The Photo Album by Matt L. (Foreword by Maverick)

It’s hard to make friends in my line of work. No, not my day-to-day, 9-5 job.  I’m talking about my online gig writing weight gain fiction as Maverick.  Frankly, considering the perverse nature of my after-hours hobby, some distance and anonymity are probably for the best.  It’s not that I’m ashamed of my moonlighting as Maverick, but it’s not exactly something I want to add to my resume or have my family privy to.

However, after doing this for almost 30 years, a few of my online acquaintances have become real-life friends.  One of them, of course, is my Patreon partner, Riptoryx, with whom I’ve built this bastion of subversive weight-gain goodness.  Another is Matt L., a fellow weight-gain writer with whom I’ve exchanged dozens of emails and messages.  Both are great dudes whom I respect, and with whom I’ve exchanged information I would only share with trusted confidants.

It’s not surprising, then, that both stepped up in my hour of need.  Last month, a close family member died after a long illness, and, between final visits and funeral services, I spent most of September traveling.  When I expressed concern that content would falter in my absence, both stepped forward with additions to fill the gaps.  Riptoryx’ produced a dynamite three-part series of musings detailing his personal experiences with the pitfalls and practicalities of AI-enhanced weight-gain content (find them here, here, and here), and Matt L. generously composed the following short story exclusively for Mavrip. 

Please check it out below (it’s perfect for “spooky season”) and join me in raising a glass of apple cider to these two distinguished gentlemen.  As for me, I'm feeling much better and grateful to be getting by "with a little help from my friends!"

Best—

Maverick

THE PHOTO ALBUM --

One scoop vanilla, one scoop chocolate.

Ivy Lancaster delicately slipped the spoon into the goblet, then addressed her mother while closing the ice cream cartons and returning them to the freezer.

"I have nothing against Kathy personally, she's one of my favorite cousins but the idea of having her as a bridesmaid is embarrassing."

"You're embarrassed about her size", Jessica Lancaster's, Ivy's mom, confirmed. 

"Not for me, for her!", Ivy said, her expression somewhat goofy.

"Can you imagine how self-conscious Kathy will feel up there with Brenda, Joy, and Connie? She's twice their size; she'll look ridiculous next to them."

Ivy was a picturesque beauty, golden blonde locks, casually set in an upward bun for a leisurely afternoon, broadcasting her lovely features while her slender form attired in a skimpy white T-shirt that scarcely covered her flat tummy, and blue cutoff shorts that showed off her trim thighs.

"I know Kathy is a big girl, but she's always been fond of you, she looks up to you, you might say."

Ivy countered with a cheesy smile, "That I do believe, she always attended every volleyball game and practice, hung around me at social events."

Jessica nodded with a knowing smile, "Yeah, Kathy wanted to experience the perks girls like her go without, but she's always been loyal to you."

"She's a sweet girl, Mom, but I can't do it; she's too heavy."

Jessica sighed, "You were quite chunky when younger; had the roles been reversed, Kathy would definitely include you in her wedding."

"Nice try, mom", said Ivy as she picked up her ice cream-filled goblet and strolled into the living room.

Jessica wagged her head in defeat, likewise leaving the kitchen.

Upon reminiscing over her daughter's youth, Jessica was overwhelmed with sentimentality and quietly retrieved the photo journal that celebrated various family events throughout the years.

Planting herself at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee, Jessica went through the photo album, one section solely dedicated to Ivy.

Jessica took her time gazing over the photographs, smiling at her little butterball, weighing in at just over 11 pounds at birth.

Kindergarten, and 1st grade through 6th, Ivy was among the largest in class. By 8th grade, Ivy noticeably slimmed down, not by obeying a strict diet but naturally.

At least that's what Jessica thought.

The picture of Ivy in her cap and gown at graduation depicted a wide girl with well-fed features, dimples in her cheeks, and smidgen of a double chin.  

Jessica scrunched her features, daunted for a moment, though as she reached for the coffee cup, she conceded to a faulty memory, Ivy was chubby for a longer period of time than she remembered.

Sipping the coffee before turning the page, Jessica was confident Ivy had gotten her weight under control by her freshman year of high school.

There were no pictures at home coming, 'Ain't that odd? ' Jessica blurted in thought. Ivy was a social animal and quite popular; she attended every dance and social function.

There was none of that, just routine family snapshots at family gatherings and similar rigamarole.  All of which portrayed Ivy as husky and in garments trying to camouflage her size.

A few depicted Ivy consuming or around food.

As Jessica continued turning the pages, Ivy appeared to get heavier year by year.

At Disneyland, Ivy looked seriously bloated; even the oversized T-shirt couldn't conceal her bulbous potbelly or the width of her hips. And during a vacation in Florida a year later, Ivy appeared in a one-piece, black bathing suit with a towel wrapped around her thick waist. Her upper arms were soft and puffy, and her ample thighs held a blubbery composition.

Once particular photo during their Florida stay was a close-up of Ivy's face, the hallmark of beauty now registering the look of a modestly cute but overfed maiden.

Jessica sighed, momentarily closing her eyes, trying to understand the changes.

There were no volleyball photos, nothing at other sporting events, and no photographs at dances. Just a few at barbecues and random shots, like when Ivy helped her dad with renovating the back porch.  Clad in overalls and her oddly shorter-than-usual tawny locks, which didn't complement her pudgy face, Ivy looked quite portly.

There was a prom photo; Ivy's braided hair accentuating the roundness of her face, and clad in a flowing dark green top and matching slacks, something clicked in Jessica's mind, and an acorn of a memory buzzed through her mind, "Ah, yes. First time we squeezed Ivy into a girdle."

Jessica didn't fight Ivy's reinvented history but conceded to the memories, which didn't seem so bizarre anymore.

Ivy didn't have a date for prom, Troy Hamlin chickened out at the last minute, so Ivy accompanied a small group of friends who were likewise sans dates.

Ivy was big, overweight, a textbook fatty.

Jessica took another swig of coffee, thinking about Kathy, how it was too bad that her daughter didn't follow her cousin's lead and lose weight.

Kathy excelled in volleyball and was very popular throughout high school. Ivy was her shadow, the wannabe who hung onto Kathy's coattails. 

This was four years ago, and Ivy hadn't gotten any smaller.

The loud footsteps aroused Jessica's attention, and she swerved her face toward the kitchen door, Ivy's broad hips bouncing off the door frame as she lumbered in.

The upward style to Ivy's brownish-blonde locks overstated the doughy composition of fat that inflated her face, bestowing chubby cheeks and plump jowls connecting to a swollen double chin.  A facial appearance that suggested a tame demeanor, somewhat appealing but unquestionably prosaic.  

Ivy's upper arms were large and pulpy, much like her well-endowed cleavage that rested over her rotund belly, an inch of flab poking out from her scruffy white T-shirt, the roll flowing over the waistband of her ragged blue jean cutoffs.   

Nothing was said by either female, as Ivy shuffled by her mom en route to the countertop, where she placed the empty goblet before strolling over to the fridge.

The upper section of Ivy's hefty belly projected outward, a subtle slant downward, which was arrested by the shorts. The lower section's bulge was even roomier, corresponding to the width of her flab-coated hips.

Ivy removed the ice cream cartons from the fridge, positioning one on top of the other, using her belly to steady the bottom carton while resuming her trek to the counter.

Gravity didn't agree much with Ivy's billowy, balloon-shaped hindquarters, pushing outward though dipping downward, swaying over her astronomically fat thighs.

Ivy snapped off the carton lids, grabbing the spoon like she was wielding a weapon, shoveled the contents of the cartons into the goblet.

Two scoops of chocolate, two scoops of vanilla, then repeated the action until the goblet overflowed with ice cream.

Ivy's double chin puffed up, "What?"

"I didn't say anything", Jessica replied.

Ivy teetered sideways, her gooey dome of belly flab rubbing against the counter, "Yeah, but I know what you're thinking."

Ivy skirted eye contact for a brief second, and self-consciously or not, adjusted the T-shirt over the exposed portion of belly fat.

"I'm not crazy about being Kathy's bridesmaid, I'll look ridiculous next to her friends, and I dread being fitted for a gown."

"The wedding is five months from now, you can try losing weight", Jessica offered the rational suggestion.

Ivy sighed, "I've never been able to diet, you ought to know better, diets only make me heavier."

"Well, Ivy, Kathy expects you to be part of the wedding party; you'll let her down if you refuse."

"Does Kathy comprehend I'm embarrassed about my weight? I'll look like a freak compared to Brenda, Joy, and Connie."

Jessica gazed at her daughter, her fingertips strumming the coffee cup as Ivy sampled the ice cream, then added, "I've always been fat, I ain't gonna change."

Jessica finished her coffee, subsequently standing up and walking the cup to the sink, "Be what it may, dumpling."

"Fine", Ivy grumpily conceded to her cousin's wishes, subsequently slanting her tubby form toward her mom, "Since you're near the fridge, mind getting me the chocolate syrup?"

THE END