Conflict of Interest, Part 5

This fictional account contains explicit sexual materials, adult language and
sexual themes.  If these offend you, please do not read further.  The persons
and events described in this work are fictional.  Any similarity to actual
persons or events is strictly coincidental.  Copyright 2002 by SSTORYMAN.  All
rights reserved.  Permission is granted to reproduce this story in any form
and for any purpose as long as this notice is reproduced and no financial

This is a sequel to the author's "Revenge" posted March 2000 and "The Affair"
posted January, 1997.  It may be helpful to read (or re-read) them before
reading this story.  There are also some references to characters who first
appeared in the author's "Lisa's Quest" and "The Vacation."  But familiarity
with these stories isn't necessary to enjoy this one.

Finally, thanks to AZ-MAN for his editorial suggestions, support and
encouragement.


CONFLICT OF INTEREST

5.	"Houston, We Have a Problem ?."

   Rene hung up, having just talked to Larilyn Dahlberg.  The referral by
Adrienne pleased her.  She was glad her old friend recommended her to Larilyn.
She had no plan to renew her old romantic liaison with Adrienne; not now that
she was with Charity.  Still, it was nice to know she wasn't forgotten.  More
important she relished a new opportunity to jerk Sandy Rogers' chain!  Her
victory in the no-smoking ordinance case was several years ago, but the lung
association president surely remembered her.  Representing an enemy of Sandy
Rogers would be pure pleasure.  She was eager to meet Larilyn Dahlberg.  She
didn't often meet a mature professional woman who started smoking so late in
life.  She sighed.  Yes, this would be highly enjoyable!

   She reached for her cigarettes and lit up a fresh Marlboro Light 100,
triple-pumping and saturating her lungs.  Drenching them with smoke felt
wonderful and rewarding.  Reluctantly breathing out after an unusually long
hold, an endless stream of smoke slowly left her mouth and nostrils.  This
moment of reflective pleasure underscored the importance of her task, namely,
to assist a new client to finally and utterly destroy that old bitch, Sandy
Rogers.

   She chortled.  So Sandy Rogers was a lesbian?  She giggled lasciviously,
exhaling bursts of smoke from her prodigious inhale.  As smoke swirled about
her head she considered the implications of what Larilyn said on the phone.
Her old enemy was trapped.  Hearing Larilyn relate the empty threats in the
letter from Sandy's attorney made her laugh.  It was pure, unadulterated
bullshit!  No lawyer could stop Larilyn from sending her pictures to the lung
association board.  A court-ordered injunction or seal of the proceedings
would be tough to get, if not impossible.  Rene was eager to see the attorney
letter.  She was ready for battle!

   She was especially intrigued by Larilyn's devious demand.  Forcing Sandy
Rogers, the great tobacco persecutor, to smoke cigarettes while having lesbian
sex was pure genius.  Yes, Larilyn was Rene's kind of woman!  She'd love to be
a mouse in the corner when Larilyn and Adrienne simultaneously tortured and
pleasured Sandy Rogers in a lesbian troika as they made her smoke.  She sighed
contentedly and sucked hard on her shrinking Marlboro Light.  She knew
Adrienne's talents only too well.  Adrienne drove female lovers crazy.  Doing
it to Sandy Rogers as she made her smoke would give Adrienne great and
perverse pleasure.  She wondered if the original idea was Larilyn's or
Adrienne's.  Whatever its source, it was a damned good one!

   It'd been a good day.  Lunch with Charity and Randy Myers went well.  Soon
her lover would be working in her office.  And now she had an opportunity to
mess with Sandy Rogers again.  She manicured her cigarette in the ashtray and
sighed.  She couldn't _wait_ to meet Larilyn Dahlberg and see her pictures!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   Grace was exasperated.  "Mom, I don't see the problem!"

   Sherry Crawford shook her head.  "Honey, I know you want me to let Penny
smoke here.  And Penny, dear, believe me, I understand why you want to.
That's not the point.  We'll get in big trouble if we do this.  Eventually,
Penny, your mom will find out you smoke.  She'll know it happened here, she'll
go to your aunt, and Gracie's dad and I will be in the cross-hairs of the
whole anti-smoking community!  We don't need that, believe me!"

   Penny and Grace, with her older sister Beth, listened intently at the
Crawford's kitchen table.  Beth and Grace were smoking, having just lit
cigarettes.  Penny wasn't.  She satiated herself before Sherry came home.
Sherry, too, was smoking.  After hearing the girls' proposal she lit up a B&H
Menthol and was puffing furiously.   The whole thing upset her, and made her
desperate for a nicotine fix.  She smoked hard and fast.  Finally, Penny spoke
up.

   "Mrs. Crawford, I can keep my smoking secret.  I know I can.  Beth says my
older sister, Priscilla, smokes.  But I didn't know, and Prissy's apparently
been smoking for months.  I'm sure Mom doesn't know.  So it can be done.  I
can keep it hidden.  And even if my mom found out, I'd never tell 'em where I
got started.  I promise."

   After a long drag Sherry smiled at the teen, exhaling as she replied.
"Penny, I'm sure you'd never intentionally do anything to screw us.  But when
Beth and Gracie started smoking, I smelled it on their clothes and in their
hair.  I knew what was going on.  As it turned out, it didn't matter because I
started smoking, too."  She smiled at her daughters.  "Moms aren't dumb.  The
odor's hard to miss.  Your mom will know or at least suspect.  That's the
trouble with cigarettes.  Once you start smoking you want to smoke more.
Before long it's impossible to keep it under wraps."  She hesitated.  "I don't
know, girls.  I just don't know."

   Beth interrupted.  "But Mom, you let my friends smoke here at our house.
You don't care, even if their parents don't know and wouldn't approve.  Mary
Richardson smokes with me here all the time, and her parents aren't aware she
smokes.  So what's different with Penny?  Why can't Grace let her smoke here,
too?  I don't get it."

   "Beth, your friends are older, and aren't tied to the anti-smoking Gestapo.
Maybe Mary's parents don't know she smokes.  Maybe they do.  Or perhaps they
just don't give a damn, or they think they can't do anything about it anyway,
so they ignore it and pretend they don't know.  We can only guess.  The point
is Penny's mom will react negatively if she finds out and she'll make our
lives a living hell by telling her sister Sandy Rogers!"

   A pregnant pause followed as all three Crawford women drew on their
cigarettes.  The simultaneous exhales danced lazily in the sunshine streaming
through the window.

   "Well, I don't want to be a problem.  My mom probably won't let me keep
coming over here to see Grace anyway.  She doesn't like you guys, because you
smoke.  Yeah, you're right, Mrs. Crawford.  Maybe it's not a good idea for me
to smoke."

   Sherry frowned.  So Amanda Peterson didn't like her?  God, that infuriated
her!  She immediately changed directions.  "Look, I never said it wasn't a
good idea."  She looked compassionately at her daughter's blond friend.  "I
know how much _I_ enjoy it, and I'm sure you like it, too.  And I do know it's
fun to smoke with friends when they're smoking."  She paused, then laughed out
loud.  "Oh, what the hell!  Let's live dangerously.  You want to smoke here,
Penny?  Okay, kid, I don't care.  Go ahead.  If you want to smoke with my
girls, that's fine.  Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!"

   Grace was the first to respond.  She hugged her mom, carefully holding her
cigarette out to the side as they embraced.  "God, thanks, Mom!  You're the
best!"  She turned to her little blond friend.  "Penny, do you want another
cigarette now before you have to go home?"

   Penny hesitated.  She wanted to celebrate, but wasn't sure about smoking in
front of Mrs. Crawford.  She gulped.  "Yeah, sure, why not?" she finally
smiled.  "I'd love one."

   It wasn't exactly true.  Penny really didn't _feel_ like smoking.  But she
_wanted_ to feel like it.  She wanted to be just like Grace.  She graciously
accepted one of her friend's Salems.

   Penny smiled.  "Thanks, Mrs. Crawford," she said bashfully before leaning
in to self consciously accept a light from Grace.  She took a modest first
puff and, after inhaling shallowly, pushed out a cone of smoke through smiling
lips.  The cigarette tasted good.  "You won't regret this, Mrs. Crawford, I
promise.  Thanks so much!"

   "You're welcome, honey," Sherry sighed.  She had to smile seeing the eager
youngster take a second, longer drag.  Penny seemed so happy with her first
opportunity to smoke in the open.  She did look like a natural.  She already
worked the long white cigarette like a veteran.  Sherry sighed again and
nodded.  "For your sake, and ours, too, I hope everything works out.
Meantime, enjoy!"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   Rene gave the letter back to Larilyn.  After introductions and
pleasantries, Larilyn had shown Rene the pictures, and then the letter from
Sandy's attorney.  It wasn't till then that Rene realized who she was dealing
with.  Sandy's lawyer was Charity Hamilton, her lover!

   Larilyn saw something was wrong.  "Do you know this lawyer?"

   Rene's face was white as a sheet.  "Yeah, I sure do," she admitted.  "God,
yes."

   The female attorney unconsciously reached for her cigarettes.  Shaking one
loose, she put a Marlboro Light 100 in her mouth and abruptly lit up.  She
pumped hard; once, twice and then a third time.  Between drags smoke burst
from her nostrils in thick torrents.

   Larilyn got a cigarette of her own.  It was nice being able to smoke in her
lawyer's office!  She lit up a full flavor B&H from her gold pack.  "So
Sandy's lawyer is good?"

   Rene nodded.  "Oh, yeah, Charity Hamilton is good!  No doubt about that."
She sighed, still exhaling substantial quantities of smoke.  "She's also my
roommate."

   "What?!"

   "She's my roommate," Rene repeated.  "Charity Hamilton and I live
together."

   It was Larilyn's turn to be surprised.  "Shit!  Really?"  She gasped,
assimilating this information.  "But, wait.  Isn't that a conflict of
interest?"

   "I don't know.  I'm not sure.  Maybe not, at least technically.  But God, I
don't know.  I have to talk to someone about this."

   Larilyn covered the filter tip of her cigarette with her thumb and smiled
suggestively.  She liked Larilyn.  She hoped this lovely barrister could stay
on her case.  "Well, if there's any way I'd still like you to handle this.
I'm more comfortable if a woman represents me, Rene.  And I _have_ to have a
lawyer who smokes.  Adrienne says you're among the best female lawyers in
town, smoker or non-smoker."

   Rene sighed, still exhaling.  "Thanks, Larilyn.  I'd like to represent you,
too.  I fuckin' hate Sandy Rogers and everything she stands for."  She
uneasily shook her head.  "Pardon my French.  I'd love to see you force Sandy
to smoke.  I really would.  It'd be great!"

   "It _will_ be great!  That's why I thought of it," Larilyn laughed
gleefully  Yes, she did like Rene.  They had the same devilishly wicked sense
of humor.

   "But why in hell would Charity take this case?  I mean, my God, Charity
smokes!  Why would she agree to represent Sandy Rogers?"

   Larilyn brightened.  "This Charity person, your roommate; she smokes?
Really?"

   "Yeah, but it's a secret.  God, I shouldn't have told you.  Almost no one
knows."

   "So Charity's one of us?  But if it's a secret, that means Sandy doesn't
know her lawyer smokes."  Larilyn giggled with unashamed excitement.  "Oh God,
that's fabulous.  Maybe we _do_ want her being Sandy's lawyer after all."

   "What do you mean?"

   "Maybe her letter's bullshit.  Maybe your friend Charity will pull punches,
just a little, to help me, and you, to get what we want out of Sandy."

   With her cigarette in her mouth again Rene frowned in the midst of another
drag.  "I don't know," she sighed, pulling another extraordinary amount of
smoke inside her lungs.  "Lawyers are ethically bound to zealously represent
their clients."  She paused as smoke poured from her nostrils.  "If I know
Charity she'll never pull punches."  A smile crept over her face.  "But if
ever she might be tempted, this could be the time.  I wonder if she told Sandy
she smokes?  No, I'm sure she didn't.  Hell, she hasn't even told anyone at
Williams & Connors.  She'd never tell a client who's a stranger."

   "Then it's perfect.  Talk to Charity.  Have her tell Sandy not to fight.
Have her advise Sandy that she should smoke with Adrienne and me.  I wouldn't
be surprised if Sandy used to smoke years ago.  Most antis are former smokers,
after all.  I don't know for sure but I suspect if I can make her smoke a pack
of cigarettes while we pleasure her over and over, I think I can hook her
again.  And if she gets hooked, it'll compromise her as president of the lung
association."

   Rene shook her head.  The idea was intriguing; a long-shot, but intriguing.
"Ethically, I can't encourage Charity to do anything but zealously represent
her client.  I can't tell her to fuck her client."  She blushed.  "I didn't
mean that the way it sounded!"

   Larilyn let out a lusty laugh.  "I _know_ what you meant.  Don't worry.  If
Charity's at all attractive, Sandy will _want_ to fuck her.  I guarantee it."

   Rene's looked stricken, so Larilyn changed her tone.  "I'm sorry.  I don't
mean to upset you.  But I know Sandy.  If she thinks Charity is the least bit
interested, she'll come on to her, big time.  Sandy loves good-looking younger
professional women."

   "Yes, I'm sure she does," Rene acknowledged.  She glanced at the photos.
"I can tell, because _you're_ really attractive, Larilyn.  I mean it.  I see
why Sandy got involved with you.  I also see why you want Adrienne to help you
with Sandy.  Adrienne is young and lovely and promiscuous as hell!  She's
perfect for the job."

   "Yes, she is," Larilyn said with a smug smile.  She manicured her cigarette
in the ashtray.  "My assistant at work, Brianna, is Adrienne's roommate.
Brianna introduced us, and Adrienne and I have had some ? well, shall we say,
we've had some involvement in recent months?"

   "That doesn't surprise me," Rene nodded.  She felt strangely turned on by
the tone of this conversation.  "Actually, I should tell you something.  I'm
bi-sexual.  I've had involvement, as you call it, with Adrienne, too.  And
with the lovely Brianna."

   "Oh my God," Larilyn laughed incredulously.  "You're bi?"  Actually,
Adrienne told her all about Rene's sexual preferences.  But she felt it best
to act genuinely surprised.

   Rene nodded.  "Actually, these days I consider myself a full-fledged
lesbian.  I finally gave up on men.  I find relationships with women much more
? satisfying."

   Larilyn nodded expectantly.  "So I guess that means ??"

   "Yes.  That's right.  Charity Hamilton is my lover."

   Larilyn winced involuntarily.  "Oh my God!  If Sandy learns her lawyer's
bi, she'll come on to her like gangbusters.  She'll be all over Charity.  Of
course, if Sandy finds out she smokes, she'll back off just as fast."

   "Charity won't tell her she smokes," Rene sighed.  "But I'm not worried.
Charity and I are pretty much exclusive right now.  She won't be interested in
Sandy."

   Larilyn took another drag on her almost spent cigarette.  "Listen, Rene.
Sandy Rogers is incredibly persuasive.  She's cute, and can be seductive as
hell.  She loves younger women.  If your friend's attractive, warn her about
Sandy, just to protect your relationship.  Women much stronger than Charity
have fallen under Sandy Rogers' enchantment.  Like me, for instance.  I'd
never been with a women till Sandy put her moves on me.  Before I knew it, we
were in bed, and I loved it."  She let out a long, contented sigh, expelling
smoke.

   "Let's get back to business," Rene muttered, ready to change the subject.
"It's awkward as hell, but I'll talk to Charity.  I'll try to find out if
she's bluffing.  Meantime, I'll talk to one of the partners in our office.  I
don't think my relationship with Charity is a legal conflict of interest,
assuming she and I don't talk about the case except in our official
capacities."  She let out a sigh.  "Shit!  What an awkward situation!"

   "I don't know," Larilyn smiled.  "It might just be perfect."

   "Yeah, perfect, as long as neither Charity nor I get disbarred by the
Supreme Court."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   "How long will this keep going on?"  Amanda Preston's eyes were ablaze.
She was having her usual after-work drink before supper.

   Penny sighed.  "Mom, Grace and I have to work on the project the rest of
this week, and all next week.  I told you that."

   Amanda fumed.  "I should ask your teacher to assign you a new partner.  I
do _not_ like you hanging around the Crawford house.  Think what it's doing to
your lungs, Penny, breathing in all that terrible second-hand smoke!"

   The youngster smiled.  If she only knew!  "Mom, it's not bad.  In fact, I
hardly notice it.  I'm used to it now.  It doesn't bother me.  Really."

   "That's not the point!  It's the principle, and it's not good for you.
Sherry Crawford and her daughter Beth smoke.  I don't want you being forced to
work in that unsafe environment!"

   It was risky, but Penny decided to bluff.  "Well, Mom, Grace and I can
always come here to work.  Of course, someone would have to drive us.  And I
guess you can't."

   "Of course I can't.  I'm at work in the afternoon.  Maybe your sister can
get you and Grace at school and drive you over here.  Then when you're done,
Prissy can drive her home."

   "Wait a minute," Priscilla objected.  "It's already trouble for me to get
Penny after school and take her to the Crawfords' house.  If I have to drive
them all the way back here, and then take Grace back to her house before
dinner, that's way too much.  I'm not doing it."

   "Why?  What do you have going on after school that's so important?"

   Priscilla shrugged.  "Mom, I have a life.  I have friends.  We do stuff.  I
won't ditch my social life for two weeks to drive my little sister and her
friend.  She and Grace can meet at her house.  It's easy to drop Penny off
there.  Don't be paranoid, Mom.  Mrs. Crawford and Beth don't get home till
five thirty.  Penny's not exposed to that much second-hand smoke."

   "How do _you_ know, Ms. Smarty-Pants?  If that's true, then where in the
hell does that smoky smell on Penny's clothes come from?"

   Penny cut in.  "Actually, Grace's sister does get home before five thirty.
So does Mrs. Crawford.  Today, for example, Mrs. Crawford was home by five."
It was a lie, but necessary.

   Amanda shrugged helplessly.  "Well, there's nothing to do if Prissy won't
help.  But I don't like it.  Are you sure you don't want me to call your
teacher and complain?"

   "No, Mom, don't.  Grace is the smartest kid in my class.  If I'm assigned
to anyone else, I'll be behind, and, plus, my new partner won't be as smart as
Grace.  I want a good grade, Mom.  Don't do it.  Please?"

   "All right," Amanda agreed.  "I can put up with it for another week.  Now,
go change your clothes.  You smell like you've been hanging out in a bar.
Your clothes stink of smoke!"

   "Okay," she reluctantly agreed.  "I don't think it's so bad.  But I'll
change."  She frowned.  She couldn't imagine how she'd ever talk her mom into
letting her spend time with Grace after their project was done.  And that was
depressing.

   Penny went to her room.  Her clothes didn't smell bad.  She _liked_ the
smell.  The aroma of leftover smoke was intoxicating.  She sniffed each item
of clothing before throwing it in the hamper.

   Priscilla was on her way into her room.  Amanda was still downstairs.
"Hey, Prissy," Penny whispered.  "Can we talk a minute?"

   "Yeah, sure, Squirt."  Prissy looked around, lowering her voice.  "Do you
want to discuss Mom's paranoia about second-hand smoke?  Get used to it.  I've
heard the same thing for years!"

   "Yeah, sort of," she smiled serenely.  She entered her sister's room and
shut the door.

   "My God," Priscilla said, sarcastically rolling her eyes.  "A secret
meeting!"

   Priscilla and Penelope got along well.  Despite the two year age
difference, they rarely clashed.  Penny didn't like being called 'Squirt.'
But except for that, they got along.  No one would call them close, but they
supported each other in disagreements with their mom.

   Priscilla was attractive at seventeen.  Tall and thin, she had a well
developed figure for a junior in high school.  Her large breasts and spherical
hips curved alluringly underneath her Gap outfit.  Like Penny, she was blond.
But instead of short hair, Priscilla wore hers long and straight.  At first
glance she often reminded people of Marcia Brady.  Like the television
character, Priscilla had an annoying habit of constantly brushing her hair.
As Penny came in, she picked up her hairbrush and began stroking her long,
blond tresses.

   "Pris," Penny began, with an impish look.  "I learned something today."

   "And what's that, Squirt?"  Priscilla methodically stroked her
light-colored hair.

   "I talked to Beth Crawford.  She says you've started smoking.  Is it true?"

   Priscilla startled.  "That's insane," she blustered.  "Of course not."

   "Pris, don't lie.  Beth says you and her other friends smoke every day
after school.  That's why you don't want to drive us around, isn't it?  I know
the truth.  'Fess up."

   Priscilla looked stricken.  "God damn that Beth Crawford!  She swore she'd
never tell.  Fuck!  I suppose you're going to tell Mom?"

   Penny smiled.  "No, I definitely _won't_ tell Mom.  Don't worry.  I have
some news.  You said you wouldn't be surprised if Grace smoked?  Well, Grace
does.  But more important, now so do I.  I smoke, Pris."

   "You?  Penelope Preston, you aren't serious!  You're shitting me, right?"

   "I'm not shitting you.  Grace and I talked about it.  I wanted to try it
and I did."  She giggled excitedly.  "I like smoking, Prissy.  It's neat!
Beth saw me do it.  I was scared till she told me you smoke, too."  She
paused.  "So, we're in this together."

   "Oh, God," Priscilla moaned.  "I'll wring Beth Crawford's neck!"

   "Don't be mad.  She just assumed I knew about you.  She thought that was
why I wanted to smoke, too.  Well, it wasn't true at first, but it is now.
So, Prissy, how did you start?  When did it happen?  God, I'm so happy we both
smoke now!"

   Priscilla shook her head and resumed brushing her hair.  A strange smile
crept over her face.  "One of my friends, Mary Richardson, started smoking
this year.  Mary began hanging out with Beth Crawford and smoking with her.
There's a whole group of girls in my class who hang out after school and
smoke.  One day Mary invited me to go with them.  It looked fun, so I thought,
what the hell!  I decided to try it."  She paused and laughed.  "I found out
it's pretty cool.  I've been hanging out with Mary and Beth and the other
smokers for a few months."

   "But how do you get away with it?  Where do you get your cigarettes?  And
how do you keep Mom from finding out you smoke?"

   Priscilla laughed.  "Parents are stupid!  There's a coffee shop near campus
where we can smoke as long as we buy coffee.  A bunch of us from school go
there every day.  When I started, Mom asked about the smell.  I told her
that's where my gang  hangs out.  I said I didn't like it, but that I was
out-voted."  She rolled her eyes.  "I don't think it ever occurred to her I
was smoking."

   "And the cigarettes?  How do you get cigarettes?  Does Beth give you hers?"

   Priscilla put down her brush and reached for her purse.  "You mean these?"
With a grin she displayed a half empty green and white pack of Marlboro
Menthol Lights 100's.

   "Oh my God," gasped Penny.  "Yes!  Where do you get them?"

   Prissy batted her eyes.  "Squirt, when you're good looking, you can almost
always get whatever the hell you want!"  She laughed lasciviously.  "There's a
gas station on Grant Street.  A guy works there who used to go our school.  I
went in one day and told him I wanted some.  He asked for I. D.  I said I
didn't have I. D. because I was only seventeen, but that I'd sure appreciate
him helping me out.  I did him a little favor in the back room, and now he
sells me cigarettes whenever I want."

   "You trade sex for cigarettes?!"

   Priscilla laughed.  "No.  I pay for them, like every other customer.  But I
do kiss Jimmy and rub his dick through his pants every time I come in.
Nothing serious.  But it makes him very happy to see me!"  She resumed
brushing.  "So I get cigarettes whenever I need them."

   "Wow," Penny sighed.  "You're something, Prissy!"

   "Look, a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do.  Beth's lucky.  Her mom
buys hers for her.  I had to improvise."  She smiled.  "I don't mind.  Jimmy's
cute.  Mom would die if she knew, but who the hell cares?  I sure as hell
don't plan on telling her!"

   "So, how much do you smoke?"

   Prissy shrugged.  "Not enough!  A little over two packs a week.  I rarely
smoke more than a handful a day."  She frowned.  "But it's been picking up.
It seems the longer I smoke, the more I want to."

   "That's what Mrs. Crawford says will happen to me, if I keep smoking."

   "Beth's mom knows you smoke?"

   "Sure.  Grace told her.  No big deal.  Mrs. Crawford doesn't care.  She
sort of enjoys letting me smoke with Grace.  She lets your friend Mary
Richardson smoke at their house."

   Priscilla frowned.  "Yeah, I knew that, come to think of it.  God, I can't
believe you want to smoke."  An evil glint appeared in Priscilla's eye.  "Do
you want to go out with me tonight and have one?  I'd love to see you smoke,
Squirt."

   "God, I'd love to, Pris.  That'd be cool."

   "Okay.  We'll go after dinner.  We can smoke at that coffee house.  We'll
have a couple cigarettes together.  What do you say?"

   Penny spontaneously gave her older sister a hug.  "Thanks, Pris.  You're
the best."

   "No, Squirt.  You don't get it.  That's not it.  I'm not being nice.  I
want you to get good and hooked on cigarettes.  Then you'll _have_ to support
me in my smoking."  Priscilla grinned.  "You'll have no choice!  My motives
are completely selfish."

   "Whatever," Penny grinned.  "I want to get hooked.  I really do."

   "Oh, don't worry," Priscilla smiled a knowing smile.  "You will!"

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