Positive Influence

Chapter 15 - Ups and Downs

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Come Saturday, you and Val find yourselves once again sitting before Dr. Rohaz's desk. Val and the doctor are discussing her first week on the medication, and are going over some test results. It's a bit over your head, but you do your best to pay attention.

"It looks like your microbiome has adjusted to the medication. The novel bacteria are still sitting happily in your gut, but they're no longer interacting with your metabolism. How do you feel?” the bespectacled doctor asks.

"I feel fine," Val replies, "Tummy cramped a little bit for the first few days, but it's properly settled now."

"Good, good," Rohaz replies while scribbling some notes. She continues, "We're still doing our studies on your genetics and metabolism. I don't think we're close to any breakthroughs, but you've given us a ton of interesting leads."

"Anything that might help towards your dream of blocking obesity's harms?" you ask.

"Maybe," she says, with a wink. "We're not close to anything that could be classed as reliable, but we've found a few things that are promising."

She turns her attention back to Val, "I had an idea for another trial, if you're comfortable with changing gears for a bit."

Val looks apprehensive, while you are intrigued.

"What did you have in mind?" Val asks.

"So you've definitely put on a couple of pounds over the last week, and for us, that's a great sign. I was thinking you stay on the medication for a while longer, until you've put on, say 20 pounds or so. Something that's clearly 'real' weight, new adipose tissue. Then, I was thinking you stop the pills, and see if your metabolism returns to normal."

"You really think it's going to work that way?" Val asks.

"I really do suspect it's going to work that way," the doctor says with a smile.

Val is still somewhat apprehensive, "I dunno... Going through all this trouble to put on a few pounds, then just dropping them again..."

You grab Val's hand, "Look at it this way, honey - you'll never have to stop eating your favorite foods at any point in this study."

Val looks at you with a smile, "Well, I do like food..."

The doctor smiles politely, "I understand if you're not comfortable with this. But I figured you've been a good sport so far, and that it couldn't hurt to ask."

Val thinks for a moment, then replies, "Yeah, it's probably smart to make sure my super-bugs will still do their jobs. I'll do it."

Val then giggles a bit, "But first I've got to put on a little chub."

Dr. Rohaz extends her hand, and Val shakes it.

"Glad you're on board for this. Nothing will change for the time being, but we'll talk about phase 2 in due time."

The doctor checks her watch, "Until then, lunch? My treat."

Time seems to fly from this point forward. Lunch with the doctor was delightful, and the rest of the day with Val was pleasant and comfortable.

She talks you into working out with her periodically, justifying it by reiterating that she wants to be fit at any weight and that exercise makes her feel better. You admit the exertion feels good too, though you're quite sore after lifting with Val as a trainer.

Sunday brunch brings out all the girls, and Val gorges herself silly with their encouragement. Jen seems to be developing a bit of a sweet tooth, and you easily talk her into having some pie after a full breakfast. It's only been a few weeks of these brunches, but you're feeling the connections with your old friends deepening once more. It really is like no time passed since before college.

The rest of the week falls into a routine. You wake up with Val and go through a routine of stretching and strength training. Naked usually, just because you can. Breakfast follows, then the two of you day trade for the rest of the morning. Lunch is typically when "work" slows down, and the two of you make a point to try and see some of the group. Some cheeky sex usually finds its way into your day at some point, and if it hasn't, Val stuffing herself at dinner is usually enough of an aphrodisiac.

The following Thursday comes and goes with little fanfare, and the second scan confirms that your bleed has 100% healed. This unfortunately means that your absence from work no longer has an excuse, and you agree to return to the office on the following Monday. You're going to miss day trading, but a few more lucky breaks and you might be able to quit your job. That probably won't be any time soon, though. You and Val resolve to make the most of your remaining time off.

It passes quickly. Another Saturday visit results in no course changes or new breakthroughs. Dr. Rohaz invited the two of you to a lunch buffet, and uncharacteristically she pigged out. Val did too, but that's far less surprising. The following Sunday brunch is drawn out, with everybody at the table socializing more than usual. The heroic portions that were ordered ensured a long visit as well.

That evening you finally leave Val's company and return to your own apartment. You'd dropped in occasionally for items and fresh clothes, but you haven't slept here for almost a month. Everything looks much as you left it, with one minor exception. In your absence, a little message has been scrawled on the dry-erase board appended to the refrigerator door.

"Have fun with your lady,

-Dad"

You laugh to yourself. That message must have been up for weeks, and you only noticed it now. You open the fridge, pour yourself some water, then replace the pitcher. As you drink the water, you think. You've been thinking a lot lately. About your girlfriend, your family, your job, your life in general. You take another drink, and wipe your mouth with the back of your wrist.

Here's another one. Staying with Val was really nice. It felt natural, and it wasn't just two weeks of cutsey stuff, you got to see how she actually lives. Her tastes are fairly classy, and she's not a slob. The thought crosses your mind, and you can't help but laugh. She's a paradoxical blend of doting and independent. You've always liked a woman who knows what she wants. You stare ahead for your next thought. Is it too soon for the two of you to start living together? Well, it's no longer too soon if you're thinking about it. You'll just have to explain it to her.

You yawn.

It's late, and your wandering mind is getting less coherent. You put your empty glass in the sink and head to your room. You strip off your clothes, switch for a light sleeping shirt, and crawl under the covers. You feel a little sad sleeping alone again, but the familiar smell and feel of your blankets almost fills the gap. The pillow is just a teensy bit flat. You drift off to sleep.

You wake up to the unpleasantly familiar sound of your alarm. You groan, throw off the covers, and stumble to your feet. You slowly work through some stretches and a couple quick exercises to help wake up a bit, then trudge into the kitchen to get some breakfast. You find some granola bars in the cabinet, and go to work on one of them while you think about your plans for the day. You've been away from work for a long while, so you'll need to spend some time getting caught up. You finish the last of your granola bar, and return to your room to get dressed for work. You change into slacks with a button-down shirt, grab your wallet, keys, and phone, then get into your car. You then start the engine and pull onto the road, beginning your commute to work.

The drive to work is uneventful, and you find yourself pulling into the employee parking lot as you remember you have an important meeting this morning. You hurry into the office, and wave off questions from your co-workers. You hurry to the second floor to meet with your boss, a middle-aged man almost universally referred to as "Mr. Axe". He looks up from his desk as you enter, with a smile on his square face. The nickname is ironic.

"H-hello there, sir," you say, uncharacteristically stumbling over your words.

"Ah, Anon. Good to see you back! I wanted to go over a few things before you got started today," the boss says.

You nod, and take a seat as Mr. Axe moves closer to you. Your boss turns his computer screen around, and shows off a quick presentation regarding recent business. The company is preparing to branch into some new ventures, and you're being tasked with helping. It's a lot to take in, but your boss nods his buzz-cut head deferentially, "I'll send some emails with the details." Ugh. You don't savor going through your email backlog.

Mr. Axe dismisses you and you head to your cubicle. You sit down and stare at your screen. Your eyes have to adjust to the minimal sunlight coming from the large windows across the top of your cubicle. You chipped away at some emails during your recovery, but it's still a lot to deal with. You buckle down and start sorting emails and dashing off responses as appropriate. After a few hours, you've put a big dent in your email backlog, and you suddenly feel a soft hand tap your shoulder.

"You doing ok, Anon?" you hear a girlish voice say. You immediately recognize the voice as belonging to your coworker Lisa, and sure enough there's a pleasant grin on her round face as you turn your chair around.

"Y-yeah... I'm fine."

"We're all so glad to have you back. Have you got a minute?"

"Sure, what's up?"

"Come with me to the breakroom," she says.

Lisa leads you into the breakroom, where a few of your co-workers are standing around or sitting at the table. They all turn and smile when they see you. You look at the table and see a flat, wide box sitting on the table. Lisa smiles and opens the box. It's a cookie cake, with "Welcome back" written in icing. Lisa starts cutting up the cookie cake and distributing the slices. She hands you a choice slice, and you fetch yourself a cup of coffee. You thank Lisa profusely as you take the first bite. Damn... that's some good cookie cake.

The conversation during the lunch break is light and easy. You're of course the center of attention, but you frankly don't have much to share. Your harrowing story of survival mostly centers on the people who saved you, since you were unconscious for most of it. To add a dramatic flourish, you take off your beanie cap to show off your scars. Shocked and awed silence fills the room.

"That's so cool," says a young man in the crowd.

"We're all so glad you made it." Says another woman.

The silence turns awkward, and you defuse it by waving off the group's wonder and you put your hat back on. Conversation eventually turns back to mundane topics, and you eventually excuse yourself and return to your cubicle. You spend the rest of the day doing work you should have been doing awhile ago. In the evening, your boss comes over to talk to you just as you're shutting down for the day. He seems extremely frazzled, and somehow looks as though he hasn't slept in days.

"There's been a change in the company's plans. I'm sorry, but you won't be getting that project after all."

"What? That's quite a bit of whiplash for my first day back. What changed?”

Your boss sighs, "There's been a security breach. All projects are on hold until further notice."

You mull that information over. The boss continues monotonically, "We're notifying partners and customers. For now, just, uh hold tight. I'll have proper marching orders for you tomorrow. I wanted to tell you in person because of that new project thing. A company bulletin will be going out in a minute."

"How bad was the breach?" you ask.

Another sigh.

"We're still working on that. We'll know more in the morning. I'm just relaying what I've been told. I don't need you to stay late or anything, and for what it's worth, have a nice evening."

You awkwardly bid your boss goodbye, and head for Val's place. The drive is quick since you missed rush hour. Val sweeps you into her condo and plops you at the dining table. She portions out some fresh and enticing pot pie. You both dig in, and you relish dinner after basically skipping lunch. Val devours enough to sate a family, and when she's finally done, you help her to the bedroom and help rub her aching belly.

As you lie there with her body pressed against your own, Val looks at you. She directs one of your hands between her legs, and sighs as you start caressing her pussy. Things get hot and heavy in a hurry, and in what seems like no time, you're flopping into bed next to a panting Val, your clothes long gone and your balls empty. You look at the ceiling and try to catch your breath. Val turns over and looks into your eyes.

"Fuck. That was intense." She says.

"Glad you liked it."

Val traces her forefinger down your chest, stopping at your belly button.

"You have nice abs." She says, then she giggles.

Val snuggles up against you and wraps her arm around your body. You lay together for a bit, until you notice Val's breathing getting more regular. You nudge her awake and sheepishly explain that you should probably go. She leans over and kisses you, and the two of you part ways for the night.

The next few weeks fall into something resembling a routine. Work is a clusterfuck, and Val's condo and her cooking are a refuge of comfort and quiet. Val keeps over-eating like a woman on a mission, and you notice that some of her clothes are beginning to look a little tighter than usual. Her frame and strength means that she's nowhere near "fat" or even "chubby" in appearance, but you can tell she's starting to put on the pounds. Val enjoys tormenting you by withholding the specific number. Your stocks are making slight gains, but you're nowhere near comfortable enough to quit your job. You find yourself frustrated that Witness isn't bumping up the market, but you check your feelings and decide you'd rather not rely on the AI's goodwill.

Another Saturday finds you and Val sitting before Dr. Rohaz. The doctor is discussing the latest round of test results and research progress with Val. Annoyingly, the doctor won't tell you Val's weight either, and you think the women are in cahoots to frustrate you.

The time has come to pause Val's medication regime. She's put on some weight because of it, and she's curious to see if stopping the medication will drop the weight. Val's health remains impeccable despite her gluttonous diet and the new pounds, but she intends to honor her agreement with Dr. Rohaz. Unfortunately that agreement also means it's time for a follow-up with Val's ordinary physician, Dr. Kovacs.

However, Val has an odd glimmer in her eye this time. She says she's not worried about facing Dr. Kovacs any more, explaining that she "wants to have some fun" with the checkup. She goes on to insist that you come along too. You agree without a second thought. The appointment is Tuesday morning, and you shouldn't have any trouble proceeding from the clinic to your job. A lazy Sunday and a busy Monday pass quickly, and you stay over at Val's place for the evening. Of course, this follows an epic feeding wherein Val demolished a whole pie following a huge portion of curry.

You are woken at dawn by the rumbling of an engine outside Val's house. She cuddles into your side and snores softly as you shift to get comfortable. You drift back into the comfortable twilight between awareness and sleep for a little while, then an alarm clock goes off. You and Val groan in unison as you come to, and you both roll out of bed to get dressed. You don a neat button-up shirt and pull on some slacks, simple and suitable for work. Val digs around in her closet for longer than usual.

She comes out with a surprising number of clothing items. You also notice her breasts are slightly overflowing her bra cups, and her panties dig into her hips a little. She looks at you and giggles.

"What?" Val asks, confused.

"Nothing. You're just...so fucking hot." You respond, blushing.

Val wordlessly strides over to you with a smile, then wraps a hand around the back of your head, pulls you close, and kisses you deeply. You feel her warm body as she presses up against you, hands wandering. You put your arms around her and return the kiss, but after a few moments she gently pulls away.

"We've both got stuff to do today, dum-dum."

You release your girlfriend and watch as she gets dressed. She slips on a snug t-shirt, which actually rides up just a bit on her midriff. Val then steps into a pair of small jean shorts, and you immediately notice that they're going to be very tight on her. Val has had a goofy grin the whole time and explains, "I haven't worn these in years. I know they're going to be tight, especially now..."

She punctuates her statement with a grunt, as she sucks in her stomach and zips up the fly.

You stare at her in disbelief. "Those are...really going to fit?"

Val grins.

"Not really, but that's the point!"

She sucks in again and fastens the button. A slight amount of soft skin bulges over the waistband. Val idly fingers the squishy roll.

"Hmm, now you look cute." You say, unsure how to react.

Val giggles, "I don't think the doctor is going to agree, but I want to mess with him today. Thus, I want to look as chubby as possible today!"

"I also want it to be a surprise," she continues, and reaches for a plaid skirt laying on the bed. She quickly slips it over her shorts. The overall affect of her outfit is actually quite cute. She leads you to the kitchen, where the two of you have some quick breakfast. Val picked up some churros the other day. You have a couple, their sugary flavor playing nicely off the coffee. Soon, it's time to go. You're driving, since you'll need to proceed to work after the visit. Val hops into the passenger seat, and you head off.

The car ride is uneventful. You both zone out the bustle of the city, concentrating on the drive ahead of you. The morning has a bit of traffic as usual, and you're slowed a little as you navigate around a minor accident. It takes nearly twenty minutes to cover the short distance to the clinic.

You pull into the parking lot as soon as you see a spot, and head into the building. Val signs in, and the two of you sit and wait. Soon enough, a nurse calls for Val, and the two of you go into the main area. You hide your excitement as the nurse directs Val to stand on a scale. You watch as she nervously obeys, her frame tense. The nurse's eyes briefly glance at the balanced weights and dials, her brow furrowed. You can't see the number and you don't want to gawk, so you just wait. The nurse eventually nods, writes something on a pad, shows the pad to Val, and directs her to an exam room. The door latches shut, and Val immediately takes off her skirt, handing it to you. In her shorts and t-shirt, Val looks ever so slightly too big for her clothes, and some soft skin bulges slightly under her shirt. You neatly fold the skirt up and set it aside, then look at Val expectantly.

"It's rude to ask a woman her weight," she snickers.

You give her a humorless look, and she finally relents.

"Two hundred and forty-nine," Val declares.

"That's like... A pound a day," you say quietly, doing some mental math.

"Mmm-hmm," Val replies breezily.

Suddenly you hear a knock at the door, and a moment later the latch opens. Dr Kovacs walks through the doorway.

"Ah, good morning, Ms. Soj....ka..." The doctor fumbles his words as he looks up from his clipboard to behold Val.

Val smiles innocently, sitting in such a way to subtly emphasize her tight clothes.

"Good morning Dr. Kovacs," Val replies, "I understand you've been corresponding with Dr. Rohaz regarding my.... Status."

"Ah, yes. Leona did send me a report on your genetics and your microbiome, as well as the medication she put you on..." The doctor's professional facade springs right back up.

"So interesting to think that there could be an effect from that old antibiotic. And it certainly looks like there was an effect. Val, you've put on almost 29 pounds since your last visit."

"Twenty-nine ain't nothin', Doc. I feel great."

The doctor grins, but his eyes are fixed on her bulging shirt. "I'm sure you do," he says.

"So, what's the sit...."

The doctor interrupts you with an uprasied hand and stays focused on Val.

"We're going to do the usual tests, with an emphasis on metabolic health. First, blood pressure."

He guides Val's arm into a familiar cuff, and does his measurement.

The doctor almost hides a frown has he gets his numbers. "119 over 78. BP still looks spotless."

Val smiles back, "Told ya, I'm just that awesome!"

Dr Kovacs looks unimpressed, "I've seen plenty of athletes spiral down, Val. And it pains me to see it every time."

"That won't happen to me," Val says back confidently.

"I should hope not. Gotta say I'm glad you're doing the reversibility test," the doctor replies.

"Have some faith in Leona," Val says.

"Val, I'm an atheist. I trust the evidence, and you already know what I think about said evidence."

Val frowns, but stops arguing. The doctor continues, "Now, the other tests."

The doctor and his staff quickly get through a handful of tests. Some of the results come in during your visit, and the doctor launches right into looking over them. He's dumbfounded, "Everything.... Is flawless. I don't get it, but I don't suppose I should complain."

Val smiles broadly, "Right so I'm off to replace water with milkshakes from this point forward..."

Dr Kovacs groans and pinches his nose bridge, "Please don't do that, Val..."

Val grins and shrugs, "I don't see why not. You said it yourself, I'm in excellent health."

"Well, you're far braver than I am then," he laughs.

"Still, the next time you see me, I should be back to the old numbers," Val says.

"And I really hope you stay there."

Val giggles, "No chance!"

The doctor makes a show of exasperation, "You're trying to give me a heart attack, aren't you?"

Val gestures towards you, clearly expecting her skirt. You hand it to her, and she promptly slips it on right then and there.

"A girl can have a little fun, right?" she says.

Dr Kovacs releases a slow sigh, "You certainly have the right, but maybe don't mess with your doctor so much?"

Val chuckles, "Fair."

"Well then, we're done for now. Can I do anything else for you?"

"Yeah, my leg has been really itchy lately...."

The doctor starts laughing, "Ok, out! Both of you!”

You and Val bid the doctor goodbye and leave the clinic for your car. Val looks at you once she's seated and you're pulling out of the driveway.

"I really am going to pause the medication starting today."

You nod, "I figured as much. So, what's our plan?"

"Nothing special I guess. Stay in touch with Dr Rohaz, and hope my little bug buddies do their thing."

"And if the reversal does work?”

"Then I get back on the medication, and stuff my face until I can crush beds," Val laughs.

"You seem pretty confident about that."

Val shrugs, "I guess I've had a lot of time to think about it."

You steal a smile while driving, and snag a quick kiss at a stoplight. Soon you've returned to Val's place. She hops out and waves, before returning to her complex. With a sigh, you drive off to work, a little late, but called ahead. You're still desperately putting out metaphorical fires, and you get absorbed into your work.

The days roll by and turn into weeks. Work feels like a never-ending carnival of complaints and problems, but some of your stocks are finally going up. Your life for the time being is punctuated with evening visits with Val. She's still handily out-eating you, but she's no longer actively scarfing down everything in sight. Her clothes slowly start to look less stretched over her body, not that they were particularly strained before.

You continue to accompany her to the weekly visits with Dr. Rohaz. They're quite a bit less exciting with no major changes or breakthroughs to discuss, but you try to be a good boyfriend and listen to the science talk when the doctor discusses it. As coy as Val was when her weight was going up, she's open about how it's going down. Shockingly, she's been losing weight at almost the same rate as she put it on: roughly a pound per day. Before too long, Val's weight has stabilized at her usual baseline around 220 pounds. The reversibility worked, and at her next visit with Dr. Rohaz she all but begged to get back on the weight-gain medications.

"I'll approve the prescription," the doctor says, looking at the two of you from across her desk.

"But I have to ask, Val - where do you see your relationship with food going?"

Val looks down, and rubs her hand over her stomach. Her hands rub circles for a moment, and she answers in a quiet voice, "I don't know. I like food, I like eating, and I felt really sexy with the extra pounds. Oh!" Val looks up suddenly, "Was that too much information?"

"Not at all," Dr. Rohaz replies with a smile, "You've been very open with me so far, and I'm glad you can continue to be. Communication is key for what we're trying to do."

Val smiles back at the doctor, "Well I can do that."

"Good. Val, whatever you decide to do with your body, all I ask is that you continue keeping your notes and stick with these appointments."

Val nods in reply, and starts to get up from her seat.

Dr. Rohaz holds up a hand, "And here's the part where I have to be a little stern. I want you to continue regular checkups with Dr. Kovacs too."

Val looks put out, but obediently sits and lets the doctor continue.

"Your health remained immaculate when you were heavier, but our study will be much much stronger with regular medical monitoring. Plus if your health does start to slip, we won't get caught unaware."

Val looks uncomfortable with the topic of health, as though she hadn't seriously considered it. Whatever her thoughts, she keeps them to herself. She gets up and offers a hand to Dr. Rohaz, "Can do. So back to gaining it is!"

Dr. Rohaz shakes her hand and smiles back, "Indeed. Now eat some junk food for me, will you?"

"Yeah, yeah," Val says, and gives you a nudge in the side with her shoulder, "Let's bounce."

"I'll see you next week then!" Dr. Rohaz responds.

One stop at the pharmacy on the way home, and Val has a fresh supply of the now-familiar pills. She returns to the car, pops one of each pill, and washes them down with a big swig of soda. Val takes it easy the rest of the day as her body adjusts once again. Hopefully her appetite will be back in time for Sunday brunch. You remember the whiplash of emotions from the girls: excitement that Val was plumping up, then vague disappointment when she stopped the pills. This time, there will be no turning back, and Val can hardly contain her hype. You can't wait to see the transformation.

That evening, you're lying next to Val in bed and feeling unusually restless. Something is bothering you.

"What's wrong?" Val asks.

"I just...I dunno."

You're frustrated, and can't quite put your finger on it. You've got a bad sense of deja-vu today. Val gently kisses your ear, "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to..."

You wrap an arm around her and reply, "I think I do want to talk about it. Promise you won't be mad?"

Val smiles and kisses you back, "I'll take that chance."

You continue, "I keep having a bad feeling about this project, like there's gonna be something that goes wrong."

Val chuckles nervously, "Oh come on, that's just paranoia."

You prop yourself on an elbow to look Val in the eye. "You sure? I noticed how uncomfortable you were with the doctor when she mentioned health today."

She thinks for a moment, before replying, "I can take care of myself. It's just...getting fat, I don't know. I'm still going to exercise and all that to stay somewhat fit."

"Besides," she continues, "You were there at the checkup when I was heavier. Everything was fine!"

You think for a second, "I know. It's just.... You're going to put on a lot more than 30 pounds, aren't you?"

Val rolls her eyes, "Yes. And? What, you're going to be responsible for everyone else's fat girls now?"

You chuckle nervously, "Maybe a little, yeah. I just don't want anything to happen to you, and I want you to be happy."

Val stares at the ceiling, "I am happy.... But..." She sighs, "I know where you're coming from, I feel that same nagging doubt too. My body handled the extra weight well, but what if it stops suddenly somehow or if there's an upper limit?"

She remains silent for a moment. Val raises her head to look at you, "I feel like.... I need to push my limits. Dr Rohaz's research sort of depends on it."

"So you're getting fat for Dr Rohaz now?"

Val glares at you, "No, I'm getting fat for me, with her help, and yours, you jerk."

You exhale slowly, "Sorry, that came out wrong."

She looks at you, her visage softening, "It's ok. It's dumb but I do feel like there's a bigger picture here. I've just got this vague sense that the factors that make me, well, me; the bacteria, the mutant genes, there might be something within me that could help a lot of people."

You're surprised by her sudden conviction, "And Dr Rohaz didn't put you up to this?"

"Not at all. I'm no scientist, but I've learned enough to make some sense of all the tests and the studies. I've also come to properly accept that I'm different, and that's ok."

She grabs your hand, rolls you onto your side, and looks deep into your eyes. She continues, "Anon, I don't have a degree, I don't really create anything for work. This is a way that I can give something back to society."

You stare back at her, not knowing what to say.

She fills the silence, "I'm going to do this, no matter what you say."

You laugh, "Val, I wouldn't even dream of stopping you."

She smiles back, "Good. But I know you dream about me having a big wobbly ass!"

You laugh again, "Guilty! But I do want to be sure I can enjoy that big wobbly ass for a long time."

Val looks at you, "Do you really mean that?"

"Absolutely."

She pulls close to you and presses her lips against yours. They are warm and full, and you feel a surge of affection for her. You kiss her back, and soon all thoughts of anything else but her disappear. Eventually, Val comes up for air, and rests her head next to yours. She purrs, "Tomorrow, I'm going to eat that diner out of business."

You giggle, "Promises, promises..."

Val's hand finds its way to your crotch, and your stiffening cock betrays your excitement at imagining her gluttony.

"So all that hand-wringing about health earlier?"

"You're evil," you laugh.

Val laughs too, "Evil goddess, remember? I can really rock black, especially if I'm bulging out of it!"

You go in for another round of kisses. More than a few smooches later, "I just really want to be careful, Val. I don't want you to have any regrets."

Val snuggles back up to you, "I don't, and I won't. Besides, the weight will fall right off if I stop taking the meds. I've got an exit plan if my health takes a turn, so is there really anything to worry about?"

You pause, and your answer is... well, it's an honest answer. "No. And I trust you to know what you're doing."

Val kisses the side of your face, "You feeling better about this whole thing now?"

"Yeah. Are you?"

Val moves over to kiss you on the lips, "My dearest, sweetest, and bravest man: Yes, I'm feeling much better."

You look into her eyes, "Then let's get some sleep, we've got a busy day for tomorrow."

The pair of you hold each other close and drift off to sleep.