Fatty Patty (A James Bay Novel) Read Online Free

thirty pounds, eighty laps, and a grand prize waiting at the end of the lane.
    Patty Perreault. Teacher of the Year.
    Brand new school year. Brand new body. Brand new me.

CHAPTER TWO
     
     
    James Bay is an up-north dream. Sprawled along the shore of Lake Michigan, the bay curves inward to provide yachts, sailboats and swimmers a natural shelter from the storms. Its pristine beaches are perfect for swimming and summertime picnics. The town itself boasts a year-round population of three thousand, which easily swells to nearly twenty thousand on any given day during the ten weeks of summer. With the auto factories shut down for their annual two-week retooling for new car lines, downstaters flood our little town, anxious to escape the heat of the city. They fill our hotels, shop the upscale stores the locals can’t afford and dine at restaurants offering gourmet cuisine. Gourmet cuisine? Not at our house. Especially not tonight.
    Tuna salad? Yechh .
    Priscilla’s dinner concoction—tuna, celery and dill pickle chunks on a bed of lettuce with tomatoes circling the plate—is meant as a dieter’s delight. But tuna is tuna, no matter how you dress it up. I’d much rather be eating something tasty, like a grilled Reuben sandwich stacked high with corned beef, smothered in melting cheese, dripping with sauce…
    “I know tuna isn’t one of your favorites.” Priscilla’s voice wafts across the kitchen table. “But I made it with a yogurt dressing, so there’s hardly any fat. And the best part is, it’s only three hundred and fifty calories per serving.”
    “Really.” I stare at the tuna and then at my sister. Poor Priscilla. She’s much too excited about this fishy subject. I definitely need to figure out a way to get her out of the house more often.
    “And you don’t have to worry about the calories, either, because I weighed both our portions. Aren’t you glad I bought that little diet scale?”
    Her face glows and suddenly I’m ashamed. If memory serves correctly, Priscilla doesn’t care much for tuna, either, but she’s not complaining. Not to mention she doesn’t need to measure her food—or lose weight, either. She’s so thin, she could use a few Reuben sandwiches.
    I poke my fork through the cold salad, force down another bite, and wash it down with a swig of ice tea. “It’s good.”
    She beams. “I’m glad you like it. It was on sale, so I bought a whole case. I read somewhere that tuna is a great source of protein. Plus, we’re saving money on our food budget. It’s a win-win, all around.”
    “Wonderful,” I mutter. Win-win? I think about the contest and choke down more tuna.
    “I’ll go online tomorrow and find some tasty tuna recipes.”
    For a minute I think about telling her not to bother, for she’ll only be looking for something that doesn’t exist. And I’m in big trouble if Priscilla plans on adding tuna as a regular staple to our dinner menu. Even diet Jello tastes better than this.
    “How did things go at school today? Have they hired another fifth-grade teacher yet?”
    “If they did, nobody bothered to tell me.” I drain my ice tea in a long gulp. “Maybe I’ll hear something at the staff meeting tomorrow.”
    “They’ll find someone soon.”
    “They’d better. I can’t have fifty kids crammed in my classroom.”
    “Patty, you are such a worry wart. Every one of those kids would be lucky to have you as a teacher.”
    “I won’t feel lucky until the James Bay School Board has someone’s signature on a contract.” I push away my plate.
    Priscilla stares. “You hardly ate anything.”
    “I’m not hungry.” I hate lying to her, but it’s safer than admitting the truth. She’s trying so hard and I don’t want to crush her spirits. Although I’d love to crush that case of tuna stored in the pantry.
    But I am not going to sabotage myself this time. Today is the second day of my new diet and exercise plan. Brand new school year. Brand new body. Brand new me.