"Hey," Kelley said in between bites of her crepes suzette dessert, "I love you so much." She smiled at her partner.
"I know," Olivia replied with a loving look back, having already stopped eating due to getting full more quickly than her fiancée, "this has been a wonderful night."
Having met at their first jobs at an advertising agency just after college, Kelley and Olivia became quick friends, and after breaking up with her boyfriend of three years, Kelley had made the choice to explore her sexuality and date a woman, finally deciding it was time to explore a relationship with someone she felt such a strong connection to, even if her own gender. Olivia had put no pressure on Kelley, but made clear her feelings soon after Kelley became single. Appreciating that in these days there was less societal stigma on same-sex dating, Kelley took the chance and hadn't looked back after 4 years together with Olivia.
Now 26 and becoming increasingly settled with her fiancée and impending married life, Kelley had lapsed in some her old routines. Olivia, having left the ad agency and found a new opportunity at a growing software startup, was more of the bread-winner of the two, often pampering her soon-to-be wife, still working her desk job at the ad agency. While moderately active at both her local indoor rock climbing facility and dance classes, Kelley had slacked in her fitness and had seen her weight increase over the past 4 years from a relatively-trim 135lbs to her current curvier weight of 168lbs. At 5'7", the weight was evident, with the brunt of the weight going to her hips and growing potbelly.
On a normal day, Kelley's belly stuck out round-and-proud if she were to wear a t-shirt, which in her relaxed work dress code was a regular occurrence, still keeping multiple Star Wars and band t-shirts mixed in with her more modern, eclectic wardrobe. More recently, that was becoming increasingly difficult to achieve, opting to wear baggier or unbuttoned blouses with her shirts to not draw attention to her now-larger midsection. This night was not a normal day, though, as Kelley and Olivia were out a French restaurant downtown to celebrate their fourth anniversary, their last before they married in a few months in the Fall. Finishing up her crepes suzette, which was the fourth dish of a four-course dinner (in which Kelley ate most of the appetizer and all of the dessert) and two bottles of wine in between the two of them, Kelley's tight olive-colored dress was now struggling to hold in her stuffed, protruding belly, her food baby giving her the appearance of an expectant mother well into her second trimester. Olivia, the smaller of the pair at 5'5" and 130lbs, was more than okay with her partner's curvier figure, and appreciated how voracious her partner was tonight, as she was looking forward to an eventful night back home and was growing more and more fond of Kelley's growing body.
After finishing up dessert and Olivia calling for the check (Kelley slunk back in her chair, content, with a hand rubbing her distended belly), the pair put on their jackets and began to make their way back home. A few blocks from the restaurant, with her hand around Kelley's expanded waist, a small shop caught Olivia's eye. A Middle Eastern shop with a cheap neon sign, amongst other cheap neon signs, that read "belly dancing outfits" was wedged between another "premium" coffee chain store and a local bookstore, and neither Kelley nor Olivia had seen this shop before, but Olivia knew that one of Kelley's dance classes she regularly took was belly dance, and she thought tonight of all nights would be an excellent night to have Kelley try on a new outfit and bring home for some bedroom entertainment. They made their way across the street and into the dimly-lit shop, the bell ringing as they entered.
Inside the shop was an empty checkout-counter, and aisles of artwork, clothing, and other goods with various prices next to them. As Kelley and Olivia looked around at the dresses, a middle-aged shopkeep made his way over an introduced himself as the owner, with a mix of a British-Middle Eastern accent, "Hello, my lovely ladies, what can I help with you?"
Olivia answered as Kelley continued browsing, "It's our anniversary, and I'd love to find my partner a new belly dancing outfit."
"Anniversary? Partner? ... Ahhh! You two are to be married! Blessings, many blessings. That is lovely to see in America!" The shopkeeper eagerly replied.
"Would you be able to help us find something traditional? I'm not sure what the style usually calls for." Olivia asked.
"Yes, yes, I will help," the shopkeeper said, looking at Kelley browsing. "You, please, came over here, let me get a good look at you," he then said, grabbing Kelley by the wrist and bring her to a more open area.
Kelley stood mostly still, somewhat awkwardly, as the strange shopkeep walked around her, sizing her up. "Yes, belly dance, you have lovely body for belly dancing!" the shopkeep commented laughing as he patted Kelley on her engorged belly.
She giggled back at his touch, "Oh, my belly's not normally like this."
"Ahh, I see, so you are currently with child?" the shopkeep asked, looking down at the round belly pressing against Kelley's dress.
"No, no, no, no, no," Kelley quickly replied, "we've just come from dinner!"
"Still a fine belly indeed!" the shopkeep said. "I will need you to take off your dress in order to properly size you for belly dancing."