Fat, Forty, and Frumpy

SUMMARY:  As her fortieth birthday approaches, Carly makes a promise to herself: she will rekindle the love she and Josh once had by reclaiming her confidence and celebrating the milestone as "forty and fabulous."

But while Carly transforms from an overlooked wife into a woman who turns heads once again, her marriage is quietly unraveling, as Josh risks everything for a fantasy he mistakes for happiness. 

And instead of the special gift she expects, her fortieth year delivers a betrayal so devastating it shatters the life she's spent years building.  What follows is a story about self-respect, resilience, and discovering that sometimes the greatest gift life gives you is the strength it takes to choose yourself when someone else no longer does.

***

Looking back, Carly realized that the third decade of her life was coming to a close.  A lot had happened in those ten years.  She and Joshua had bought their first house, had two more children, and she’d finally finished college.  But to her dismay, she’d also packed on seventy pounds.  Now, looking at herself in the mirror, she was appalled.  And depressed.



Josh flew off three times a month for 3 days each time.  Who knew what went on while he was gone?  Carly didn’t.  What she did know, though, was that he was a great-looking airline pilot working around a lot of young, slim, great-looking flight attendants.   And she knew he didn’t pay attention to her any longer.  They had rarely had sex anymore, and when they did, it was because Carly initiated it.  But there was no lovemaking, no intimacy, just perfunctory sex.

***

Josh's father warned him, "You're going to destroy the best thing that's ever happened to you.  Carly is a good girl.  She's a good mother to your children, a good wife to you, and she's a good daughter-in-law to your mama and me.  I don't know what you're looking for, but you will never find anyone who's gonna love you as Carly does.  And I'll tell ya something else, in the long run, that's what matters."

"Pop, please.  I wish you'd stay outta my business."

"Josh, do you know how hard it is to find real love in this life?  You think I don't understand about being pussy-whupped?     Boy, I was out there in them streets before you were born.  And I had my share of the wild thang.  But sex and love are two different things.  And guess which one will stand the test of time?"

"Pop, this is more than just sex.   I think I love this girl."

"Son, that girl is only five years older than your oldest child.  What can you be thinking?    Are you really going to leave your family for a nineteen-year-old flight attendant?  You're a forty-five-year-old man chasing young tail.  It's a classic midlife crisis move.  It's not real!   You need to end this thing before Carly finds out.  Josh, you and Carly have a good life together.  My advice?  Don't fuck it up."  But Josh walked out, slamming the door behind him.

***

With forty bearing down on her like a freight train, Carly resolved to meet it in style.  She couldn’t do anything about turning forty, but there were still a few things she could control.  And dammit, she was going to control them!   Forty and fat or forty and fabulous.




She had nine months.  So, twice a day, she was in the gym.  Every morning before the three kids went to school, and then again eight hours later after they came home.  As much as she hated to do it, she stopped drinking those syrupy sweet beverages she loved.  And she stopped eating red meat and desserts.  Only fish and chicken.  And a ton of fruit, nuts, and veggies.  No liquor, no wine.  Just water.  And plenty of it.



Three months in, if Joshua noticed any difference, he didn’t mention it.   But Carly gently included him in her undertaking.



“Josh, by the time I turn forty, I plan on looking like a million bucks.  And I want something special.   Perhaps a getaway, just you and me.  Or maybe a sports car.  I’m tired of driving a big ole minivan around.  And jewelry is always nice.  Whatever we do, let’s make it special.  Four Oh is a milestone.  Ok, Baby?”




Continuing on with her workout regimen, Carly decided she’d fly out to LA a week before the big day to have her hair cut and colored by the same guy who did all the movie stars.  And while she was out there, she’d buy herself a couple of knockout outfits on Rodeo Drive to show off her newly svelte body.



After six months of working out, she looked in the mirror and saw the face of the girl she used to be.  Her skin had cleared up.  Her hair shone, her cheekbones were visible again, and her eyes looked bigger.  She was pretty!   When she walked past the buddies of her fourteen-year-old son, Justin, they whistled.

The evening before her big day, the house was filled with excitement.  Josh invited their best friends, Lisa and Larry, their two children, and both sets of their parents to join them and the children for dinner at Carly’s favorite restaurant.   At dinner, everyone wanted to know what the big gift would be, but Josh was closed-mouth and only smiled as he ordered champagne for everyone.   Even the kids got tiny glasses of the bubbly

The next morning, bright and early, when the doorbell rang, Carly's heart pounded with excitement.  It was a deliveryman with a bouquet of flowers that was identical to the one Josh had given her for Mother’s Day.   And on his heels, another deliveryman.   A new, luxury-grade washer, dryer, and stove.  When Josh and the kids gathered around to wish her a happy birthday, no one noticed that her smile was forced or that her eyes glistened.



When Josh left two days early for his next trip, Carly asked why.   He said, “I told you, I have recurrent training.”

“But that’s in April, isn’t it?”

“Normally it is, but this year, I’m going early.”



Six days later, he still wasn’t home.   But a young blonde girl with a baby showed up on their doorstep and shoved a child into Carly’s arms, “This is your husband’s child.  You can have Josh back, and you can have his baby too.”

When Josh returned home, he found a house stripped bare.  With his heart pounding, he went from room to room looking.  "Carly, Carly!" He yelled.  What the hell!  She's taken everything that wasn't nailed down, he thought.  But he was wrong about that.  For when he came upon Carly, she was in the family room, down on her hands and knees, rolling up the wall-to-wall carpet.


Getting up, Carly looked at him.  "Hey, Baby, your baby's at your mama's  house."

"Carly, please, please, let me explain."

"No need.  Carly out."  And pantomiming the Obama mic drop,  she blew him a kiss and left. 

 

Josh watched her walk away.  "She's lovely.  And her body looks better than it did twenty years ago.  When did that happen?"  He wondered.

The End

 

© 2022 Jade Love