DISCLAIMER: The only thing I own is the plot of this story. The characters and everything else belong to Mark Cherry.

CHAPTER 2

"Dinner on the table in ten" Lynette hollered up the stairs hoping at least one of her children heard her. It was taco night in the Scavo household and they were not good cold. Several minutes later Lynette heard the familiar sound of her children stampeding down the stairs. She sat down at the table and watched her children. The twins grabbed a shell and threw on a bit of everything and then proceeded to inhale their tacos. Parker sat and contemplated what he wanted trying to make the best possible choice. It was then that Lynette noticed Penny looking at her. "What are you waiting for? Is there something wrong? Dig in before your brothers eat us out of house and home." Lynette said to her daughter with a smile.
Penny cocked her head. "I'm trying to figure out why you don't have a plate. Aren't you hungry?"
The table went quite and everyone looked at her. Lynette was taken aback and scrambled for a reasonable answer. Skipping meals at work was easy because she just "went out" every day. Cutting back at home was a little more difficult especially around her friends, but for the most part, people were too absorbed in their own lives to realize what she was doing. She cleared her throat "you know I was so hungry when I got off work today that I grabbed something on the way home. Now I'm just too full to eat." For a second Lynette thought Penny was going to push the subject but she nodded and reached for a shell. Lynette breathed a sigh of relief.
That evening, after all of the dishes were done and the homework was complete, Lynette decided to go for a run. Just looking at the tacos had made her skin crawl and she needed to run the feeling off. So she ran to the end of the street and back and then did it again and again running faster and harder each time. Eventually her side began to cramp so badly she couldn't breathe forcing her to stop and take a break.
Lynette leaned forward and put her hands on her knees. "What are you doing out so late?" Lynette jumped at the unexpected voice and looked up to see Gaby walking towards her.
Lynette put her hands to her chest "Don't do that! You nearly gave me a heart attack." She said half smiling half serious. "I was just getting in a quick jog before bed. I overslept this morning and didn't get to go so I thought I'd put in a few extra minutes tonight."
"Really? Because I could have sworn I saw you this morning and you've been out here sprinting, not jogging, for at least half an hour." Gaby said back eyeing Lynette suspiciously. "You've been running a lot lately. Are you training for a marathon or something?"
"Why the sudden interest in my exercise habits?" Lynette snapped defensively. She could hear an unintentional sharpness in her voice.
"No real interest, just observations." Gaby said holding her hands up as if surrendering. She changed the subject. "You seem upset. I'm sorry if I upset you, I wasn't trying to. I just opened a bottle of wine and was coming to invite you to have a-"
"No thank you" Lynette said cutting Gaby off mid sentence. She closed her eyes, sighed and then gave Gaby a Simi-flustered smile. "I should get home; I've got a lot to do. Next time ok?" Without waiting for a response Lynette took off towards her house. Gaby stared at Lynette as she ran. She was beginning worry about her friend.

A few days later Lynette laid in bed thinking. She thought about her ex and her children. She thought about her friends and her job. But more than anything, she thought about food. Since her last weigh in she had further restricted her diet. She skipped breakfast completely every morning and she only ate lunch every other day. She usually ate dinner but only if she could do it without consuming over three hundred calories and she only drank diet drinks or water. Still, that seemed like a lot. So many calories and saturated fats, it made her cringe. Lynette thought it might be a good idea to become a vegetarian, that way she had an excuse to only eat salads…but that still didn't explain why she wouldn't eat any sweets. Perhaps she could tell everyone she was going on a diet. Yes, a diet would do. Then nobody would question her eating habits.

Lynette hurried to finish putting on her make-up. Gaby was having a dinner party and everyone was bringing something. Bree was supplying the entrée and Susan was supplying the drinks. Gaby was providing the house and the dessert. Lynette was in charge of brining the salad. Nobody had questioned her when she told them she was going to be a vegetarian and her friends only nodded when she said that she was going on a diet. Everything was going as planned. She figured that was why they put her in charge of the salad. That and she usually did the salad. The kids were with Tom this weekend so she didn't have to worry about them while she was at the party. Lynette did one last look around to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything and headed towards the Solis house. Lynette knocked on the door and was immediately greeted by Carlos who ushered her in. She put the salad on the table and went to mingle until dinner.
The salad came first and everyone complimented Lynette on her salad. For dinner Bree announced that she made lasagna. "Actually, I made two. I made a special vegetarian lasagna for Lynette and anyone else interested in eating it and I made a regular lasagna for everyone else." She beamed at Lynette.
"I well uhm thank you so much but I just can't and…" Lynette stammered. "I'm really just not that hungry. I ate a lot of salad and I'm pretty sure noodles aren't in my diet."
Bree looked hurt "If you're sure."
"Couldn't you just lie off of the diet for tonight?" Gaby asked. "She obviously went to a lot of trouble to make sure you could eat something tonight."
"No, it's ok." Bree said trying to avoid a fight.
"Come on Lynette, just eat it." Susan said quietly.
"I'm full. Why is that so hard for everyone to understand?"
"How could you be full? You hardly touched your salad?" Gaby asked accusingly.
"I don't have to explain myself to you." Lynette stood up. "I think I should leave."
"You don't have to do that." Carlos said as he shot Gaby a 'don't say anything' look.
"I think I do." As she went to push in her chair Lynette felt a wave of dizziness wash over her. She put her hand to her head.
"Lynette? Are you ok?" Susan put her hand on Lynette's shoulder.
"I…I'm fine." Lynette tried to take a step and collapsed on the floor.
Everyone jumped up talking at once. "Oh my God. LYNETTE!"
"Call an ambulance!"
"Is she breathing?"
"Someone Call Tom."

NOTE: Sorry to take so long posting the 2nd chapter. I wasn't sure if anyone read the first. So, before I post a 3rd I need some reviews. Good or bad. :D. Thanks!