Sarah's Winstons, Part 8

Sarah's Winstons
by slimv

******* EIGHT *******


The remainder of our honeymoon was awkward because Sarah understood the
gravity of my disappointment.  That's why it was up to me to ease her stress
over the decision she had made.  I insisted that she continue to smoke while
we made love.  In return, she allowed me to light her cigarettes for her and
every now and then, she'd blow a puff of smoke in my face.

When we got home, we continued our honeymoon where we had left off in the
Bahamas.  The biggest difference was that we both went to the work in the
day.  Sometimes Sarah had to work at night.  On those nights, I'd visit with
my parents, but I'd always stop by the store on the way home and say hello to
her.

We'd been home for about a week when I stopped by my parents on my way home
from work.  My dad was in the garage making furniture.  It was his hobby and
he had once hoped it would be mine as well, but I didn't have the knack for
it.  After spending some time with him, I went inside and found my mom in the
kitchen.

"I was hoping you'd stop by," she said.

"Oh yeah.  Why's that?"

"I was thinking that you and I should have a little chat."

"Sounds good to me," I said as I pulled out a chair.  "What are we going to
chat about?"

Mom stood up and grabbed her pack of Marlboros and lighter.  "Not here," she
said.  "Lets talk in the basement."

Dad, being the craftsman that he was, had finished off the basement so that
it was indistinguishable from the rest of the house.  There was a den and a
bedroom and even a kitchen.  My parents had offered the place to Sarah and I,
but we both wanted a place of our own.  Still, it was very nice.  It was more
of a terrace level than a basement.

My mom and I sat down on the couch and she lit a cigarette.

"So what did you want to talk about?" I asked.

"About you and Sarah," she said as she exhaled.  "She told me and Barbara
about the honeymoon.  She made it sound like the two of you had a real nice
time together."

I told her we did and thought to myself, uh-huh and if you only knew how much
of a good time we had together.

"I don't want to embarrass you honey, but Sarah told us everything."

My mind raced in search of things Sarah might have told them that didn't
include the parts that I knew she wouldn't tell them.  "I guess she told you
about the big waves and the jelly fish we found on the beach."

I saw my mother smile and then I saw the smoke exit her lips at hurricane
force.  The smoke from her exhale smacked me across the face, causing my head
to snap back.

"Mom!"

"Sarah told us you like that when she does it."

"She did?"  I began sweating profusely and my face felt as if it would
explode from the heat of my shame.  "She told you that?"

"That and a lot more.  She told us that you asked her for permission to take
up smoking."

I covered my face with my hands and stood up.  "Awe Geeze!  I gotta go, Mom."

"Don't go Michael.  Sit back down.  This is important and we need to talk
about it."

"She wasn't supposed to tell you.  She wasn't supposed tell anyone,
especially not you and her mom."

"She told us because she's worried about you.  She wanted our advice.  I know
you're probably upset now, but don't be.  And don't be angry with Sarah.  She
loves you so much and so do I.  That's why we need to have this talk."

"We don't need to talk about this because Sarah and I already did.  You don't
have to worry about me because I'm not going to smoke.  I already promised
her I wouldn't.  I never go back on my word.  You know that about me."

"And that's exactly why we need to talk about this honey, because she doesn't
want you to keep that promise."

"What?  She said that?"

"Not exactly, but Barbara and I talked about it and we know that's what she
meant.  Don't you get it Michael?  Sarah loves you too much to give you her
permission to take up smoking.  Telling me was her way of asking me to do it
for her."

I covered my face again.  This couldn't be happening.

"Don't be embarrassed sweetheart.  You're father and I have always known that
you wanted to be a smoker like us when you grew up.  That's why we were so
hard on you when you were younger.  When you were a little boy, you couldn't
take your eyes off me when I was smoking.  I knew how badly you wanted to try
my cigarettes.  That's why I was so proud of you when you didn't.  But you're
not a little boy any more and things have changed.  After what Sarah said,
Barbara and your father and I all feel it would be be good for your marriage
if you took up smoking."

"Dad knows about this too?"

"We all know except for Sarah's father.  Barbara thought it best not to tell
him on account of his lung cancer.  She thought it might upset him.  Your dad
stayed upstairs because he thought you might feel more comfortable with just
me."

"So that's it?  Not that this isn't enough, because I'm completely flipping
out right now.  But you're saying you're giving me permission to start
smoking and now I should go home and start doing it in front of Sarah?"

"Heavens No!  Not yet.  You can't tell her until you're addicted.  If you go
home smoking any less than two packs a day, she'll want you to quit.  That's
why I asked you to come down here, so I could teach you how to smoke
properly.  I figured you could come by for lessons on your way home from work
on those nights when Sarah is working at the store."

I didn't know what to say.  The entire situation was just too bizarre.  My
mom was offering to give me smoking lessons.

"What's wrong?" she asked.  "You still want to be a smoker, don't you?"

"I do Mom.  It's just that this is a whole lot more than I was prepared for
when I came over."

"This is hard for me too.  But I think you'll feel better about yourself when
you're a smoker.  And I know Sarah will be happy too, once she gets used to
it."

"Do you really think so, about Sarah being happy about it?"

"She loves you honey.  That's not going to change, no matter what you do.  I
saw it in her eyes.  She wants this as much as you do.  She just can't bare
the idea of being responsible for your starting.  Your father and I should
have turned a blind eye years ago and let nature take its course."

"But you weren't there when she told me no.  If I do this and its a mistake,
she's never going to forgive me."

My mom smiled gently.  "I didn't want to tell you this, but I know about the
smoking during sex.  Sarah told her mother and I about it."

"She told you about it?"

"Don't be mad at her.  Women talk about everything.  That's what we do.  I'm
the one that put it in her head about smoking after sex.  I knew she'd enjoy
it and I asked her about it when you got back.  That's when she told me about
the 'during sex' part.  I don't think she would have told us about you asking
for permission to smoke if she hadn't told us that."  

My embarrassment skyrocketed to a new level.

"Don't feel bad honey.  I'm very proud of the son I raised and you made Sarah
a very happy woman.  She said she wants you to know how good you make her
feel.  That's why I know she wants you to start smoking."

I was still embarrassed, but I was convinced.

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