The Widow and The Fat Man

The Widow and The Fat Man

By Lisa McCourt Hollar

Mrs. Robert Deaton had six children to feed and little prospect for a job. It had seemed like a good idea to go straight from high school, to marrying the football captain. So what if it meant giving up her dreams? She was marrying the most desirable boy in school and he came from the wealthiest family in town.

That was thirteen years ago. Soon after they married, Robert’s father was indicted for tax evasion. The business his grandfather had built was seized, bank accounts were frozen and the family home was sold at auction. Susan had been married to Robert for less than a year and was pregnant with their first child, when she came home to discover that the house her in-laws had given them as a wedding present was being foreclosed upon. The Sherriff, Thomas Sinclair himself, had come out to give them notice.

Now, Robert was dead. A few days after the funeral, Susan had been looking through the want ads, hoping to find something she was qualified for. The options that were available, told her she was screwed. Susan looked around the small house that she and Robert had lived in for the last eight years. Tears filled her eyes, as she realized she stood a good chance of losing it.  Switching from the Want Ads, to Home Rentals, she wondered if there would be something she could afford to pay for with the benefits from the life insurance. Then she had an idea. Picking up the phone she called the paper and placed an ad. Room for rent: Breakfast and dinner provided. Clean bath.

Susan was preparing dinner and worrying about the sad state of the freezer and cupboards, when a knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. She was expecting it to be another one of the local church goers, with yet another handout for her. Instead, when she opened the door, she found a rather large man, a hat in one hand and a suitcase in another.

“May I help you?”

“Yes ma’am, I certainly hope so. My car broke down, just on the edge of town. The kind mechanic at the auto shop is doing his best for me, but he said it will be a few days for parts to arrive.  I thought I would stay at the local motel, but…”

“We don’t have a motel in this town,” Susan said.

“Yes, the mechanic…Merle, informed me of this. He also told me you had an extra room and might be able to use the money. I can pay top rates.”

Susan looked at the bills that the stranger was holding out to her. She nearly passed out when she saw what he was offering as top rates. There had to be a couple thousand dollars in his hand.

Stepping back, Susan smiled nervously at the man, “Please, won’t you come in? We’re going to be eating soon.”

The Fat Man’s name was Leon. Franny, the youngest, looked across the dinner table at him, the awe evident on her face. She had never seen a man so big. John kicked her under the table and hissed at her to stop staring. She knew it wasn’t polite, but she couldn’t help but stare. The man was huge. She thought maybe he might burst if he got any fatter.

Leon noticed the girl looking at him and smiled nervously. The mechanic hadn’t told him there would be children.

“Are you married,” Susan asked.

“No.”

“Any children?”

“I’m not married.”

Susan laughed, nervously. “Not married, no children…you must get pretty lonely.”

Leon looked at Susan, for the first time noticing that her blouse was opened a little more than it had been. So, that’s on the menu as well, he thought to himself, feeling a stirring in his loins.

They finished the rest of the meal in silence. Susan’s blouse somehow opened a little more and Leon was becoming increasingly excited. At first he thought the children would notice, but they didn’t seem to care that their mother was all but lying across the table and inviting him to take her. The little girl continued staring at him. She was, maybe seven, but the way she looked at him and the mother’s near state of undress, made him wonder if she was on the menu as well.  He grew harder thinking about it.

After dinner, Susan washed the dishes and sent the children to bed.

“So…” Leon said when she entered the living room. He was sitting on the couch, trying to decide if he’d only imagined that she was attracted to him.

“So…” Susan smiled. She sat on the couch next to him. Reaching out her hand, she began to unbutton his shirt.

“When I knocked on your door, I wasn’t expecting this.”

“How lucky for me you did. I was becoming desperate. My husband used to bring men home with him, but once he was gone, I had no idea how to hunt on my own.”

“Your husband? Wow. Did he like to watch, or…”

Susan laughed, “My husband liked to let me go first. It…excited him. Then the children.”

“The children? Leon thought about the little girl. He thought he might enjoy her, but the boys?”

A giggle behind him caught his attention. Franny was leaning over the couch watching. The other Deaton children were standing behind her, entranced by what they were seeing.  Susan had finished pulling off his shirt and was undoing his pants. His erection stood out and he moved to cover himself, but Susan stopped him.

“Don’t.”

“But…Susan, I don’t think I can…”

“Don’t worry.  You don’t need to do anything.” She smile again, but this time he noticed what he hadn’t before. Her teeth were sharp and becoming sharper, as fangs descended from her gums. Horrified, he saw the same thing was happening with the children.

“Eat well,” Susan said, as her children dove on him, sinking their teeth into his flesh.

Word Count: 998