"Hoffman-ButNowAmFound" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hoffman Abbie)

"This isn't your home," said Iris. "Get out of here! Go back where you came
from."

"Don't you understand? That's why we're here." Fat Self held out arms whose
undersides curved like crescents, and, cheeks dimpling eyes squinched shut in a
delighted smile, hugged Iris. "We love you," she said.

"Leave me alone!" Iris screamed. She punched at the other woman, and her fist
sank into a pillowing, welcoming belly. Fat Self giggled.

The little self was tugging at Iris's nightgown with fingers thin as claws.
"Give me, give me," she said in a thread of voice.

"Give you what!" Iris struggled in the grip of Fat Self, who finally released
her. She turned to look at the little self and saw eyes wide and full of pain.

"More me," said Little Self. It reached out and pinched at her sit-ups-flattened
stomach. "More," it whispered. "More."

Its pinching was strong. It hurt. Iris slapped its hand away. Its too-wise eyes
stared at her.

"Get out of here!" Iris yelled. She shoved at both of them. "Get away from me!"

Each one grabbed one of her wrists and held on. They were both strong. She tried
to jerk away from them, but they didn't let go or even show a sign of strain.
She thrashed with her legs. All she accomplished was a stirring of the covers.
"Let go of me!"

"We let go of you once. We won't do it again," said Fat Self.

"Eat," said Little Self, and it and Fat Self worked together to get her out of
bed and into the kitchen. Little Self tied her to a chair with clothesline, and
Fat Self cooked pancakes. The kitchen smelled of sizzling butter, and flour
marrying eggs and milk. Little Self got out the ice cream Iris had hidden in the
tiny freezer compartment, the secret shame she couldn't resist, even though she
had been dieting and exercising rigorously for five years. She still cheated
some nights when the loneliness overwhelmed her. Mornings after those nights,
she adjusted her exercise regimen to work off the extra calories.

Now Little Self was holding out a spoonful of chocolate mint. Iris heard her
stomach growl. She opened her mouth.

Little Self fed her, gently, without spilling anything. They had just reached
the bottom of the carton when Fat Self set a plate full of pancakes drowning in
butter and Tim's syrup on the table in front of her, and sat down in the extra
chair, which complained. Fat Self smiled and cut the pancakes into bite-sized
wedges, then fed them to Iris. The pancakes were light and fluffy, and the syrup
was so sweet, a taste she had been denying herself.