'Alice, sweetie! It's so nice to have-'
Swinging open the door, Mrs. C was greeted with the sight of -- well, Mel. The rotund girl's generous girth entirely masked the scene behind her. The expectant mother's perfect smile faltered.
'-Oh. Why, hello, Mel.'
Mel just rolled her eyes and grinned. 'Nice to see you too, mom.'
After some awkward shuffling, the thicker of the two sisters was allowed to pass through the entryway. Mrs. Carlyle resumed her prior level of excitement immediately.
'Alice!' she gushed as her little daughter stepped into the house. 'It's so nice to have you home!'
Alice smiled weakly. 'H-hey mom...'
'Oh, sweetie, c'mere!' her eager mother said as she was pulled into a big hug.
Alice desperately sucked in her little belly as her mother's own flat middle pressed against her. The hug lasted several seconds longer than it should have before her mom finally broke away, leaving Alice to gasp for air as inconspicuously as she could manage.
Mrs. C stepped back, eyeing her daughter suspiciously.
'Oh, and look at this!' she changed tactics, this time examining Alice's over-large sweater. 'Did you make this, Alice?'
'W-well, yea, I did, in my class-'
'And look at these little designs! If I had thought any better, I would have thought it came right from granny Carlyle's own collection!'
Without warning, she grabbed the sweater and pulled it tight across Alice's front, under the pretense of further examining the little snowflakes which decorated the garment. Alice, unable to hold her breath any longer, just stood frozen in place.
'My, my, aren't these just wonderful...' Mrs. C murmured. She took in her daughter's recent growth with a smiling face. Her breasts, she saw with displeasure, had remained quite pathetic - the Carlyle family curse. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for her belly It was disgustingly rounded, jutting out from her daughters formerly perfectly flat middle. If she hadn't been going to an all girls school, she may have assumed that she was a few months closer to being a grandmother.
Her, a grandma? Uhg She'd never heard anything more ridiculous in her life.
'Oh, yes, that's simply darling.' She finished her inspection, giving Alices' middle a little tap before releasing her. 'Hey, Jack! Come say hello to your daughter! You know, the one that you haven't seen in a few months?'
Alice's father remained in his seat, raising his newspaper in welcome. 'Lo', champ.'
'H-h-hey, dad.' Alice stammered, face cherry red. Oh, how had she let herself go like this? Was mother angry? She didn't seem angry. But then again... Oh, she had to be angry. That little tap she gave proved it. Was there going to be punishment?
For now, at least, mom seemed pretty amiable. 'Come, sweetheart, go put your suitcase in your room, unpack a bit. Dinner'll be ready in a few minutes.'
Slowly moving to her room, Alice took a deep breath, smelling... absolutely nothing. So unlike the cafeteria at school, where tantalizing scents inhabited every particle of air in the room...
'Can't wait.'
+++
Mrs. Carlyle watched as her daughter walked down the hall and into her room. Even her legs were looking meatier. It was all she could do to contain herself. She moved to the table again, shifting the salt and pepper here, then there, then back again.
No, she couldn't lose her cool. That wouldn't help anything, and more importantly, she'd look like a fool in front of her family. As much as she hated this... growth... that clung to her precious little Alice, she knew that she had to strike at the right time. Yes, something must be done to prevent her last little girl from becoming like Mel. She must have a plan!
But, first and foremost, she must get her on a diet.
She hurried about, looking for the decorative thistle. In her mind she began thinking of a scheme, a plot, which would make sure little Alice would never dare be anything but little ever again.