Cold Turkey, Part 11

All characters in this story are purely fictional.  Any resemblence 
of these characters to real life people are conicidence only, and are 
not meant to cause offence to anyone.  All place names and locations 
in this story are intentionally fictional.  

COLD TURKEY
by Blackbladder

Part 11

"Thank you so much Leo! You are a lifesaver!" Denise beamed, admiring her
knight in shining armour.

"No need to thank me, Denise.  I had just finished up locking up the shop.  I
had to work late tonight because of me sleeping in this morning." Leo returned
a smile towards the passenger.  

As Denise removed her drenched cycle helmet, the Land Rover suddenly stopped.
Her blue eyes peered out of the window at the big red lights on the side of a
large, decaying building.  

"The White Feather?" Denise questioned.

Leo blushed, "Yeh, you mind if we stop here for a sec? I forgot to get
cigarettes back at the shop when locking up.  There is a machine in here that
sells them..." 

Denise frowned at the thoughts of smoking.  She struggled with her past
memories of smoking.  She could not understand why she felt so strongly about
smoking.  

"Hey Denise, you wanna come in for a minute - its warm inside..." Leo stated,
indicating to the bar inside the large building.  

Reluctantly, Denise nodded, and followed Leo into the bar, oblivious to the
fact this was her first steps into an alcohol-dominated environment.  

As they exited a long corridor into the open-plan club, Denise's nostrils were
attacked by the immediate stench of alcohol and cigarette smoke.  Her nose
twitched as it adjusted to the sudden concentrated smell of booze and tobacco.
Her hair was unspoilt from the protection her helmet provided, the long blonde
maine stretching just past her shoulders.  

"There is a machine over there, Denise.  Just one second..." Leo stated,
noting to the illuminated cigarette machine in the corner.  As Leo raced over
to the machine like a boy eager to open birthday presents, Denise walked
tentatively over towards a small heater in the corner.  At least the heater
would provide her some temporary comfort in this unfamiliar environment.  As
the heat began to infiltrate her body, Denise noted her surroundings.  Music
was playing loudly from a jukebox next to her.  Denise could also see people
of all background, races and cultures sit around, chatting in their own little
world, whilst indulging in drinking and smoking.  There seemed to be no end to
the flick of lighters in the room, bringing mulitple cigarettes to life.
Denise observed a party of young girls in the corner laughing loudly whilst
drinking and smoking.  A constant haze seemed to hang over their heads as
their smoke combined with the rest of the bar.  

"You ok there?" Leo muttered, clutching the pack of cigarettes in his hand
like a bar of gold.  

"Yeh..." Denise replied reluctantly, still scanning in her surroundings. 

"I don't know about you, but it's been a long day for me.  What you say we
have a drink?" Leo boasted, nodding towards the bar in front of them.  

"Hmmm....I am not sure." Denise replied.

"Come on Denise, you can relax now.  Your hubby isn't here keeping an eye on
you.  I did fix your roof after all - the least you could do is honour my help
with joining me for a drink..." Leo smiled, his eyes pleading for appeasement.

Denise pondered for a moment.  Leo does seem a really nice guy.  This is the
least I can do for him giving me a ride too.  

As she nodded silently, they both approached the bar and took their seats.

"Bartender, Ill have two beers please..." Leo said, putting money on the
counter.  As Leo continued to dwelve into his levi pockets, Denise stared at
disbelief at her hero of the hour.

Removing his pack of cigarettes and lighter, he noted Denise's unease and
confusion about the situation.  

"Hey Denise, don't tell me you stopped drinking beer.  From what your mother
tells me, you normally live on beer when away from your husband." Leo stated
confidently, trying to make his bluff succeed.

"I live on beer?" Denise was very confused now. 

The bartender placed the two beers on the counter, whilst taking the money and
placing it in his pocket.  This manouvere seemed like a form of well-practiced
art.  

"Yeh, your mother told me you and her love having a beer to unwind when you
both can.  I am suprised she has not told you that yet..." Leo smirked whilst
passing the glass to his unknowing passenger.  

Denise stared down at the glass containing the alcohol.  She saw the bubbles
fizz away on the white froth, like small footprints in snow during winter.
She looked in amazement as the bubbles worked from the orange belly of the
glass to the white froth on top.  

Leo could not help but smile as slowly as Denise was completely oblivious to
his intentions.  

Tentatively, Denise picked up the glass and took a sip.  Her tastebuds came
alive as the smooth taste of the froth and more bitter taste of the beer
itself merged, creating a foamy texture on her tongue.  Denise sat in awe for
a moment as she analysed the cool taste in her mouth, the experience had been
pleasant.  

"Do you remember now?" Leo smiled as he fondled the pack of cigarettes.

Denise stared back at Leo and simply smiled, raising the glass for another
welcome sip.  The once harsh smoky atmosphere now put to the back of her mind
as she unknowingly sampled her first beer.  The pair made small talk as Denise
finished her first drink.  Leo began filling in details to Denise's blurry
past, like inserting pieces into a jigsaw.  

Denise's unease shifted the longer they sat talking to each other like school
friends.  As they ordered a second round of beers, Leo could not hold his
craving for a cigarette any longer.  He picked up his pack and removed two
cigarettes.  To Denise's shock, he layed a cigarette in front of her on the
counter whilst placing his own unlit cigarette in his mouth.  

The cork-tipped cigarette just sat there on the counter as Denise's mind
struggled to recall her past memories of smoking.  She felt a swaying passion
about cigarettes build up since they had entered the bar.  Denise felt
paralysed to the seat as the bartender returned with the new drinks.  For a
moment, Denise simply stared around her, observing how other people's
cigarettes seemed to have a life of their own.  She also noted how they were
all different, some with an orange filter, some with a white filter - even
some which were completely brown like a cigar.  She then glanced back at the
counter, picking up the glass of beer and taking another tentative sip.  

"You gonna sit and look at it all night?" Leo laughed, referring to the
lifeless cylinder awaiting attention on the counter.  

If only I could remember..., Denise grumbled to herself, before taking one
last look around the smokey bar.  Everyone else was laughing and smoking
cigarettes, as if they were babies, crying for attention as their smoke danced
in the increasing haze of blue smoke.  'Her' cigarette was just lying there,
not getting the attention it deserved.

"Come on Denise, don't tell me your mother didn't tell you about your smoking
habit yet?" Leo smiled, the cigarette bouncing between his lips invitingly...

Irene sat at the kitchen table, exhaling smoke towards the window as she
crushed out her latest cigarette into the saucer.  The mother glanced towards
the dining room clock disapprovingly.  

"Denise should not have been gone this long.  What is up with her?"

Whilst pondering a possible answer for her daughter's whereabouts, she rambled
the pack for another cigarette.  Irene was dismayed, though, to discover the
pack was empty.  She realised that she must have smoked the entire pack in the
five hour period.  The time was almost midnight, and still no apparent sign of
her daughter anywhere...

Denise tentatively picked up the cigarette and twisted the cylinder between
her fingers.  Instantly, she noted the rough feel of the paper sealing the
tobacco.  She also read the small imprint circling the cylinder.

Marlboro Red, Denise read out to herself.

"Your brand, Denise..." Leo said urgently, his cravings increasing all the
time.  

Slowly, Denise copied her driver, placing the cigarette between her lips and
gripping the filter by her teeth.  She even tried to mimick his style of
dangling.  Leo smiled with approval as he flicked the lighter to life.  The
lighter illuminated Denise's face as she leaned in towards the flame,
engulfing the cigarette.  Immediately, Denise could feel a rush of harsh smoke
enter her mouth as the ember shone red.  Denise fought the urge to cough as
this foreign substance explored its reluctant host.  She immediately withdrew
the cigarette from her mouth and placed the holding hand onto the counter.
Smoke instantly rushed from her body - her mouth and nose both used as exits
for the substance.  

Denise looked oddly at the burning cigarette between her fingers.  Though the
taste was nothing to sing about, she did conclude that the cylinder between
her fingers seemed comfortable enough.  Her strong emotions also added to the
short nicotine rush she was experiencing at the time.  Denise was still
unclear as to whether she smoked before, or not, despite Leo's assurances.
But the longer she stared at the cigarette, the more positive she thought
about the experience.  

If I didnt smoke, I would have thrown up by now, Denise reasoned. 

She then glanced at Leo smoking.  Leo purposefully payed no attention to
Denise whilst smoking his cigarette casually.  The driver did not want to put
any more pressure on Denise incase her experience was to backfire.  Denise
observed how Leo continued to suck deep on the cigarette, his cheeks
collapsing inward as the ember shone bright red.  The smoke disappearing as
Leo inhaled sharply.  Leo held the rich smoke inside his lungs for a few
seconds before pursing his lips, releasing a long stream across the bar.   Leo
put more energy into making smoking look relaxing and appealing.  

Denise was mesmerized by Leo's natural smoking ability, then turned her
attention back towards her own cigarette.  The ash had grown considerably
since her first puff.  Leo noted this unfamiliarity, and tapped his cigarette
against the ashtray as an indicator for Denise to do the same.  The blonde
beauty did this, following his visual actions perfectly, before taking another
puff from the cigarette.  Whilst sucking on the cigarette, Denise began to
admire how the ember on the cigarette grew red like a volcano top.  As she
sucked hard like Leo on the cigarette, she held the smoke in for a few
seconds, removing the cigarette from her mouth, then slowly pursing her lips
for an exhale across the bar too.  As time went by, the unknowing student
continued to copy her teacher.  Denise felt comfortable enough to now try
inhaling on the cigarette like her peer.  The taste had grown more tolerable
with each hard puff.  After flicking her ashes into the ashtray, she returned
her cigarette to her lips.  Leo looked out of the corner of his eye to witness
this nicotine virgin inhale her first puff with success.  As Denise breathed
in the smoke into her chest, she could feel the smoke rush into her lungs and
caress them.  This feeling was indescribable to her as she slowly closed her
eyes in this orgasmic pleasure, pursing her lips and exhaling lazily across
the bar.  She reasoned that she was a smoker.

After accepting a second cigarette and a third beer from Leo, she lit up
herself confidently, now eagerly inhaling like her mentor.  

"Ok Denise, is there anything else you wanna know about your life?" Leo asked.

Denise nodded approvingly whilst sipping on her beer in one hand and tapping
ashes from her cigarette in the other...

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