The Quarantine 15: Chapter 12

7 months of Quarantine

Alex turned off his blaring alarm with a groan. He scratched at his stocky thighs that had recently sprouted stretch marks and begrudgingly rolled out of bed. Stumbling to the shower his overhang slapped against his softening morning wood. The weight was really beginning to catch up with Alex. He felt constantly heavy, weighed down, and sluggish. Even his back and feet hurt from supporting his mass.

After washing off Alex pulled the new outfit he had just bought from his closet. This was going to be his first day back in the office after seven months of solitude. Hoisting the pants up past his gooey thighs and fleshy rump, Alex squeezed the button closed. These were a bit tighter than they were two weeks ago when he bought them. To make matters worse his Polo shirt seemed even smaller. He had intentionally chosen a size up in the hopes of hiding his very prominent weight gain, but he was already outgrowing it.

The one thing he hadn’t anticipated was outgrowing his favorite jacket. He could still get it over his shoulders but it would not wrap around the vast circumference of his gut. The zipper stayed a good four inches apart even if he sucked in with all his might. It would have to do for now. The final step of putting together an outfit was choosing a mask that matched. He loathed the fact that face masks were not properly designed for men his size. They always pressed down on his neck and accentuated his double chin. So be it, his coworkers had already pointed out his fatter face over Zoom. Now they would get to see the rest of him.

Lumbering to the kitchen, Alex whipped up four eggs and a stack of pancakes smothered in syrup and bacon. He sat on his bed and chowed down. He was now living in the tiniest of studio apartments which only accentuated his size. His belly bumped into the countertops, his ass knocked the sink when he sat down on the toilet, and he couldn’t even fit inside the linen closet to grab a chapstick that fell and rolled to the back. The apartment was far from ideal and was a constant reminder of his loneliness.

Ever since Emilio moved back to Texas Alex was in the doldrums. It wasn’t enough that the world was crumbling around him, but now his one safe haven had been taken away as well. The only thing he had left was food. Alex was now the greediest of gluttons. Prior, when he was with Emilio, feasting was a source of togetherness and celebration. Now, overeating quelled his despair.

The funds that didn’t go towards rent and utility went straight to Alex’s gut. He was ordering out almost daily and huge meals no less. He had no energy to devote to cooking at home. Besides, preparing a meal for one seemed so pathetic and pointless. Increasingly, he was ordering fast food as it was easier on the wallet, but shoveling down so much processed slop left him physically feeling even worse.

It had been almost two months since Alex last stepped on a scale with Emilio at his side, but there was no denying his weight was continuing to climb. Alex the otter was a distant memory as he grew into a mountain of lard. His belly was now cumbersome and constantly in the way, back fat collected into rolls of sagging flesh, and his thighs made it difficult to walk long distances. Luckily, his apartment was so small he didn’t have to move much. Plus, for the first time, Alex noticed that even his fingers and toes were getting puffy between the joints. He was a certified porker now.

This was the reality Alex had to confront as he stepped into his office for the first time. There were only ever five other employees at any given time and on a rotating schedule. However, given that Alex was the office manager he had the most in-office days scheduled of anyone. As he walked through the doors, belly first, he was immediately greeted with the smell of fresh doughnuts. He had to resist making a beeline for the kitchen.

Instead he made the rounds. Before anyone said a word all eyes were on Alex’s midsection bulging out against a polo shirt so tight that the indentation of his belly button was visible. He expected this, but he didn’t expect the fact that every single person would comment on his weight.

“Alex, I barely recognize you under all that weight!”

“Glad I’m not the only one who gained some weight these past months.”

“Wow you really packed it on! Honestly props man, I wish I could just give in sometimes too.”

“Bro, let me know if you ever need a gym bud. I got some quarantine weight to shed too.”

His favorite was an email that came from a particularly chipper coworker. It read:

“Hi Alex,

I hope this is not overstepping any boundaries, but I can’t help but notice the considerable amount of weight you put on since we closed. I for one would like to say you look fantastic and it is great to see you owning your new bigger body! That being said, if you are interested in losing weight I am here to help in any way I can.”

Alex took it all in stride and ate four doughnuts. It was strange being back in the office after so much time. His plants had died and dust had accrued. His chair that once felt so roomy was now threatening to collapse beneath him. His love handles pressed uncomfortably into the arms of the chair and his belly against the front of the desk. He now had to type with his arms almost fully outstretched as his gut prevented him from getting too close to the keyboard.

In some ways it was nice to get out of the house and see people. It was even kind of nice having people acknowledge his bigger body. Besides, he knew he would be going through this process for a few weeks until he’d greeted all employees in person. At the very least he would have a fully stocked kitchen to graze through a few days each week.

As Alex walked home he felt better than he had in a long time. He even decided to stop at the grocery store and grab ingredients for a home cooked meal. As he was confidently strolling the aisles with his belly pressed against the handle of the cart his phone vibrated. He fished it out of his tight pockets and saw a message from Emilio.

It had been some time since they last communicated and seeing the notification made his heart skip. Just as quickly as he became excited a sadness set back into his bones. Why should his happiness be determined by text messages from a boy thousands of miles away? Besides, communication had been so spotty between them that Alex was beginning to question whether he should continue putting in the effort.

Alex decided he would open the message later tonight after he had already eaten. He put his phone away and grabbed a big carton of butter from the shelf.