The Lighter Side of Large (16 page)

“Let’s go,” Mika says and bends down to give Fi a kiss. “See you later, baby.” When he straightens, he starts to lean toward me as if he’s going to give me a kiss but remembers himself. “See you, Bella,” he grunts and Abe skips next to him as they head toward his shiny sports car, which sticks out in a sea of minivans, SUVs and compacts.

“He needs a new backpack,” I call. Mika, without turning, waves in response.

The situation is not lost on me of another male, this time Abe, leaving me because of my weight.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“Weight loss surgery begs several questions: Is it good? Is it right? Is it necessary? What am I willing to do to accept myself?”

FROM BELLA’S BLOG
http://www.thelightersideoflarge.com/ch11

Cat, Riyaan and I stand in front of the scale at the gym. “Ready for the moment of truth?” asks Sands.

“Yes,” all three of us reply in unison. With a nod from Sands, I step onto the scale and shut my eyes. I’d been eager and full of anxiety all morning to find out how much weight I lost, or didn’t lose. The only thing which took my mind off myself was my visit to Dad, who was slightly grouchy at having to listen to books on my iPod instead of reading them, but he grudgingly admitted he was getting used to the narrator’s slow reading. Dad was a speed reader. He didn’t even like listening to someone give a speech or preach because they spoke too slowly for his taste.

I hear Sands as she moves the weight back and forth, then stops. “You can open your eyes now.”

Fearful, I open one eye. Sands is smiling and the scale says I’ve lost 2 kg. “Yes!” I shriek. “I did it! I lost weight!”

Sands and then Riyaan give me a hug. “We knew you could do it,” says Riyaan. “And this is just the first week. Just think of how much more you’re going to lose.”

I’m so happy, I can’t say anything. It was a hard week and I know Sands will push me even harder in the following weeks during my workout, but the hard work does pay off.

“Time to celebrate,” says Riyaan. “Drinks are on me – fat-free cappuccino for you, Bella.”

“Sounds great,” I reply. “But I can’t stay long. I have to pick up the kids from school.”

Sands glances at her watch. “You have enough time to tell us about your date tomorrow.”

Riyaan’s eyes pop open wide. “You have a date?”

“Should I check in on you to see if your next suicide attempt is successful?” asks Cat.

“Cat!” we exclaim.

“Who is he? Where did you meet him?” Riyaan probes as we head out the door and down the street to Café Crave.

“It’s Jae. I met him again at the grocery store and we are going quad biking tomorrow,” I announce proudly.

“What does he look like?” Riyaan asked.

“He’s Bella’s, not yours,” warns Cat.

Riyaan looks affronted. “Did I say I am going to steal her man?”

“I hope not,” I chuckle. “He’s about six feet tall with almost black hair and green eyes. A bit skinny in the posterior, but looks good in dark-wash jeans and a form-fitting, long sleeve midnight blue button-up shirt and rugged brown leather shoes.”

“Ho-ho, aren’t we paying attention?” Sands giggles.

“Does he have a twin brother?” Riyaan asks hopefully.

I laugh. “I don’t know. I just met him. Maybe I’ll find out tomorrow. Then again, we’ll be riding quad bikes which will make it hard to talk. Anything else you want to know?”

Riyaan nods. “Yes. Find out where he shops.”

•

Later that afternoon, my phone rings as I’m in the kids’ room packing their clothes for the weekend. It’s Sands, giving me last minute advice on dating and stranger danger.

“Sands, please. I am an adult. I’ve been on dates before.”

“Yes, but if he turns out like that Wesley guy, don’t be afraid to knee him in the family jewels. And you have me on speed dial, right?”

“Of course I have you on speed dial. Actually, I don’t remember your number anymore.”

“What?” she shrieks and I hold the phone away from my ear. “It’s five-four-eight…”

“Sands, I’m hanging up now. Tiresa will be here any minute and I’m still packing the kids’ clothes. Goodbye.”

“Call me after the date…” she’s saying as I press the end call key.

I resume packing, humming a tune. Abe races into the room, flying a toy jet, while Fi is playing with her dolls on her bed. “Mummy, what’s a date?”

I stuff her socks inside her suitcase. “It’s when people have dinner or see a movie or do something fun together.”

“Why are you going on a date?” she asks.

I smile. “Because a friend asked me.”

Abe wrinkles his nose. “A boy friend or a girl friend?”

“It’s a friend who’s a man,” I reply.

Abe scrunches his entire face. “There’s a girl at school who tells everyone I’m her boyfriend and once she tried to kiss me, but I pushed her down and ran away.”

“Abe, it’s not nice to push girls. Don’t do that again. And my friend isn’t a boyfriend. He’s just a friend.”

Fi’s eyes grow wide. “Are you going to kiss him?”

“Ew!” says Abe.

“No!” I laugh.

“Why don’t you want to kiss him?” she asks.

I finish packing and zip the suitcase shut. “Fi, you shouldn’t ask questions like that. We’re just going quad biking, that’s all. No kissing.”

“I wanna go! I wanna go!” Abe jumps up and down.

“You can’t, baby. You’ll be at your dad’s, and it’s a date without kids.”

“Aw,” Abe pouts. “I never have any fun.”

“That’s not true. You love going to your dad’s,” I remind him.

“But he won’t let me have a Playstation,” he whines.

The roar of an engine alerts us that Tiresa has pulled into the driveway. The kids grab their luggage and tumble out of the house with me behind them.

Tiresa steps out of her car, looking stunning, as usual. “Hurry up. We’re meeting your dad for dinner,” she says.

Fi tugs on Tiresa’s skirt. “Doesn’t Mummy look pretty? She lost weight,” she tells her.

Tiresa scowls in my direction. “I didn’t notice.”

“Of course you didn’t,” I smirk at her. Nothing, not even my snotty older sister, can take away my joy at losing weight and having a date in the same week.

Abe throws his suitcase in the trunk and, unexpectedly, hurries back to me and gives me a hug and a kiss. “What was that for?” I ask, hugging him back.

Abe shrugs. “Dad says I need to be extra nice to you and show you lots of love when people make fun of you.”

“Oh,” I say, astonished by Mika’s sympathetic behavior. “Don’t worry about that, honey. I’m going to get skinny and no one will make fun of me again or tease you. How does that sound?”

Abe hugs me again. “I love you.”

Tiresa, hearing our exchange, snorts and rolls her eyes. It’s easy to translate: Yeah, right. You, skinny?

Abe and Fi skip to the car. “Don’t forget to feed Snowball,” Fi calls as she climbs in the back seat.

Tiresa slams the door behind them. Instead of putting on his seat belt, Abe leans out the window and calls, “Have fun on your date, Mummy.”

“Date?” That stops Tiresa, one foot in the car.

I smirk again. “Yes, you know, man, woman, spending time together? Dinner, romance?” I know quite well my date with Jae will involve neither, but she doesn’t need to know that. “Oh, that’s right. Mika’s probably too busy at the office to go on dates anymore. Yes, it’s when he keeps making excuses about having to stay at work that you gotta worry. But not tonight, right? You’ll be one big happy family tonight. Just you and Mika and Abe and Fi. Bye-bye kids!” I wave, turn on my heel and walk inside the house. I peak through the lace curtains in the window to see Tiresa still standing with one foot in the car. She looks like she’s about to explode.

I spend most of the evening worrying about what to wear tomorrow. I want to impress Jae, even in jeans and a casual top. After deciding what to wear, and then changing my mind three more times, I finally settle down (without my usual glass of wine - “Too much sugar,” says Sands) to catch up on recorded episodes of
Shortland Street
. When I hit the sack around 11 p.m., I’m tired yet my mind is in a whirl: tomorrow’s date, the sense of accomplishment at losing weight, what else could I do to ease Pa’s boredom, and how satisfying it felt to see Tiresa squirm. I smile to myself. Life is crazy, but at least it has its good moments. And hopefully tomorrow will be one of those moments.

•

Saturday morning I awake to the roll of thunder. “Oh, no,” I moan. I don’t want rain to ruin our outing. I hurry to the hospital to visit Dad for a while, but spend most of the visit looking out the window to see if the cloud cover dissipates. It does not.

“Bella, if you need to go somewhere, go. I’ll be waiting here when you get back,” Dad half jokes as I peer through the window blinds again.

“I’m sorry, Dad,” I go to his bedside. “I’ve just got my mind on other things.”

“Such as?” he prods.

I grin. “I have a date this afternoon.”

“Good for you. Who’s the lucky fellow?”

“His name is Jae and he’s starting his adventure tourism company, so we’re going quad biking.”

Dad chuckles. “My, my. Do me a favour.”

“What’s that?” I ask.

“Don’t break your neck. It’s terribly inconvenient.”

I leave the hospital at 11:30 and it’s beginning to sprinkle. But when I open the door at Jae’s knock, the day turns bright with his sunny smile. “Are you ready for some adventure?” he asks.

“Ready if you are,” I say, grabbing my purse and locking the door behind me. Jae’s spotless hunter green Jeep is parked behind my dirty car. So much for agonising over trying to make a good impression in casual clothes. I should have washed the car while I was at it. Too late now.

He opens the door of his Jeep for me. “Thank you,” I blush as he offers a hand to help me step up inside. He shuts the door and I have a panic attack as I reach for the seat belt. Most vehicle seat belts do not accommodate extra-large people. My own car has a seat belt extension added to the driver’s side, a pricey but necessary addition. I feel around the seat for the adjustment lever and scoot the seat as far back as it will go, then grasp the belt buckle just as Jae approaches his door. I do not want him to see me struggle with something so basic.

I yank the belt all the way out and, with the quickest of prayers, pull it over me and buckle myself in just as Jae opens the door. Presto! It fits, albeit snugly.

He climbs in beside me and I catch a hint of cologne. Stetson, perhaps? “It’s about an hour drive to where we’re going. Do you need to stop anywhere, get anything?”

“No, I’m fine,” I reply.

Jae turns on the ignition, the Jeep roars to life, and it begin to rain in earnest.

“Oh no,” I say, disappointed.

Jae looks up through the windshield. “Don’t worry. I checked the weather and it’s supposed to clear up soon. Clouds are headed north and we’re headed south.”

“Where to?”

“Nelson Lakes National Park.”

I laugh. “This is an adventure.”

“You’re going to love it.” He turns in his seat to look behind as he backs out of the driveway. “How has your morning been?”

I nod. “Good. I popped in to see my Dad at the hospital. I told you he broke his neck, right?”

“Yes,” Jae replies. “How did it happen?”

I shrug. “Accident. He must have slipped on something in the garden and fallen against the fence. He’s in a neck brace and really can’t move for the next few weeks.”

“That sounds awful. No wonder you want to be with him,” Jae commiserates. “Do you have lots of family nearby?”

“Yes, on my mother’s side of the family. I’m the only person my pa’s got.”

“No siblings?” Jae asks.

I squirm. “I have a half-sister - different father. We were separated after our mum died. She went to live with our grandmother.”

Jae downshifts, brushing my leg when doing so. I blush. “It’s good your father has you at least. I wish him a speedy recovery.”

“Why, thanks. I’ll tell him that.”
Cute and considerate,
I smile inwardly.

“Are you close to your half-sister?” he asks, pulling out of my neighbourhood and onto the main thoroughfare.

I wish he hadn’t asked that. “Um, no.”

Jae’s eyebrow goes up at my short tone but doesn’t pursue the topic. “How about the rest of your family?”

“Well,” I start, “I’m close to my grandmother. She’s Samoan and very proud of it. She’s the
matai
of our
aiga
, the chief of the extended family, since my grandfather died. She tried to teach me about the culture as I was growing up, but being raised by my Scottish dad, I grew up white.”

“Och, so yew loike a wee bit o’ whiskey and haggis?” Jae says in a thick fake Scottish accent.