Author's Note: This particular plot bunny has been nipping at my heels for a few days now, and would not rest until I wrote this. I know it could be controversial, so if you want to rant at me or set your preferences to ignore me, feel free.

Amita woke, and turned to face … an empty pillow. She heard a deep, heartfelt sigh from across the room, and turned in the direction of the sound. Charlie stood in front of the closet, his back to her, the top from his awful red and white striped pajamas dangling from his left hand. He reached into the closet and pulled out a pair of jeans. Heaving another deep sigh, he dropped the jeans and rummaged through the clothes on hangers.

Amita climbed from the bed and soundlessly crept to stand behind Charlie. She wrapped her arms around his waist and was startled as he let out a little yelp of surprise and sucked in his stomach. “What’s wrong, Charlie?” she whispered into his ear.

“I’ve pulled the old bait and switch on you.”

“What on earth are you talking about?”

He pulled away from her grasp and picked up the jeans he had discarded. He turned around to face her, holding the jeans up to his waist. “Look at this. When we met, these jeans were practically falling off me. Now I can’t even pull them up past my hips. A beautiful woman like you could have any man she wanted. How can you still love me?”

Amita took the jeans from him, dropped them on the floor, and wrapped her arms around him again, pulling him into a tight hug. “Oh, Charlie. I do love you. I always will.”

“But look at me. I’m not the man you fell in love with.”

“That would be true if I fell in love with your body. She ran her fingers down his stubbly cheek, and rubbed his nose with her thumb. “To be honest, you never have looked like the kind of man I’ve always found attractive. Thin or … not so thin, I never really cared about your looks. I fell in love with what’s inside. Your mind, your heart. You’re the only man who really understands me, who loves me for who I am and not for what I look like.” She gently ran her finger under his eye. “Those beautiful brown eyes see beyond the surface.” She ran her fingertips down his cheek and across his lips then stood on tiptoes to kiss him. “I could never get tired of kissing those lips.” She stepped back half a step and placed her hands on his waist and began to slip her fingertips under the waistband of his pajama bottoms. “Now, since you can’t find anything to wear, why don’t you just come back to bed with me and we’ll work off some calories together.”

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Nice work, Jo!

Poor Charlie, it's so hard to keep the weight off when there are so many tempting goodies around. He wouldn't dump Amita if she gained weight, I'm glad Amita can look beyond the weight issue.

He's still adorkable.

And I won't be putting you on ignore.

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awwww poor chuck.. and sweet Amita

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ELY's minions! Oppose her at your own risk!

Jels & Ely,

I guess I don't have to take Diva up on her offer of a fireproof suit, then. As someone who gained a ton (not literally) after marrying my poor unsuspecting husband, this was what I thought Charlie might be thinking. And my hubby was just like Amita -- he didn't "see" the outward appearance.

Jo

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Looks like I don't have to get you the fire suit after all.

True love looks past everything else. This was really sweet Jo.

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Awww! Very, very schweet

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"The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time." --Bertrand Russell.