous girth.

Julie smiled at her friends joke, while taking stock of the situation. It wasnt easy getting Ester into the back of the minivan, and it wouldnt be easy getting her out. Ester was lying flat on the floor with her legs closer to the door.

Should we start with your legs? Julie inquired.

Yeah, Ester answered as she raised her head and shoulders while resting on her arm. Just take it easy.

I know, said Julie as she leaned into the van as much as possible, which wasnt very far given that her big belly was pressing against the vehicle. But it was enough to put one hand under the right foot of her friend, and she gently raised it and started pulling it closer to the door. Meanwhile, Ester worked on her own left foot, slowly picking it up and moving it toward the door a couple of inches at a time. Even when lifting her foot, almost no space was created between her thigh and the bottom of the minivan. But it was enough to start positioning herself to get out of the van.

What can I do? Julie said as she looked at her nearly incapacitated friend, not quite sure how to help.

Let me work on this for a little while, and Ester took a moment to brace herself, and then she quickly, and somewhat frantically pushed her midsection up into the air as much as she could and heaved herself, an inch or so at a time, moving her body closer and closer to the exit. As with her thighs and the moving of her legs, when she raised her body there was no space created between her rear and the bottom of the van. But Ester was able to raise enough of her weight to allow her to move while the fat on her bottom slid along.

Once Esters rear was closer to the door, the two women worked on getting her legs out of the van entirely, again by moving each leg individually, a couple of inches at a time. Ester legs were dangling now from the edge of the minivan, and she raised her arms and lifted her head a little bit to signal to her friend to help her to a seated position.

Both women were winded at this point, and Julie leaned against the side of the vehicle and rested for a minute until she felt ready to help Ester to her feet. Ester was still quite out of breath, saying, Would youget the chairsstooland the stick?

The chairs to which Ester referred were light, collapsible, and specially designed to withstand up to 800 pounds. Julie opened the two doors at the very rear of the minivan and took out the chairs and set them up close to the waters edge, about 20 feet from the vehicle. The stool she then retrieved from the same place as the chairs. It was a small, sturdy foot stool that Ester needed to aid in her landing from the minivan to the ground. Esters legs werent long enough to reach, especially since her extremely fat bottom lifted her body, making her legs seem all the more short. And Ester could no longer hop out of the minivan, and even if she were able to, she couldnt take the risk of falling, which could really hurt her given her massive size. What Ester affectionately referred to as the stick, was a metal cane that met the ground with four little legs. For the past couple of months Ester used the stick to aid in her walking and helped her keep her balance. Her weight was distributed in such as a way that she wasnt always able to stay steady and it helped her to take some of the weight off her legs and lean on the cane when walking.

Julie placed the stool under Esters feet and set the stick next to it. Ester slowly inched her way off the side of the minivan while delicately placing her right foot onto the stool while reaching for the handle of the stick with her left hand. She put some of her weight on the stool and the rest of the weight on the stick as she worked her way out of the van and onto the ground while Julie did her best to steady her friend.

Ester was then standing with some help from the stick. She was standing on the paved side of the road, but she looked at the 20 feet of grass she needed to cover.

Im a littleworried about my balanceon the grass, she said, still out of breath from climbing out of the van.

Dont worry, encouraged Julie, Ill help.

Julie took Esters right arm, and the two women slowly made their way toward the two chairs not far from the waters edge.

Once they were both seated, they sat in silence, waiting for them to recover their breath, as well as to enjoy the beautiful sight before them.

It was getting close to sunset, and the late summer Vancouver air felt clean and crisp, as if one could detect a hint of the coming fall. They looked at the golden glow of the faded sun as it reflected off the side of Grouse Mountain. The water lapped playfully in front of them, creating a chorus of delightful little slaps and slurps.

It was a peaceful and lovely place.

Julie knew this time was for Ester, and she didnt want to break the silence, waiting for Ester to take the lead in conversation. Julie wasnt sure if Ester wanted to talk at all, but eventually, Ester broke the silence, I used to love coming to this park. Its such a treasure.

Yes, it is, Julie said quietly. Im glad were doing this.

Will you do me a favor, Jules?

Sure.

Would you mind slipping off my socks? Ester asked.

Julie noticed that Ester had already slipped off her extra-wide loafers, so she pushed herself out of her chair, carefully climbed down to one knee, and took off each of Esters socks. Julies belly fat collected on the ground as she worked on Esters socks. She then held onto Esters hand as she slowly rose herself to her feet again.

Julie took some time to rest after the arduous struggle of getting down on one knee and up again. Meanwhile Ester wiggled her toes in the grass.

You know what, Julie?

What?

I feel really happy. Ester replied.

Thats great, Julie said.

So many things are going well in my life, Ester continued. My job is fun and challenging, and I can do it from my laptop at home. Harry and I are closer than ever. Hes really stepped up to help. AndI should add that our sex life has never been better. Im sure I get laid more than most skinny girls!

Both women laughed, knowing it to be true for both of them.

Its justIm just Ester searched for the words, and then said softly, I just wanted to say goodbye to a place I might not be able to visit again.

Julie, moved by her friends words, again grabbed her hand for support, saying, You dont know that. Your weight could stabilize, or you could even find a way to lose weight.

Maybe, Ester responded with a hint of resignation. But its been well over a year, closer to two years since I stopped eating those truffles. And I just keep getting bigger and bigger. I dont even know what I weigh. Last time I used a scale that could handle someone my size I weighed 500 pounds, and that was in the spring. Im much bigger now, I know. I hope Im still in the 500s, but I cant even be sure of that. Ive learned not to underestimate my weight after nearly two years of surprises on the scale.

Julie looked over at Ester, feeling proud of her friend for having the strength to deal with her weight gain with such grace. Being well over 400 pounds herself, Julie could empathize with some of what Ester now goes through. But Julie had to admit that Ester had now become a size that she couldnt entirely relate to.

And Julie could see why this was the case just by looking at her friend. Esters body barely fit into the portable chair, which was even designed to hold supersized persons. Ester was wearing a light cotton frock that only came down a little past her waist. Esters legs were covered by spandex tights that obviously wouldnt fit her for much longer. The tights didnt hide any of the contours of Esters colossal thighs. No longer could one easily determine the exact location of her waist or her knees, as Esters legs were a mass of folding flesh that bulged seemingly at random. The folds cascaded on top of each other, and even the fat on her calves folded on top of one another, bending in on themselves until they reached her feet.

Ester was losing control of her mobility, and although Julie often relied on her husband for help, and she often found it difficult to travel in a world designed for thin people, Julie could do most things she wanted to do, and she could do them by herself. This was no longer an option for Ester, who now had difficulty doing even small things unassisted.

Julie felt for her friend, and she gave Esters hand a little squeeze to give a sign that she was there for her.

Ester squeezed back, and the two women sat in silence watching the setting sun.


*EPILOGUE*

Ester reached for the remote next to her adjustable bed in the living room.

What do you want to watch? she said.

I dont know. Whatever. Julie replied.

The door opened and Jack and Harry entered the front door carrying two big bags of food.

Did you get the takeout from Wilsons? Ester asked.

Yep, Harry replied. And I even got you Wilsons Cheesecake.

Sweet! Ester said excitedly.

And how about some wine? Jack offered.

Jack and Harry prepared plates for the women. Ester lied on her bed with Julie sitting next to her in a comfortable chair with wide arms. Both Jack and Harry took a seat at the edge of the bed. The two couples sat together and enjoyed their company and conversation, exchanging jokes and observations as they had been doing for quite a while.

It had been a few years since they had been to Wilsons Bar and Grill. Ester wasnt really up to travelling. But they still ate their food on a regular basis, wanting to patronize the restaurant where they all became friends.

Julie was a regular visitor to Harry and Esters house. She would come by and hang out with her friend whenever she had the time.

Ester enjoyed a rich life. After a while her weight finally stabilized around 800 pounds. She stopped really bothering with clothes, other than a large swath of cotton fabric that Harry would drape around her and fasten with clothespins. There wasnt much need for fashion, as she was always with friends with whom she felt comfortable.

Her adjustable bed made a huge difference in her comfort, and it helped her to take some control of when she sat up and when she lied down. Harry had to do a lot for his wife, but he was happy to do it, as every night he had the pleasure of lathering his bountiful wifes myriad folds with baby oil. Ester remained independent in spirit. She worked hard at her job as database manager, and she was good at her job, and everyone with whom she worked knew that.

Ester's body took the shape of a person who spends her life in bed, save for the occasional trip to the remodeled bathroom a few feet from the bed where Ester lived. At 800 pounds her entire body took on a pillowy softness, with gentle rises and falls throughout her expansive figure. Her upper arms were wider than a basketball, and her lower arms were the size of a bag of flour. When she moved her arms, such as when she reached for something on the table next to her, or when she took her reach extender to pull up the covers or scratch an itch on her legs, her entire arm shook with waves of fat. But the rest of her body didnt move much, other than when she and Harry had their nightly caretaking sessions.

After a rousing evening, Julie and Jack left, leaving Ester and Harry some time to be alone together. After Harry went to sleep, Ester lied awake for a few minutes. She listened to his quiet breathing as he slept on the sliver of the bed that her wide body didnt occupy. She thought back to her years of gaining weight and tried to remember what it was like before. She had to admit that she had been this fat for so long that she couldnt really imagine her life being any other way.

Ester knew that her trouble with truffles was finally over. She relaxed, drew a deep breath, and enjoyed the warmth of her husbands naked body by her side.

*THE END*


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## Madeline Maple (Jan 12, 2010)

Thank you to everyone who read this story. Writing is a solitary activity, but I never feel alone when I post to Dimensions, so a special thank you goes out to those who posted positive feedback. It means a lot. And thanks to Perry White and Wilson B for editorial assistance!

MM


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## Perry White (Jan 12, 2010)

No problem.  Nicely written!


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## Wilson Barbers (Jan 13, 2010)

It's the well-written protagonist that did it for me (character is a lot in stories like these) - that and the distinct physical descriptions. (A nicely telling detail: when Ester's feet no longer reach the ground from the mini-van because of her larger bottom - it's little facts like that which help to ground the fantasy.) Oh, and naming your restaurant Wilson's didn't hurt either!


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## Sparrow (Jan 13, 2010)

I'm not trying to come off as harsh, but this was one of the most depressing stories I've ever read on here. The way it started out, I thought it was going to be some kind of playful sex romp, but then Ester couldn't stop gaining weight and it pretty much ruined her life. I did really like the first half of the story, though. The description and imagery really kept my interest until the end. Even though I found this story to be depressing, I still look forward to reading any stories you post here in the future.


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## Wilson Barbers (Jan 13, 2010)

Huh, one reads finds a story depressing; I read the same work and find it surprisingly poignant and a well-written fantasy metaphor for one woman coming to grips with the body that life has given her. I found the scene where she announces to her friends that she's not going to let her new size get her down both believable and affirming, though I can also see a tinge of sadness in the scene where she goes to the lake for the last time. Most gains in life are accompanied by giving something up, after all, and "Trouble with Truffles" nicely illustrates this fact . . .


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## Bluestreak (Jan 14, 2010)

This is a story written by an adult, with realistic adult situations and realities. I love it.

I did not find it sad or depressing, just real. Nicely real. 

The ad-hoc way the ladies got Ester to the riverside. The desire to feel the grass with one's feet and toes. The heaviness and thickness of an 800lb body reclined on a bed. The pleasure of company. The beauty of friends. The total and unconditional love of a spouse.

To the author: please share more of your work with us!


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## Mr. Jigglesworth (Oct 26, 2020)

I enjoyed reading this story ALOT. I've already incorporated the truffles in the stories I make up in my head all the time..


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## GordoNegro (Aug 1, 2021)

Appreciate the realism as super-size and ultra-size are not for everyone.


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