“Olive, and what about these extra pounds of yours? Surely thats a problem?”Dereks mother refused to let it go.
“In my opinion, I dont have any extra, especially since my future husband doesnt mind them. Not everyone has to be a waif or a reed,” Olive retorted, casting a mocking glance at Helen and Dereks mother. The sheer audacity of it made Helen flush with anger.
“Mum! Did you buy the slimming tea? The chia seeds? Why did you put so much butter in my porridgeits just extra weight! Derek, you bought yeast bread again? Its unhealthy! I need three glasses of water in the morning, or the weight wont budge Wheres my water?!” Such were the refrains Derek had heard since childhood.
His mother and elder sister were forever preoccupied with their figures. Now, at thirty-eight, his sister had never married and reminded Derek of a gaunt, stooped mare with perpetually hungry eyes. His mother, meanwhile, resembled a rigid knitting needle.
It wore on him so much that he always gravitated toward cheerful, hearty people. And hed always dreamed of a wife who was nothing like his mother or sister. And hed found her!
Her name was Olive. Even the sound of it was soft, pleasant, and rich, like a fragrant pastry. No, Olive wasnt overweightbut at five foot eight, she carried her 187 pounds with effortless grace.
And every one of those pounds radiated health and good spirits. A full bust, a slender waist, womanly curves, and dimples in her plump cheeks, begging to be pinched. The sight of her had left Derek utterly smitten from the moment they met.
One evening, hed dropped his sister at the bank on an errand. She took a ticket and settled into a chair, while he paced the lobby, waiting.
Then, like the chime of a silver bell, laughter drifted to his ears. Quiet, yet so infectious that Derek couldnt help but smile. He followed the sound, drawn irresistibly to its source.
A tellera girl with waves of hair and a bow-shaped mouthwas laughing at something an elderly customer had said. Derek couldnt tear his eyes away.
He drove home with his sister, half-listening to her monotonous complaints, but his mind lingered at the bank, with that girl.
“Derek, are you even listening?” Helen snapped.
“Of course,” he lied, scrambling to recall her last words.
“So I told him, I dont eat fried meatonly boiled chicken breast,” she lamented about her latest suitor. Derek clicked his tongue sympathetically, as if to say, what a cad.
The next evening, he raced back to the bank. His dream girl was there, and he exhaled in relief. After closing, he fetched a bouquet of roses from his car and approached her.
“Missdo you happen to need a husband? Or perhaps a son-in-law for your mother?” he blurted, thrusting the flowers at her.
His flustered expression must have been absurd, because she laughed brightlybut took the roses.
“Goodness Theyre gorgeous! And the scent!” She buried her face in the bouquet, inhaling deeply, while he gazed at her in wonder.
From then on, they were inseparable. Sometimes, you meet someone and know instantlythis is it. No more searching. Thats how it was for Derek and Olive. He proposed within a month, and she accepted joyfully. All that remained was meeting the parents.
Olives parents welcomed him with a lavish spread, pies, laughter, and chatter. Her mother, a statuesque beauty, kissed him soundly on both cheeks, leaving him flustered. Her father clapped him on the shoulder like an old friend and steered him toward the kitchen.
“Best stay clear of the womentheyll talk you to death. But dont worry, Margaret, Olives mother, is a gentle soul. Thats why Ive loved her thirty years. And Olive? Shes our diamond. Youd better treasure her, son.”
They spent hours at the table, eating heartily, laughing loudly, swapping stories. Later, Robert, Olives father, played the guitar while everyone sang along. Derek felt as though hed known them all his life.
Three days later, they visited Dereks parents. On the way, they stopped at a bakery, and Olive bought handmade éclairs for the ladies. By five, theyd arrived.
Dereks mother, Catherine, opened the door.
“Oh Hello, my dears,” she stammered, gaping at Olive as if frozen in place.
“Mum, love you too. Shall we come in?” Derek nudged her gently, and they stepped inside.
“Yes, of course, son Do come in You must be Olive?” She regained her composure, eyeing Olive shamelessly from head to toe.
“Thats me! Delighted to meet you.” Olive offered her hand, then breezed past. Catherine remained rooted, staring after her.
“Dad, Helen, Mumthis is Olive, my fiancée. Weve filed the papers, and the weddings soon. Olive, meet my familymy sister Helen, my mother Catherine, and my father Nigel.”
The announcement left them stunned. Silence settled over the room, broken only by the clink of cutlery.
“Right! Olive, were thrilled to welcome you. Is that a bottle? Perfect timing! And sweetsthough those are for you ladies,” Nigel said, lightening the mood.
“Oh no, we dont eat pastries, especially at night. Really, Olive,” Catherine said, pushing the box away with distaste.
“You dontwe do! Lets see whats in there. Im sure Olive wouldnt bring anything bad. Right, Olive?” Nigel boomed cheerfully.
Eventually, everyone relaxed. Chocolate, light snacks, and sparkling wine appeared on the table. They toasted, sipped, and the awkward silence returned.
“Mum, I met Olives parents. Wonderful people. Youll like them,” Derek said, grasping for conversation. Olive studied her glass, while Helen stared relentlessly at her. Nigel launched into a joke, and the tension eased slightly.
“Olive, dont worryI know an excellent specialist. Ill introduce you. Shell help with your issue,” Catherine said abruptly.
“Issue? I dont have one.”
“But Olive, those extra poundssurely thats a problem?”
“In my eyes, theyre not extraespecially since my future husband adores them. Not everyones meant to be a twig.” Olive smirked at Helen and Catherine. The insult made Helen bristle.
“Olive, youre twenty pounds overweight! Its unhealthy. And when you have childrenI dread to think”
“When I do, Ill be even lovelier, with my husband and child beside me. Tell me, Helenare you married? A slender beauty like you must have a dashing husband and at least a couple of children,” Olive shot back, biting into a pastry with relish.
Helen swallowed hard, indignation risingbut Nigel cut in, refilling glasses and proposing a toast.
“To the women of this familydifferent, but dearly loved!”
They left two hours later. Catching each others eye, they sighed in unisonthen burst out laughing.
“Well Didnt expect my future mother-in-law to call me plump.”
“Olive, love, youre stunning, and you know it. As for Mum and Helen Forgive them. Familys not something you choose.”
The wedding was set for August 25th. Relatives and friends gathered at the registry office, then the reception.
The bride glittered in an exquisite gown, her curves accentuated beautifully. The groom couldnt take his eyes off her. Olives mother, Margaret, rivaled her daughter in elegance, her lush figure drawing admiring gazesunlike the pin-thin, stiffly dressed mother of the groom. Helen was a younger copy of Catherine.
The music swelled, and the couple took the floor for their first dance. To the guests, it seemed as if no one else existed for them.
“Honestly The bride could stand to lose a few. That dress isnt flatteringit makes her look bigger,” Catherine muttered.
But words, once spoken, cant be taken back. And these, unfortunately, were heard.
“Funnymany men dont fancy skin and bones. They prefer real women. Your son, for instance. And you, dear mother-in-law, ought to mind your tongue. Im easygoing, but cross my daughter, and I cant promise restraint.” Margaret advanced, her imposing frame backing Catherine against a wall.
The women locked eyesone fearful, the other furiousuntil Robert intervened.
“Ah! Ladies, getting along splendidly! But I must steal my wife, Catherine. Margaret, darlingshall we dance?”
He whisked her into a waltz. The music soared, laughter returned, and the celebration carried on.
Heres hoping the newlyweds live long, prosper, and find happinessfor
