Story Time: We went to a post-Christmas party with friends w..

Story Time: We went to a post-Christmas party with friends we couldn’t see for the actual holidays. We all played a secret Santa/gift swap game where everyone got mystery gifts and then have the opportunity to trade. This year, the theme was gift cards. After eating an entire charcuterie board (a giant wood platter filled with meats and thick cheeses and such), she became very sluggish and slow. Her clothes became extremely tight by the end of dinner, and before dessert we decided to exchange gifts. It was my girlfriend’s turn to open hers, and she huffed and puffed and opened the “mystery” gift she “randomly” got. It was a gym membership gift card. It was no accident, I could tell. The room went silent and eyes darted back at each other to see what her reaction would be. I could tell this was their non-confrontational way of trying to tell her it was time for a new start to the new year in dealing with her weight problem. There we were in a circle, with her clothes fighting to hold on, as she laughed uncomfortably at the gift. Sweating, she broke the silence by trading her gift card for an Outback Steakhouse gift card instead. Silence came over the room again, faces were made, and the game continued. She ended the night by eating most of every dessert that everyone brought over as people watched with a mixture of disgust, disappointment and hopelessness. We left before everybody else as my girlfriend became extremely bloated and sweaty and red. She wheezed her thank yous and goodbyes, and I wedged her into the car and we took off. I can only imagine the things that were said when we left. But damn if she didn’t show them who she really was that night. And now she gets her steak.