The girl at the bakery

Food Coma

I was zoning out, staring up at the string lights overhead. This is a food coma, I thought to myself. Charlie had lowered me onto this huge pile of pillows, then left me to brew a pot of coffee - I was happy to be alone for a second. Moaning quietly to myself. 

I tried not to think too much about how I was laying on the gound of Charlie's backyard, with my pants unbuttoned and my stomach sticking out in a way that dwarfed even my most glutenous Thanksgiving dinners of the past.  I wanted to push those feelings away, but I was embarrassed. Who does this on a first date? Who does this at all?

Suddenly,  I wanted to leave. I tried to sit up but it was literally impossible for me to do it on my own (if I wanted to have any dignity left after this night was over). I decided I would lay back, let this food settle, have a cup of coffee, then go home. I covered my distended stomach with a pillow and closed my eyes. 

"Jane." Charlie said my name all sing-songy.  I kept my eyes closed for another moment and heard her put a mug on the table beside me. Then I felt her lower herself down on the pillows next to me. 

"How are you feeling?" She asked with a whisper. "You fell asleep for a second."

"Oh my God," I said - more embarrassment - and pushed myself to sit up. "For how long?" But the ease with which I was able to sit up told me it was longer than a second. A lot longer.

"I don't know. Maybe an hour?" Charlie said.

"I need to go," I said. I avoided looking at her. I got myself standing. Though it wasn't graceful. My discomfort might have subsided some but my center of gravity felt off. 

"What? Why?" I could hear the disappointment in her voice. 

"Because this is easily the worst date in recorded history."

Her face fell and it broke my heart.

"Oh Charlie, not you. Me. I am the worst date in recorded history. I show up, eat literally all of the food, and then pass out on your floor. I can't stay here knowing that I have embarrassed myself so completely in front of the only person I've been interested in, in like...forever."

"Jane," Charlie said. "Sit back down. Please."

There was something in the way she said please. It put some breathing room between me and my epic freak out. I lowered myself back to the floor. 

"Jane. I like you." She said. I started to protest and she stopped me with a kiss. Soft and quick, but not too quick. "I like you and if you are feeling embarrassed, it's my fault. I haven't been honest with you."

My mind was reeling first from the kiss, then from all the permutations of how she would have not been honest with me. Everything from her telling me that she was married to telling me that she lied and none of this food was vegan - which would explain why it tasted like nothing else on the planet. 

I didn't say anything, I just waited. Charlie exhaled hard. 

"I'm a feeder, Jane."

"What?" I asked. "A feeder? What is that?"

Now she looked embarrassed. 

"It means that I get pleasure from feeding other people. Well, not all other people. One person." She looked away. "Specifically, you." She said.

"So this whole year, all the desserts. It's because you wanted to feed me?"

It was all totally clear, the weight I've put on the last year, the feast she prepared tonight. The only thing that wasn't clear was why a corner of me was turned on by her admission.

"Yes." She said it so quietly that if I hadn't been sitting right next to her I would have missed it. "And I should have said something before we started dinner. I just like you so much and I was so excited and I was selfish. I should have known you wouldn't be into it. I just, I wanted it to be true. That you were into it. That I wasn't making it up in my head."

She buried her face in her hands. 

"Charlie," I said, but she wouldn't look at me. I gently touched her wrists.  "You're not making it up. I do like it. I've liked it the whole time."

"You do." She tilted her face towards me and peeked through her hands.

"I do, but I didn't know what it was. I definitely didn't know what to call it. And tonight. Well, people don't behave that way. Eat their weight in spinach dip and lasagne and then pass out on the floor with the pants undone."

She laughed and it made me laugh too. 

Then she kissed me again and ran her hand along what had become the underside of my stomach. Her hands exploring and outlining every newly expanded inch. She brought her lips to the space below my belly button and kissed there too.

"I did this." She said. 

I nodded at her.

"And you liked it." It was half question, half statement. 

It made me hungry. Hungry for more of her touch and maybe for dessert. 

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Sorry for the long gap. The next chapter will be here very soon. Thanks for being patient.