Coming Out, Part 5

This fictional account contains adult language and themes.  If such
language and themes offend you, please do not read farther.  Copyright
1999 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 remuneration is received,
directly or indirectly, by the person reproducing it.

COMING OUT

5.   A New Life.

   Two days later, the story hit the front page of the morning paper.  A
well-respected investigative reporter, Jill Ennis, with a long history of
exposing political intrigue, wrote a scathing article about Bruce Bennett's
role in developing the teen smoking bill, connecting it with his divorce and
custody battle.  The story painted him as a vengeful anti-smoking zealot.
His court filings, in which his lawyer portrayed Bethany as totally evil,
sounded ridiculous in the newspaper.  It was a skillful but highly effective
hatchet job.  The story impugned his motives and suggested he manipulated the
governor's office for personal gain.  It questioned how the governor was so
easily manipulated by a man divorcing his wife and seeking custody of his
children, who happened to be teen smokers.

   Bethany read the story with great satisfaction.  She knew the expose was
coming, but it was even better than she'd hoped.  Two weeks earlier Allyson
Allen suggested planting the idea for a story with Jill Ennis, a local
reporter who was an old drinking buddy of hers.  Allyson met Jill and gave
the background.  Jill took it from there, reviewing court filings and
interviewed both Bethany and the girls.  Bethany smiled.  Revenge was fuckin'
sweet!  She savored the opportunity to see Bruce portrayed as a manipulative
demagogue.  It served him right!

   The phone rang.  It was eight in the morning, and already Bethany was
having her fourth cigarette of the day.  She picked up the phone, with a
freshly-lit Newport in her free hand.  It was Allyson on the line, and she
was gloating.

   "My God!  Did you see it?  Wasn't it fuckin' fabulous?"

   Bethany took a long drag and giggled uncontrollably.  "It sure was,
Allyson.  You're an absolute genius.  This'll knock the stupid bastard back
on his heels."

   "Damn right!  Jill did a great job.  I knew I could count on her.  She's a
pro.  By the way, when she interviewed you, did Jill tell you she smokes,
too?"

   "She didn't have to," Bethany squealed happily.  "She showed me.  We met
for a couple hours, and Jill smoked the entire time.  Of course, so did I,"
she added impishly, pausing for another extended drag.  "Jill smoked with
Belinda and Brenda, too, while she talked to them.  Her portrait of the twins
was great."  She paused and exhaled into the receiver.  "We carefully planned
how to tell their story," she went on.  "About how they didn't want to live
with Bruce for lots of reasons, with smoking being only a small part.  Jill
communicated it well.  The absentee father who wants to control his kids
versus the mother who listens and understands 'em."

   "It was perfect," agreed Allyson.  "Did I tell you that John gave Bruce
one last chance to avoid this?"

   "No," Bethany gasped.  "What happened?"

   "The Judge went to Bruce's office," she explained.  "He warned him the
media might get involved, and that he'd look pretty dumb if they did.  Bruce
didn't get it.  He lectured the Judge about the importance of teen smoking
laws.  The Judge was not sympathetic, I can tell you.  He warned Bruce the
fallout wouldn't be pretty if the papers accused him of a conflict of
interest."  It was Allyson's turn to pause.  Bethany heard the click of a
lighter on the line.  "We'll see the reaction soon," Allyson breathed into
the phone.  "I don't think it'll be positive.  The Judge made sure of that."

   Bethany had no idea the Judge was involved.  "But how?  I didn't know you
got the Judge into this little plan.  Wasn't that dangerous?"

   Allyson laughed.  "Not at all.  The Judge has never been a fan of this
fuckin' anti-smoking shit.  I made sure of that long ago," she said
playfully.  Bethany didn't respond, so she explained.  "Look, honey.  John
knows that if he wants me to put out in bed, and believe me, he does, he
can't traffic in that shit.  I smoke, and I'm a real smoker.  If he wants to
stay on my good side, he'd damn well better not support the anti-smoking
lobby."

   Bethany smiled.  "I always knew you're the power behind the throne," she
joked.  "But I had no idea you control the Judge's stand on specific issues."

   "I do, but only on a few key issues," she confirmed confidently.  "The
smoking thing is one where I call the tune.  His coolness toward tobacco
issues is a direct result of my insistence that he stay the hell out of the
game."  She paused for another drag.  "The Judge used to smoke himself," she
giggled, stopping to exhale.  "He understands.  He's actually pretty
sympathetic."

   "Wow," Bethany sighed.  "That's great.  I tell you what, Allyson.  After
Bruce and I get divorced, if I ever get involved with someone else, it'll
never be with a man who's an anti-smoking asshole like Bruce.  I mean it."

   "What do you mean, if you get involved?  Honey, you mean you're not
getting any?"

   "No," Bethany stuttered.  "I'm not seeing anyone now, if that's what you
mean.  I'm still married, for God's sake."

   "What the hell does that matter?" Allyson exploded indignantly.  "Girl,
it's the new millennium.  Don't give me that 'I'm still married' shit.  I'm
gonna fix you up.  You need some comfort, a hell of a lot more than you can
get playing with yourself.  You need to get laid."

   "Allyson, stop.  You're embarrassing me," she protested.

   "Don't be shy, Bethany."  Allyson's reply was saucy.  "I have a lot of
single male friends.  I'll find you a man who'll fuck your brains out, and
who won't care if you want to smoke the entire time.  There are lots of men
who actually like women who smoke," she added knowingly.

   "What do you mean?"

   "Just what I said," Allyson replied coyly.  "Not every man is as
Neanderthal as Bruce.  Let me work on this.  I'll get you fixed up real
soon."

   "Okay," Bethany said hesitantly.  "I guess that's okay."  But she was
right.  Bethany missed having a man in her bed.  She wanted someone to kiss,
to fondle her, to make her tingle.  The though of having a man who smoked, or
at least who didn't mind that she did, seemed too good to imagine.  It was
stimulating.  Bethany began fingering her crotch in anticipation.

   She abruptly stopped as fourteen year old Barbi wandered into the kitchen.
Dressed in her nightgown, her youngest daughter looked half-asleep.  Without
a word, she shook a cigarette from her mom's pack, plunked it in her mouth,
and lit up.  She took a long, frantic, initial drag.  Her cheeks hollowed
and, when she finally breathed in, she pulled as much smoke as she could deep
inside her groggy, petite, nicotine-starved body.  Bethany smiled.  Her
daughter was displaying all the symptoms of a confirmed nicotine addict!
Barbi furiously sought to satisfy her need for an early morning infusion of
nicotine.  A look of quiet satisfaction spread across her cherubic face as
smoke soaked into her lungs.  The smile was almost angelic, and it grew wider
the longer she held that initial shot of cigarette smoke inside her chest.
Bruce wanted to deny her this wonderful and exquisite pleasure.  That
realization made Bethany mad all over again.  She alone understood how good
it felt to smoke when your body was screaming for nicotine.

   "Hey, Barbi just walked in," she told Allyson.  "She's smoking like fiend
and wandering around the kitchen looking for breakfast.  I gotta go."

   "Okay, honey," Allyson replied softly.  "But trust me, I'm fuckin'
serious.  I'm gonna make some calls.  I'm gonna find a man who's worthy of
you, Bethany Bennett."

   "You do that, Allyson," she laughed pleasantly.  "'Bye bye."

   "Who was on the phone?" Barbi moaned.  Wearing a rumpled nightgown, her
eyes were still half-shut.  She was barely awake.  Exhaled smoke slowly
drifted from her pale lips.  She took another, longer drag, and purposely
sucked the smoke deep inside her body again; so deep that her young but ample
breasts visibly lifted.  With each hit, she grew more animated.  Bethany
smiled.  Nicotine in the morning was pure magic, that she knew from personal
experience.

   "It was Mrs. Allen," she smiled, reaching for another cigarette of her
own.  "Did you see the story in this morning's paper?"  She handed the front
page to her drowsy daughter, and lit up another Newport for herself.

   "Oh, my God," Barbi gasped, holding her cigarette beside her face.  "This
is about Daddy and his legislative thing!"

   "That's right," Bethany answered with a self-satisfied smile, contentedly
releasing bursts of blue-gray smoke into the air.  "He made page one!"

   Barbi scanned the story.  As she read, she continued to attack her
cigarette.  The youngster's urgent need for more nicotine was apparent.  When
she'd finished reading, she whistled.  "Dad will be mad," she noted with an
evil smile.  "It makes him sound bad, doesn't it?"

   "It does," Bethany acknowledged.  She watched her daughter crush her
cigarette in the ashtray and reach for another, immediately lighting up a
second time.  "Hopefully it'll help protect you and your sisters.  At least,
that's the plan."

   "Mom, you're terrible," Barbi chuckled.  Twin streams of exhaled,
mentholated smoke flowed from her pert nostrils.  "But we appreciate you
protecting us from Daddy."

   Bethany nodded.  "I understand.  I've been in your position, Barbi.  I've
been there as a teenage smoker, and as an adult smoker, too.  I know what
it's like to want to smoke and not be able to.  Believe me.  If I have
anything to say about it, no one will ever force you or your sisters to stop
smoking, just as much as you want and whenever you want."

   Barbi took another long drag on her Newport.  "Thanks, Mom," she
acknowledged as she inhaled deeply again.  She gave her mother a spontaneous
but lengthy hug.  Smoke slowly and reluctantly escaped from Barbi's mouth and
lips as the two women embraced.  "You're the best!"

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   Public reaction to the newspaper story was sharp and immediate.  The
bill's legislative sponsor announced hearings would be delayed until Bruce's
conflict of interest was fully investigated.  Overnight polls indicated
public disapproval of the bill, in part because the newspaper pointed out the
proposed legislation would make the state's tobacco taxes among the country's
highest.  Raising taxes is unpopular.  Mixing higher taxes with a specter of
conflict of interest was a recipe for disaster, and the bill's sponsors knew
it.

   A few days later Bethany got a call from her lawyer.  Christine said the
domestic relations judge had issued an order denying Bruce custody claim,
pending the final hearing when the divorce became final.  Judge Allen's
prediction proved accurate.  The order meant victory for Bethany and the
girls.  The only remaining issue before the court involved the amount of
alimony and child support.  Christine was sure they'd fare well in the
financial settlements, too.

   Bethany wondered if Judge Allen influenced the domestic relations judge in
her favor.  She never asked Allyson, and didn't want to know.  It wouldn't be
kosher.  But she knew he had influence among the judges.  Sometimes justice
depends more on who you know than on the validity of your case.  And Bethany
knew the right person.  She owed Allyson.  As partial payment, she bought two
cartons of Marlboro Lights 100's, Allyson's brand, and had them gift-wrapped
and delivered to her home by courier, a small but symbolic way to say thanks.

   Allyson also made good on another promise.  She arranged a blind date for
Bethany with an old friend of hers named Steve Anderson.  Steve was rich,
recently divorced, in his early forties, and reportedly good looking.  He
owned several expensive, high-class restaurants in town.  To Bethany's
delight, Allyson also said Steve smoked.  He was allegedly eager to go out
with Bethany, particularly after receiving from Allyson an enthusiastic
description.

   Bethany appreciated it, but was apprehensive.  It'd been ages since she'd
dated.  So in preparation, she had her hair done, colored darker and curled
in ringlets.  Her girls thought it looked bitchin'.  From her closet Bethany
got out an exquisite, long, sequined, black strapless dress, an ensemble she
wore only to elegant functions.  Brenda helped her with make-up, something
she rarely wore.  But she wanted to look utterly bewitching when she met him.

   Steve arrived at seven sharp on Friday.  She'd primped and preened.  Her
girls were right; she looked fuckin' great!  By seeing Steve's face, she
could tell he thought so, too.  Taken back by her beauty, he walked her down
the steps.  He drove a brand new BMW.  Sliding into his car, she batted her
eyelashes and flirted.  It was fun having sexual power.  She'd almost
forgotten.

   It was a delightful evening.  They had dinner at one of Steve's
restaurants.  They had a great table and wonderful service.  She was ecstatic
when Steve had them seated in the smoking section.  She'd never dated a man
who wanted to sit in smoking.  Lighting up with a date would be strangely
thrilling.  She eagerly waited for Steve to make the first move to have a
cigarette.

   She didn't wait long.  As soon as the waiter delivered the menus, he
reached into the breast pocket of his navy blazer and removed a gold pack of
Benson & Hedges 100's.  She simultaneously opened her black clutch purse,
retrieving a pack of Newport 100's.  She grinned as he shook a cigarette from
his pack and put it in his mouth.

   "Oh, my!  Full flavor cigarettes?"  She flirted with him.  "I'm
impressed!"

   Steve smiled modestly.  "Yes, I've smoked these for years," he
acknowledged.  "This is the way I see it.  If you really like to smoke, and I
do, then you should smoke a brand you really like.  And I love these"  He
eyed her Newport 100's.  "And look at you, Bethany," he teased admiringly.  I
see you smoke real cigarettes, too!  No wimpish lights for you?"

   She batted her eyes.  "Oh, no," she cooed confidently.  "Newport has been
my brand forever.  I've smoked these since I was a teenager." She put a
cigarette between her lips.  Before she could get her lighter, he flicked
his, lighting her long, cork-tipped Newport.

   "Oh, thank you, Steve," she purred.  Following an initial drag, she
inhaled and tipped her head to release a narrow stream of smoke up toward the
ceiling.  She smiled.  "My, that's a delightful surprise.  I mean, you
lighting my cigarette," she explained.  "My ex would never do that.  He
didn't approve of my smoking."

   "Then your ex-husband is a goddamn fool," Steve smiled in return, as he
lit his B&H.  "You look good smoking, Bethany."  He momentarily glanced away,
as if he'd committed a faux pas.  But his approval was music to her ears.
"Hey, I read your story in the newspaper," he went on.  "It's not every day I
go out with a celebrity."

   Bethany made a face as she settled in, cocking her wrist and propping her
cigarette at a forty-five degree angle beside her face.  "I'm no celebrity,"
she snorted.  "Hell, I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong
time."  She softened her expression and smiled.  "But thanks for asking me
out.  Look, I know Allyson twisted your arm.  She thinks I need to get out
and meet people.  I'm sorry you had to be her guinea pig.  But I appreciate
being asked out.  Thank you," she said sincerely.

   Steve shook his head.  "Bethany, you've got it all wrong.  Thank you for
joining me for dinner.  Believe me, it was no sacrifice.  Allyson only had to
show me a snapshot of you," he grinned.  "I didn't have to think twice.
You're an attractive woman, Bethany."

   She blushed.  "Thanks," she glowed.  She watched Steve take a drag, inhale
and tip his head back to exhale.  She followed suit.  "You know," she went
on, "this is the first time I've ever dated a guy who smokes."  She turned
her head and blew out a thin stream.  "It is so nice not to have to
apologize, or worry about being criticized for simply wanting to smoke."

   Steve nodded.  "I only date women who smoke," he asserted.  "I don't mean
to be narrow-minded, but it's a rule.  I got tired of apologizing for wanting
a cigarette.  If I dated a non-smoker, I worried about offending her.  Never
again."  He smiled.  "Allyson said you smoke, too.  Obviously," he added,
pointing to the burning cigarette between her fingers.  "To be honest, I
wouldn't be interested if you didn't smoke."

   She blushed again.  "It's strange that my smoking turned out to be a
plus."  She smiled.  "That's a first.  But I'm glad.  I feel a bit like a
teenager, I admit.  It's been awhile since I've dated, Steve.  I was married
for seventeen years.  So excuse me if I say anything unbelievably stupid."

   "Don't worry.  You're doing fine.  What do you say we order?  Do you want
some wine?"

   Two hours later, after several glasses of expensive wine and a delicious
dinner, they were still laughing over after-dinner drinks.  The waiter
emptied the ashtray often.  They smoked steadily all night.  She was thrilled
Steve smoked so heavily.  She never felt awkward lighting up; he did, too.
Smoking forged an immediate bond between them.  She was having a wonderful
time.  At one point, she almost pinched herself.  It was too good to be true!
Steve was charming, mature, witty, bright, and lots of fun.  He had kids, a
teenage son and daughter from his first marriage, but they lived with his
ex-wife.  He'd been divorced for a year.  As the evening wore on, she
sincerely hoped it would be the start of a friendship, and more.  Much more.

   The weather was warm.  After dinner, Steve suggested they walk around..
His restaurant was downtown.  For thirty minutes they wandered around the
theater district, gazing in shop windows and chatting about nothing.  She
wondered if Steve would make a move.  After wine with dinner and after-dinner
drinks, she was mellow.  Steve's presence was intoxicating.  She wanted him,
plain and simple.  It was probably bad form to fuck on your first date.  But
what the hell!  They weren't kids.  She grew hornier by the minute.  Her
panties were wet just holding his hand.  She desperately hoped he'd invite
her to his place.  But she didn't know how to tell him.

   "I should get you home," he finally said as they returned to the
restaurant parking area.  "It's late."  He opened the car door.  She slid in
and waited for him to get in the driver's side.

   He slid into his seat, turned the key and started the engine.  Hmm.  What
did he mean, late?  God, it was only ten!  She frowned.  Maybe he wasn't
interested in taking this to the next level.  She certainly was.  She had to
say something.  "I had a great time," she began warmly.

   He turned and smiled.  "Me, too," he said, with apparent sincerity.

   They pulled into traffic.  Her heart was racing.  Shit!  She did not want
to go home.  She wanted him.  What if he didn't take the initiative?  She had
to do something, and soon.  Okay.  She'd take the first step.  Oh, God!  She
nervously opened her purse with shaking fingers and got another cigarette,
nestling it between trembling lips.  She took a breath.  Yes.  She'd do it!
But first she wanted - no, needed - some nicotine to give her courage.

She clicked her lighter.  As the flame connected, she dragged extra hard.
Without stopping, she began a second drag, saturating her lungs with
mentholated smoke, which she pulled deep inside her lungs.  Her uneasiness
dissolved as nicotine flowed through her system.  "Hey, Steve," she sighed
apprehensively.  "Can I ask you an honest question?"

Steve looked at the lovely brunette smoking in his passenger seat beside him.
She seemed strangely anxious.  Smoke streamed from her mouth and nose and
languidly danced in the reflected glare of oncoming headlights.  "Sure," he
smiled reassuringly.  "What is it?"

   Bethany spoke softly and firmly.  Enveloped in a smoky haze, her pretty
face looked remarkably inviting.  "Do you want to fuck me tonight?"

   "What?"  Astonishment filled Steve's voice.  He looked like he'd been
shot.

   She smiled warmly.  "C'mon.  Don't act surprised."  She pulled on her
Newport and breathed the smoke into her lungs.  "I want to know.  Do you want
to fuck me?  Because I'd like to fuck you.  In fact, I'd fuck you right here
and now, in the car.  What do you say to that?" She turned her head and
released a stream of smoke.

   "Wow," he gasped.  He smiled.  "You don't waste any time, do you?"

   "No," she replied.  "Steve, in a couple years I'll be forty.  I don't have
time to waste.  I like you.  You're a great guy.  I haven't gotten laid in a
while.  Being with you has made me horny.  I'd love to go back to your place
with you and have us fuck our brains out."

   Steve looked elated.  "Light me a cigarette?"  The request was a
non-sequitor, but he asked with a smile.  She nodded her agreement.  With her
left hand she reached and removed the pack of B&H 100's from his jacket.  As
she did, she slowly stroked his chest.  He silently smiled.

   Freeing a cigarette from his pack, she put it in her mouth with her left
hand while holding her own cigarette with her right one.  But lighting his
was too hard while holding hers.  So, she put her Newport in her lips, too.
She flicked her lighter, lit his cigarette, and simultaneously dragged on
both.  She looked over at Steve.  He was staring, and his right hand rested
on his cock.  It was greatly expanded inside his trousers.  Seeing this, she
smiled sweetly, took the fresh cigarette from her lips, and carefully placed
it in his mouth as she exhaled.  He sealed his lips around the filter and
began a long drag.  Before pulling her hand back, however, she dropped down
and put it on top of his, making several quick, thrusting moves over his
rock-hard penis.

   "Oh, God!  Don't do that," he moaned plaintively as he reluctantly pulled
her hand away.  "Or we'll have an accident."

   As she considered his excitement, she had to grin.  "My God!  You liked
seeing me with two cigarettes in my mouth at once," she whispered.  "Didn't
you?  Why was that?"

   His cigarette bobbed in his mouth.  "You look soo sexy when you smoke,
Bethany," he whispered.  "And, God!  Seeing you smoking two cigarettes at
once was more than I could stand.  It was too much.  It was hot!"

   She took a long, pensive hit on her Newport.  "Oh, really?" she asked
rhetorically.  She had a mischievous look in her eyes.  Leaning toward him,
she blew smoke in his face.  "I'd love to do lots of things to you that you
can hardly stand.  Does that sound good?"

   Smoke continued to swirl around his smiling features.  "Oh, God," he
sighed.  "You're unbelievable.  I didn't want to go too fast.  I thought you
weren't ready.  But I'm delighted."

   "Believe me, I'm ready," she reiterated eagerly, looking at her watch.
"It's only a little after ten.  As long as I'm home by one, there's no
problem."  She took another drag followed by a masterful nostril exhale.
"You know, I never smoked and fucked before.  It'd be fun to try."

   Steve turned the wheel of his BMW and sighed.  "It'll be marvelous," he
assured her.

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   Bethany and Steve had great sex..  She and Bruce had only gone through the
motions of making love.  With him, there was no passion, and no satisfaction
of deep sexual desire.  But with Steve, it was different.  They were like
teenagers in heat.  They did it in his bedroom, and followed shortly
thereafter with a repeat performance on his living room floor.  She'd gone
into the living room to get her cigarettes after the initial love-making.
She'd lit up and, without thinking, took two consecutive drags clothed in
nothing but her underwear.  Steve had followed her.  After watching, he
attacked.  He playfully wrestled her to the ground, kissing and caressing her
half-dressed body that still tingled from their first round.  She smoked as
he removed her bra, licked her tits and rubbed her clit.  The sexual
stimulation, combined with smoke inside her body, aroused her.  He proceeded
with foreplay while she smoked.  His penis soon regained its strength and he
was inside her again.  This time she rode on top in a quasi-sitting position.
She smoked the whole time, while he thrust inside her.  Like wild animals,
they fucked for pleasure, without embarrassment or restraint.  She finished
her cigarette and lit a second one from the first's butt.  It drove him wild.
He thrust harder and deeper.  She kept the cigarette in her mouth, dragging
and exhaling through her nose while their bodies moved together in sexual
rhythm.

Finally, Steve came with a loud cry.  Sensing it, she climaxed, too, and
hard.  Waves of pleasure rolled over her exhausted body, filled as she was by
his cum and her smoke.  For both, fucking on the floor was stimulating and
exciting.  Her smoking obviously turned him on.  She determined to use it,
and his obsession with watching her smoke, to their mutual advantage.

   For several weeks, Steve and Bethany acted like out-of-control teenagers.
He called constantly, visited often, and frequently stayed over.  All three
daughters supported their mother's new relationship.  They kidded her about
being a lioness in heat, but were glad she was enthusiastic.  Having a fifth
smoker around the house was no problem.  Bethany worried about how Steve
stared at Belinda, Brenda and Barbi when they smoked.  His fascination was
not reserved for her.  If her teenagers lit up, he watched 'em like a hawk.
But she wasn't concerned.  He saved his lustful attention for her.  She grew
accustomed to his fetish.  It didn't frighten her.  It pleased her.  She
could stimulate and satisfy him with something she loved, too.  To please
him, she made it a point to smoke two Newports concurrently when they made
love.  The additional nicotine rush from having two at once complemented her
sexual arousal.  She loved to smoke and fuck.  She wondered how she'd managed
to make love without smoking before.

   Soon Steve became a regular part of their life.  Allyson was glad, and
Bethany was delighted.  Barbi, Brenda and Belinda, too, grew to enjoy Steve's
company.

   With the publicity surrounding the anti-smoking bill, it got harder for
Bethany and the girls to avoid the media.  Bethany had given a few initial
interviews to the local paper and TV stations.  Not all went well.  She soon
discontinued commenting publicly.  Some stories emphasized her cavalier
attitude toward teen smoking.  These were critical of Bruce, too, but she
didn't like being portrayed as a bad parent just because of her views on
teenage smoking.  So she got an unlisted phone number.  In addition, she
didn't mention Barbi's smoking habit to anyone.  It was one thing for the
media to talk about the twins.  They were sixteen.  But she'd be in for even
more criticism about Barbi, who was only fourteen and a smoker.

   Brenda and Belinda found it hard to work at the restaurant.  The media
followed them incessantly.  At last they decided to quit their jobs.  It was
too stressful.  Reporters frequently came to the restaurant seeking to
interview them at work.  Barbi dropped her art classes, too.  Not smoking for
several hours was stressful enough.  Being chased by reporters made it worse.

   One afternoon, the three girls were stir-crazy, sick and tired of being
restricted.  They wanted to go out somewhere to eat.  Of course, they wanted
to go where they could smoke, too.  Even Barbi was adamant.  She was sick of
slinking around, hiding at home.

   Bethany sympathized.  Hiding was hard.  But where in the city could they
go without risking media attention?  She thought.  Suddenly, she had an
answer.  It was obvious.  She quickly made a phone call.  She announced to
the girls the whole family was going to dinner.

   The Interstate Diner was busy, as always.  Truckers and other regulars
populated the place.  Bethany, Belinda, Brenda and Barbi entered about five
thirty.  Alice was there.  She shepherded them to a booth far away from the
front window.

   "So, there are your girls, Beth?" she asked in amazement.  "My God, I'd
never guess you were old enough to have such sophisticated, mature-looking
daughters."  She winked at Barbi.  "You must be the oldest," she teased.

   "Yeah," Barbi answered shyly.  "I'm 25 this year!"

   "I bet you are," Alice laughed.  The four women seated themselves.  "Beth,
it's just like we talked about.  Bill's got one of the boys at the front
door.  No media people comin' here today.  I guarantee you." She giggled.
"My God, we had no idea it was you that they was talking 'bout on TV.  I
wondered what happened, why you stopped coming in here.  Now I know." She
turned to the girls.  "You mom's been coming in for years, girls, drinking
coffee and smokin' with us.  We don't care nothin' 'bout all that
anti-smoking nonsense on TV.  Bill and I think people should live and let
live.  So if you little girls want to smoke, you go right ahead."  She
pinched Barbi.  "Go ahead.  You girls are like old friends as far as we're
concerned.  We'll take care of you."

   Bethany grinned.  "Girls, you heard, Alice.  Go ahead.  Believe me, she
runs this place with an iron hand.  If she says you can smoke, you can
smoke!"

   One by one, each of her daughters cautiously lit up.  Bethany did, too.
In minutes, all four were smoking cigarettes and laughing.  It was nice to be
out of the house together.

   "If there's one place where people understand old fashioned,
non-conformists," she told her daughters, "this is it.  Unlike your dad's
intellectual, snobbish politicos, folks in this diner are down-to-earth.  All
of 'em work for a living.  Most of 'em smoke.  For those who don't, they
don't give a shit whether anybody else does.  For years Alice let me come in
and smoke while I drank coffee and ate sweet rolls.  If she says no media
folks will come in, count on it."

   Out the front window, a large, bearded, burly man, with a pack of
cigarettes in his breast pocket, stood guard at the door.  No one suspicious
entered unless cleared by Alice.

   The girls enjoyed a simple but pleasant dinner, smoking and laughing.
While they ate, a television set in the diner droned endlessly in the
background.

   "Channel seven news has learned the recent anti-smoking legislation, known
as the Bennett bill, the focus of much recent scandal, will be withdrawn from
the statehouse floor tomorrow.  Public health officials will hold a press
conference decrying the withdrawal.  But sponsors privately admit the bill
has no chance of passage this term.  Eager to distance themselves from the
growing scandal involving Bruce Bennett, shown here outside his downtown law
firm, sponsors may re-introduce the bill next term in scaled down form.
Meanwhile, ethics investigators remain mum whether disciplinary charges will
be filed against Bennett for allegedly abusing his position as legislative
drafter for personal benefit.  Bennett filed for custody of his daughters in
a pending divorce proceeding.  Two of his daughters allegedly smoke.  The
controversial bill would make teenage smokers subject to arrest and
prosecution, and make adults who assist them criminally chargeable.  These
provisions were allegedly included by Bennett to gain strategic advantage in
his custody battle."

   "In other news, channel seven news has learned that Judge John Allen,
shown here in a recent photo, will announce tomorrow his resignation from the
judicial bench to pursue the governor's office in next year's primary.
Sources close to the Judge, a long time behind-the-scenes figure in state
Democratic politics, say the respected jurist will seek statewide office.
Sources say his ticket will emphasize traditional Democratic ideals, such as
empowering women, minorities, the poor, and the like.  No word on how he
feels about the governor's anti-smoking crusade.  But Judge Allen's wife,
Allyson, is active in smokers' rights groups.  Political experts believe the
Judge has an excellent chance of unseating the incumbent governor in the
primary."

   As the TV switched to a commercial, Bethany turned toward her daughters.
She smiled and exhaled a long stream of smoke into the air.  Belinda, Brenda
and Barbi each did likewise.  She was happy.  She was happy for them and
happy for herself.

She'd come out.  She felt like a real smoker again.  Her three precious girls
were following her footsteps, and enjoying themselves in the process.  She'd
left behind Bruce and his anti-smoking bullshit.  Good riddance!  With the
Judge's intervention, the anti-smoking lobby suffered a serious setback.
Almost as important, she was building a promising relationship with Steve
Anderson, a man who loved her because she was a smoker, not in spite of it.
Yes, life had never been better.  Coming out was the smartest thing she'd
ever done!

THE END

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