Quarantine

Quarantine Part 1 A Good Thing

"Mom, you outdid yourself." Casey said, leaning back to give himself more space. "I couldn't eat another bite."

"Well, you better." Lynn teased, bustling to the kitchen. "I made your favourite triple chocolate cheesecake for dessert."

"More for me." Casey's Dad teased, tossing his napkin at his son.

"I think I can make room for a slice." Casey conceded, contemplating loosening his belt. Reading week was almost over, and the results of his Mom's indulging were evident on his waistline.

Food was definitely how his Mom showed her love, and as a result, Casey's weight had drifted north of three hundred, much to his chagrin.

At least when you're 308 pounds no one notices an extra pound or two. Casey thought, smiling as his Mom brought him a huge slice of cake. But it's probably for the best that I'm heading back to school on Sunday.

"Well, we're definitely going to miss you, honey." Lynn said, sitting down with her own slice of cake. "It's not the same here without my little guy."

John, Casey's Dad snorted at her words. "Little guy?"

"Oh, hush." Lynn told him. "You're one to talk. I don't see you passing up any meals."

John rubbed his distended belly. "I know a good thing when I see it." He teased. "It's why I knew enough to marry you."

"Oh, you!" Lynn blushed like a school girl and Casey shook his head. His parents were so embarrassing sometimes.

But at least his Dad's teasing had a playful edge. While sometimes his college classmates could be mean spirited, he knew his parents always supported him. His weight was partly their fault anyway.

Not only did his Mom love spoiling him with food, but both of them were decidedly fat, his Mom in the high two hundreds, and his Dad hovering around four hundred.

When his Mom took his empty plate away Casey unbuckled his pants, feeling immediate relief.

It's definitely a good thing that I'm going back to school soon. He thought. Because if I spend much longer here they're going to have to roll me out of here.

But, as if the fates had heard him, school wasn't meant to be.

That night he got an email that school was closed for two weeks due to the virus that was going around.

"Two more weeks with my little guy!" Lynn gushed when she brought him a late night snack. "We're so happy to have you here."

"Two more weeks!" Casey moaned. "Mom, if I'm stuck here for two more weeks you have to stop bringing me snacks. I'm getting fat."

"Oh, nonsense." Lynn disagree, setting his milkshake on his desk. "You're perfect."

"So perfect I can't get a date." Casey muttered, taking a gulp of his milkshake.

Lynn kissed his pudgy cheek and gave it a loving pinch. "Any girl would be lucky to have you."

Casey rolled his eyes, but despite his reservations he plowed his way through his snacks, and didn't even notice that his Mom refilled them twice.

When he finally went up to bed he brushed his teeth, eyeing the scales in the corner of the bathroom.

I guess I may as well check the damage. Casey thought, stepping onto the forbidding platform. 308 when I got here... how much can I possibly have gained in nine days?

His Mom's marker was holding fast at 282, and his Dad's at 396, but Casey's zoomed past three oh eight, settling on 319.

Eleven pounds in nine days. He thought, a little surprised. Wow. I didn't even know that was possible. Jeeze, if I keep this up I'll probably be three forty before I go back to school.

He looked down at his belly, spilling over the edge of his pants, topped by decidedly soft pecs. I'm going to have to watch myself.

But the next morning when he sat down to breakfast, Casey couldn't resist.

"It's the most important meal of the day, sweetie." His Mom reminded him, adding more bacon and pancakes to his plate.

I guess that's true. Casey conceded, pouring syrup all over his second helping. Besides, it's not as if anyone would really notice if I put on a few. I'm already a fat guy. I'd just be a slightly fatter guy.

"After breakfast can you take Avery her check, Case?" John asked, snagging another piece of bacon.

"Avery?" Casey repeated, confused.

"The renter." Lynn told him, topping up his milk. "Poor thing was planning on working over the reading week, but with everything that's going on, her work has closed, and it doesn't look like it's opening any time soon."

John shrugged. "We figured we'll give her next month free just to help her out."

"She's a nice girl." Lynn added, offering her son another plate of pancakes.

"Okay." Casey said, referring to both the offered pancakes and the job of returning the check.

He knew his parents rented out the apartment attached to the house, of course. He'd even considered living there himself once. He just hadn't known the name of the person renting it.

Avery. Casey thought, stuffing pancakes in his mouth. I wonder what she's like.