Your brother had always been the "athletic son". He was that kid who outran everyone at recess. That teen who medaled in three sports. That adult who fit marathons into a busy schedule. It was almost malicious getting compared to him. From diet to routine, the beast held a steely discipline that nothing could break. That was, until you decided to try your hand at cooking...
It started as a simple hobby - a fanciful idea you picked up from the food channel. What harm could it do? However, three weeks in, you found yourself with an unexpected talent. Experiments became family favorites. Meals grew in size and flavor. You began pumping out new recipes, perfecting old ones, and filling the house with scents impossible to ignore.
To your shock, your brother was no exception.
He was the perfect person to cook for: active, hungry, and easy to please. Post-workout dinners became second helpings. Second helpings became late-night leftovers. The concept of "mealtime" itself evolved into intermittent feasts of fattening food. It was a lifestyle shock for everyone. Your brother, however, bore the brunt of it. The jock who once measured portions couldn't put the fork down
With new fattening fuel, the machine of his body took swift action. Broad shoulders filled with blubber. Taut pecs softened to moobs. Sharp features sprung chubby cheeks and chins. Even his abs were lost to layers of fat, amassing as a meaty overhang. You remembered the hours he spent working to build his "V-line". Now, the best he could muster was a blubbery "U".
Even more to your surprise, these changes went deeper. Your brother had found something he never expected: a way to enjoy himself without fear of every calorie or missed workout. Vanity fell to acceptance, and acceptance grew into appreciation. Appreciation for hearty meals of seconds, thirds, and fourths. Appreciation for every pound that filled his frame. Appreciation for you.
You had also found something. What started on a whim became your pastime, your passion, your purpose. You enjoyed cooking for your family. You adored cooking for him, watching every meal take form on his frame. Separated by fat, you were somehow closer than ever - two sides of the same coin:
A lifetime cook, and a permanent taste-tester.
