by Matt L. » Tue Jun 25, 2019 10:40 pm
They were arranged in Elena’s backyard, Sheila relaxing on a lawn chair drinking iced tea while Yolanda hung her friend’s wash on the clothesline.
“You don’t have to pamper me, Yolie, “it’s cool between us”; Sheila smiled, massaging her huge pregnant belly, “I don’t hold what Marco did to me against you.”
Yolanda turned around, her dark locks in a bun style which accentuated the roundness of her pudgy face, her balloon shaped body in a Mexican style housedress, a hand-me-down from Elena, and it was a tight fit.
“Ay, remember I promised I’d give you a hand, so you take it easy, when you want another drink, I’ll get it”, Yolanda chirped, resuming her task at a slow pace.
That afternoon the friends had already dished out the local gossip, and Sheila had told Yolanda about her plans for a romantic dinner with Jose later in the week. Although there was indeed something of a rumor that Sheila heard from Elena that got it from Natalie. Sheila was boiling over with curiosity and flat out asked, “I heard you made an impression on some guy at the street festival yesterday. Well?”
Yolanda gushed and nervously snorted, “Ahhh, Nat can’t keep her big mouth shut!” she giggled.
“Is he cute?” Sheila smiled her follow up question.
Yolanda turned around, anxiety causing her to wheeze and snort, she anxiously and tautly ran her hand sideways over her big blubbery belly, “I didn’t mean to keep it from you, it’s just that he’s a little older than me, I thought you’d criticize me because of that.”
Sheila wagged her head, “Don’t be silly, of course not.”
“Well, then, I guess he’s cute”, Yolanda bashfully smiled.
Yolanda walked over to where Sheila was seated, her strut bungling as her beefy form jiggled and wiggled with her movement. Yolanda finally came to a halt upon reaching Sheila, speaking with one hand over her gooey fat encased hip, “Tomas, he’s my brother in law’s friend. Gosh, he made a big deal over me; do you think that means he likes me?”
“What’s there not to like”, Sheila smiled, “You’re a very sweet, very nice young woman.”
Yolanda patted her stomach, “Yeah but when I first met Tomas years ago, I was completely skinny, now look at me! I weigh double Tomas’s weight, that’s for sure!” she squeaked a mind-numbing squeal.
“Just be yourself, let Tomas get to know you all over again”, Sheila conveyed with conviction, “This may turn out very positive for you.”
Yolanda squinted, “Be myself?” she chuckled.
“Ay crumba, that’s not easy, I changed so much, it’s crazy!”
Sheila sipped her iced tea before replying.
“What they did to you in Mexico, you were so fiery and confident, how could you have changed that much?”
Yolanda laid her hand over her burgeoning curvature of belly and yanked it upward, “Oh mamacita! Have I changed! I feel so dopey and weak now, getting fat humbled me I think.”
Sheila affectionately sighed, “Oh Yolie, I’ll do whatever I can to help you out. Maybe a spark of the old Yolanda is still there?”
Yolanda giggled, “Don’t bet the barn!”
Yolanda turned around and skipped back to her chore like a smitten teenage girl who was noticed by the cool guy at school.
“Tomas is, um, very Mexican-American, he doesn’t speak Spanish!” Yolanda giddily chimed, “But he treats me very nice, I think he really cares about me!”
Sheila’s smile grew in length, puffing up her apple cheeks as Yolanda happily spoke about Tomas non-stop.
____________
Natalie spoke over the phone to their mother over current events;
“Jim has no idea but Yolanda seems definitely infatuated with his friend, Tomas Alvarado!”
“Oh, I remember Tomas, he doesn’t seem so bad a guy, are you that concerned?” Mrs. Martinez inquired.
Natalie was honest, “No, yeah, maybe, a little? Tomas would be nice for Yolanda to get out of her rut but as for regularly dating or a legitimate relationship, no way! She can do better than him.”
“What rut are we talking about me dear?”
Natalie plainly answered her mother, “Not being involved with the opposite sex since putting on weight, you think she can function normally now that she’s not eye candy?”
Mrs. Martinez chortled, “Sweetheart! It’s just like riding a bike, you never really forget.”
“I guess”, Natalie cringed her reply, “But Yolie’s different besides just her looks, she’s soft, fragile, she can get hurt very easily.”
“How many hearts did Yolanda break!” Mrs. Martinez firmly stated, “But you learn by getting hurt. She’ll have to rely on her instincts, they won’t fail her.”
A moment of silence, Mrs. Martinez brought some humor into the conversation, “I could never see your sister as housewife material, now, well. Let’s hope she meets that right guy, and soon. She should have more babies.”
“Yolanda has become the pregnant and barefoot type, hasn’t she?” Natalie giggled, “I guess I can see her keeping house, looking after her man, and kids. You know when she starts breeding, she’ll get incredibly enormous!”
“Isn’t that the truth”, Mrs. Martinez replied, “Since she won’t be going back to college, can you think of anything better for her other than being a housewife and mom?”
“I can’t say I can!” Natalie sweetly chuckled.
___________
Yolanda had dinner with Sheila, Elena and her family, which was a comfort to Elena who showed her affection with food.
It was Sheila’s duty to wash the dinner dishes, a task that she actually volunteered, but that was no doing where Yolanda was concerned. She told Sheila to relax and have another slice of pie or ice cream while she labored over the sink, “You’re eating for two you know!”
Sheila giggled, seizing both the pie and ice cream, and some cookies, “Don’t take this the wrong way but I think I’m going to get as big as you before this baby gets born!”
Yolanda screeched in laugher, “Ay Chihuahua! I hope not!”
Yolanda busied herself with the dishes, “Tomorrow I’ll be over, maybe around noon, I’ll put fresh linens on your bed, clean your room too.”
Sheila paused from feeding, “No, Yolanda. Please. You‘re not my servant.”
Yolanda turned away from the sink, “Ay, in your ah, um, delicate condition, I so want to help, make things easier for you.”
Sheila sighed, “I can’t change your mind?”
Yolanda wagged her head, “Why would you want to, be lazy for a change.”
“Very well”, Sheila smiled.
Yolanda was feeling pretty good about herself, she had resumed her friendship with Sheila and there was a guy interested in her who didn’t seem bothered that she out weighed him.
Having a minor resurgence of her confidence back, Yolanda made a stop by Steve later that evening, after all he did tell her to drop by whenever she wanted.
Mrs. Soto answered the door, smiling at Yolanda as she slowly gravitated unto the front porch, “Sorry, Yolie, Steve isn’t home, he won’t be home to late tonight.”
Yolanda sweetly explained about seeing Steve at the festival and that he had put it out there that they were still friends.
“Yes, Steve told me”, Mrs. Soto told Yolanda, “Remember that, okay? You’re just friends.”
Mrs. Soto’s remark sounded something like a warning to Yolanda, “Did you expect me to think otherwise?”
Mrs. Soto seemed a little edgy, “Well, I remember you being smitten with him back in the day; I only hope you’ve matured and realized that things don’t always stay the same.”
“Huh?, Yolanda’s eyes grew wide, “You think I came here to seduce your son?”
Mrs. Soto coldly replied, “No, I’m just saying that he doesn’t think of you in the same way, that’s all.”
“Steve told you that?” Yolanda inquired.
“Yes, so be gracious about it, you’ve both changed.”
Yolanda noticed Mrs. Soto’s eyes drop, squarely looking over her belly.
“You’re saying I’m too fat for your son?” Yolanda coarsely blurted.
“Maybe you can diet or something, please remember that Steve has advantages he didn’t have as a kid, in his circle it would be an inconvenient situation for him if you tagged along.”
Yolanda’s chins inflated, “Does Steve think I’m too fat or is that your opinion!”
“Oh this is awkward”, Mrs. Soto grimaced, “You’re not Steve’s type, okay?”
Yolanda emotionally grunted, “Steve said that? Told you that?”
“Hey, don’t get upset about it!” Mrs. Soto retorted, “You’re friends, leave it at that!”
Yolanda nasally sighed, using her forearm to wipe away her tears.
Mrs. Soto eased her temper, trying to be as sensitive as possible, “Yolanda, you’re a big girl. Let’s face it, unless you do some serious dieting most guys won’t consider you dating material. I mean how can you expect to compete with skinny girls when you’re so fat.”
“How can you be so cruel to me?” Yolanda dejectedly peeped.
“Hey, if I’m coming off harsh, excuse me but I think I’m doing you a favor”, Mrs. Soto uttered, “If you were somewhat overweight it wouldn’t be so bad but you’re huge.”
Yolanda didn’t know how she did it but somehow she was off the porch and was standing on the walkway, wheezing and blathering, “I know I got very fat, it’s uncomfortable and it sucks! I hate how I look; I’m a mess, a big fat mess!”
Mrs. Soto folded her arms, unsympathetically peering down at Yolanda “Then do something about it!, I won’t have my boy seen with such a blimp!”
_______________________________
Yolanda arrived home; she held back her hurt feelings only speaking to Natalie and James about her afternoon with Sheila and Elena which was very enjoyable.
Yolanda once again felt truly disgusted about her weight, and what little confidence had returned was erased. Wallowing in an above average mode, Yolanda finished off what leftovers there was from dinner, and then turned her appetite to a can of corn beef harsh, peanut butter which she put on donuts, and chocolate.
In the course of her nibbling, Yolanda reflected over the conversation she had with Mrs. Soto, and once again she put the blame on herself. Fat girls didn’t deserve respect, they were undisciplined and lazy. However, there was one thought that ricochet through her mind when it came down to being dating material. Tomas, maybe because he was older, seasoned; she wasn’t too fat for him.
Yolanda’s foul mood having been somewhat quelled by thoughts of Tomas, she reacted in accord with her expected behavior, consuming half a tub of French vanilla ice cream.
______________
Tomas was standing over the car’s hood, pausing for a cigarette break when the shop’s manager, walked in.
“Hey, there’s some girl here to see you”, The manager told Tomas, “Want me to send her here or you wanna go out to see her?”
Tomas took a drag from his smoke, “Let me wash up, I’ll be out in the lobby in a minute.”
The service station where Tomas labored was basically an auto repair shop with a few gas pumps, a throw back to an era when gas stations didn’t have mini-marts.
Tomas took another drag, “Did she give you a name?”
“Yolanda, she’s a Mexican girl”, the manager replied.
“Never mind”, Tomas said while advancing out of the garage toward the door which lead to the lobby.
Tomas hadn’t thought about Yolanda since the night of festival, nothing personal, it was just a no-frills flirting excursion for him, nothing special.
Tomas emerged into the lobby where Yolanda stood, and he knew the instant their eyes met, she had a far different opinion concerning their moments together after the festival.
Yolanda’s hair was neatly comb and parted on the side, cosmetics applied modestly giving her abnormally well-fed facial appearance a naturally sweet quality.
Yolanda wore a long flowing blouse which was the most fashionable article of clothing she had worn in over a year. Pink, peach and orange in color, the neckline oval shaped, the bottom of the garment decorated with fluffy ruffles. The same khaki short pants completed her apparel.
Tomas thought Yolanda looked decent but not especially appealing.
“How are you?” Tomas sprouted off, “Can I do something for you?”
Yolanda looked over at the vending machines, eating would calm her nerves.
Resuming her attention on Tomas, Yolanda smiled, “I’m on my way to see my friend..um, ah, thought since the bus stop ain’t far from here, I stop, say hello. You remember what we talked about Saturday night?”
Tomas ran his hand through his hair, looking downward while mangling his words, “Right, Saturday, the festival. We talked a lot; you shared a lot of information….”
Tomas’s manager, Wendell Waltz, was an old school type of guy, gray hair with matching mustache, well into his seventies, the kind of hombre who didn’t believe in retirement.
“Damn it, Tomas, offer the girl a drink!” Wendell chuckled.
Tomas shot Wendell an ambiguous stare, the older gent walked over to Yolanda.
“We got bottle water, root beer, and Pepsi. It’s diet Pepsi though..”
Yolanda cringed at the sound of ‘Diet’, “Ew! Root beer then, if that’s okay.”
Wendell positioned himself in front of the vending machine, fumbling through his pockets for change.
“I swear I don’t know what’s wrong with these young bucks today. They don’t have the idea that making a women comfortable is foremost an obligation if you like them.”
Wendell brought Yolanda a can of root beer. Even opening the can before handing it to her.
“Thanks, you very nice…” Yolanda smiled.
Wendell nodded, “That’s fine. I’ll give ya your privacy, but you’re damn pretty, I got tell ya that.”
On his way out of the lobby, Wendell playfully smacked Tomas at the back of the head, “What’s wrong with you!”
Yolanda sipped her root beer, her free hand glued to her belly, “Maybe I shouldn’t have bothered you.”
“It’s okay”, Tomas replied, “I remember now, I talked a lot too.”
“You said many nice things about me, and asked me out on a date”, Yolanda’s stood in a rubbery stance, rolled over shoulders, a deflated look in her eyes, “Nice words but hollow, yes?”
“I like you, Yolanda, I’ve always liked you”, Tomas awkwardly grinned.
“Ay, you liked me better back then, too bad for you Yolanda Monterey nothing to brag about..”, Yolanda despairingly snorted,
Tomas lit another cigarette, his mind reviewing Yolanda from back when she wore bikini tops and short-shorts. The flirting Yolanda contributed back then was just as hollow, putting on tantalizing exhibitions for her own amusement, showing off what they couldn’t have.
Tomas cracked such a wide smile that it took Yolanda by surprised, and she reciprocated the grin.
“Yes?”, Yolanda inquired, hoping that Tomas would admit some attraction to her, after all, considering what Mrs. Soto had said to her, her self-esteem was in bad shape.
Tomas quickly questioned how much he really liked her, and if she was worth his time. Still, now that her heyday had been depleted, wouldn’t she be a little extra attentive and affectionate.
“You’re right, and I apologize”, Tomas half-smiled, “I do you think you’re very sweet and cute…”
The idea to hold back buzzed through Tomas’s head, she was haughty, now make her have to work for his attention.
“…..and this has nothing to do with getting heavy but as much as I would like to date you, I can’t…” Tomas appeared dramatically in turmoil.
Yolanda’s plump double chin inflating as she pouted, “You have girlfriend, this I knew!”
Tomas wagged his head, “No, Yolie, that’s not it. Sally’s back with her ex- husband, she has nothing to do with this.”
Yolanda reeled her face backward, lifting an eyebrow, she tensely grunted, “So what, you got no choice, you won’t date me coz?”
“Because you’re Jimmy’s sister in law, I wouldn’t want any bad blood between us if I dated you.”
Yolanda twisted at her chunky waist, “I’m not looking for marriage! We date, have fun, nothing more…”
Yolanda paused, her heart definitely on her sleeve, “…if you get know Yolanda better, could be relationship if feelings go stronger…”
Yolanda closed her eyes, she sighed, “I get excited, my English no so good.”
“I never noticed”, Tomas said frivolously, causing Yolanda to laugh and playfully punch his upper arm.
“You grand kidder!” Yolanda squealed, “Funny, funny, man!”
Tomas rubbed his arm, eye contact was flimsy but he perpetrated a reasonably friendly smile, “You want to go out tomorrow? We’ll have dinner wherever you want.”
Yolanda’s face swelled in excitement, Little Nicky’s! That be okay?”
A relief to Tomas, he wasn’t going to shell out big bucks to take Yolanda to a nice restaurant.
“That’s cool, sure”, Tomas replied.
Yolanda sighed with a contented smile, fluttering her eyes as she gazed at Tomas.
Tomas felt a little guilty about lying to Yolanda but she was once a heartless flirt.
“If fat girl Yolanda wants some fun, a little romance, fine by me”, Tomas smiled in his thoughts, “she got a big tab to settle for leading me on!”
Tomas gave Yolanda a hug to cement the date; she practically melted in his arms.
Yolanda gushed, pitching her arms over Tomas’s shoulders, “What ah, um time you picking me up?”
Tomas seemed to feel Yolanda’s every pound, the squishy fat merging with his body, “I guess when I get done with work, six-thirty-ish? How about meeting me here though. I’m not crazy about James and Nat knowing about our dating just yet. I think we ought to see how it works out for us first, then spring it on them.”
“Dating?” Yolanda questioned.
“We’ll see how tomorrow goes, okay?” Tomas replied.
“But you like Yolanda, every ting you say Saturday true?” Yolanda smiled but her eyes held an apprehensive gleam.
Tomas was put on the spot, what he said was said in the heat of the moment, and true to only a slight degree. However, he didn’t want to harm his chances in having a casual romance with Yolanda, and thus he boldly smiled, “Of course, princess. You’re gorgeous….”
Tomas closed his eyes, sighing at his remark, although he found Yolanda cute for a fat girl, he had strong reservations about her being authentically attractive.
Tomas released Yolanda from his arms, and she tilted her head and charmingly smiled, “Then I go now, visit my friend, Sasha, but tomorrow…”
For some add reason, Tomas gently poked Yolanda’s belly which caused her to shriek an annoying giggle, “Yeah, tomorrow then”, he said reeling back his head at the loud and uncouth sound of her laughter.
_________
Yolanda went on her way, daydreaming about Tomas on the bus ride over to Elena’s residence and to visit Sheila.
Tomas resumed his toil, pondering over Yolanda.
All things considered, and although she was no longer the same hot number, Tomas surmised Yolanda would make a decent enough sideline dish until he managed to hook up with a much more lucrative female or his girlfriend Sally rid herself of her ex again.
Tomas giggled aloud at one point, “Fat girl Yolanda! I guess you thought showing off and teasing us guys who didn’t rate a real date was cool!”
Tomas paused from his toil for a moment, “Now you’re hard up for a date, too bad you got so fat, babe! A real shame but you deserved it! Maybe I’ll just remind you of that, and I hope you realize you oughtn’t to be proud coz a guy like me is willing to date a girl like you!”
_____________