Cross Cultural Experience, Part 4

This fictional account contains adult language and themes.  If such language
and themes offend you, please do not read further.  Copyright 2000 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.  Thanks to AZ-MAN and STOGIE-MAN for their support,
ideas and encouragement.

CROSS CULTURAL EXPERIENCE 

4.	Return to Paradise.

   Lauren, Jim and Giorgia didn't realize anything unusual was transpiring
upstairs.  They were intent on their movie, and never noticed Tom and Cindy's
long, unexplained absence.  In fact, the movie was so compelling that,
without realizing it, Giorgia began chain-smoking.  By the time Tom and Cindy
came down to the family room, the young Italian girl was on her fourth
consecutive cigarette, and the air was thick with smoke.

   "Wow, someone call the fire department," Cindy joked, laughing and waving
her hands in the air.  "God, maybe we _should_ open the door to the porch."
It was a reference to Giorgia's earlier suggestion.  Cindy unlocked the back
door and, when she opened it, in came a blast of cold air.  "Oh, shit," she
mumbled in response to the sudden gust.  Giorgia thought the remark was
directed at her smoking.  "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Martin," she apologized.  "I
didn't mean to abuse the privilege.  I was so interested in the movie, I
started to smoke too much.  But it won't happen again, I assure you."  She
started to put out her cigarette.

   Cindy smiled and shook her head.  "Don't put that out!  It's no problem,"
she reassured her.  She seemed completely at ease.  "Look, I don't mind your
smoke.  I said that earlier, and I meant it.  I just thought it'd be good to
get some air circulating in here."  A chill gripped the room as cold air
continued to pour in.  "But then, maybe not," she laughed, closing the door
again.  "Unless someone's bothered by all this smoke, it's okay with me.  Are
you guys okay with it?"

   "Hey, I'm used to it, Mom," Lauren allowed.  "I live with Giorgia,
remember?"

   Cindy smiled knowingly.  "Yes, I'm sure you _are_ used to it." Momentarily
she wondered if Lauren had also taken up the nasty habit.  But remarkably,
that possibility no longer troubled her.  "How about you, Jim?  Are you okay
with it?"  She turned her gaze to her son.

   "I told you yesterday, Mom, I've been smoking for awhile now.  Smoke
doesn't bother me."  In fact, in one sense it _did_ bother him, because he
wanted a cigarette, too.  Being around Giorgia's smoke was driving him crazy.
In that sense, her smoking bugged the hell out of him.  But he didn't want to
say that.  "No, I'm cool with it," he added blithely.

   Cindy smiled.  "Yeah, you _did_ say you smoke now, didn't you?"  Her tone
was oddly cheerful.  Without further comment she gathered some dirty dishes
to carry to the kitchen.  "You know, I've been thinking about that," she went
on.  Then she dropped a bombshell.  "Jim, it's okay with me if you smoke in
here with Giorgia.  Your dad doesn't mind, and I guess I don't, either.
After all, you're eighteen.  You're old enough to smoke if you want."

   Jim couldn't believe his ears.  Lauren, too, was dumbfounded.  For years
their mom had always been a fanatical critic of smoking.  But now here she
was, congenially telling Jim that he could smoke in the house if wanted to!
And she said it like she couldn't care less if he did.

   Something significant had happened, Giorgia knew.  Before Jim could
respond, she grabbed her pack of Marlboro Lights 100s and offered him a
cigarette.  She couldn't let the opportunity pass!  "Here, Jim," she said
with a smile.  "Want to have one with me right now?"

   Jim was still stunned.  "Uh, yeah," he stammered.  "Sure."  He hesitantly
took the cigarette, waiting for his mom to start screaming and say she was
kidding.

   But Cindy said nothing of the sort.  Instead, she just smiled and stared.
"Well?  What are you waiting for, Jim?  Are you going to light that thing up,
or not?"

   "Mom, are you sure this is okay?"  The unlit cigarette rested between his
fingers.  "I mean, I don't get it.  You've always been such . . . ."

   "Such a bitch about smoking?"  She laughed as she finished his sentence
for him.  "Yes, I've been a real bitch for years, dear.  That's absolutely
right.  But today Giorgia helped me understand something.  I need to learn to
accept the inevitable.  I was a smoker once, too, you know, so I know how it
is.  You never quit smoking unless you really want to, and you said you don't
want to.  So I may as well let you smoke in the house.  Right?"

   "Uh, right," Jim answered.  Before he could say more, Giorgia clicked her
lighter and held the flame before his face.  She wanted to seize the occasion
before Cindy changed her mind.

   "C'mon, Jim," Giorgia smiled coyly.  "Smoke one with me.  I'd like the
company."

   Astonishingly, Cindy added some encouragement of her own.  "Yeah, go
ahead, Jim," she urged pleasantly.  "I want to see this."

   At that point Jim could hardly refuse, and truthfully he didn't want to.
He wanted to smoke.  So despite his embarrassment, he accepted the light and
took his first-ever puff in front of his mom.  Cindy nodded approvingly as
she saw his cheeks hollow.  "God, you weren't kidding, were you?" she asked
rhetorically.  "You seem to know what you're doing, Jim!"

   As he exhaled, he kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.  But it never
did.  After he finished exhaling an initial cloud of smoke, Cindy casually
returned to the kitchen and began working on dinner.  To his surprise, she
was smiling broadly and humming.

   Lauren was shocked.  She expected the worst after hearing about her mom's
standoff with Giorgia over smoking.  Whatever else this latest incident
meant, her mom obviously wasn't going ballistic about Jim's smoking.  Quite
the contrary.  She seemed completely blasé about it.

   In the meantime, Giorgia was delighted.  Her morning encounter with Cindy
had brought about the desired effect after all.  Now she felt sure Cindy had
decided to start smoking herself, too.  But whether or not she would smoke,
her change of heart had now removed any impediment to Jim partaking.  And
that meant Lauren, too, no longer had an excuse not to try smoking.  Giorgia
happily went out to the back porch to retrieve her large ashtray.  "We won't
need to keep this on the back porch any more, will we?" she asked
rhetorically.  "Now we can both use it in here together.  Can't we, Jim?"
She flirtatiously batted her eyes.

   Overhearing Giorgia's comment, Cindy yelled from the kitchen.  "Yes,
that's fine, Giorgia.  I meant to suggest that, actually.  You'll need a
large ashtray in here.  You can't very well keep using empty pop cans, can
you?"  Giorgia had used pop cans as ashtrays all afternoon.

   Tom was delighted.  His lovely wife did just what he hoped, and having all
the ambient smoke in the air would make it hard for her not to give in and
smoke with them.  He was sure Cindy understood what she was doing by letting
Giorgia and Tom smoke.  The more she smelled the delightful aroma of their
cigarettes, the sooner she'd have to surrender and join in.  And Tom wanted
her to succumb to this newly rejuvenated desire for a cigarette.  Now that
he'd seen her smoke, he liked it.  The sight of his pious, devout wife
dragging hard on a long, white cigarette, as if her life depended on it,
created a strange stirring in his groin.  It was similar to the pleasure he
felt hearing her talk dirty.  Seeing her frantically need to smoke, and then
uncontrollably abandon herself to the completely irrepressible cravings, gave
him a strange, illicit satisfaction.  It seemed wonderfully inconsistent with
her strong Catholic spirituality.  He liked seeing his wife's wilder side.
A lot!

   Cindy made no move to smoke before supper, but Tom and Giorgia both had a
second cigarette before eating.  After Thanksgiving leftovers and another
bottle of wine, Tom suggested they play a board game.  Giorgia had never
played Monopoly before.  They got out the family's Monopoly board and
gathered at the kitchen table.  Tom was sure Giorgia, and Tom, too, would
smoke while they played.  He hoped sitting with the two teens smoking would
push his wife over the edge once and for all.  Giorgia put the large ashtray
she'd been using squarely between herself and Jim on the table, and brought a
fresh pack of Marlboro Lights 100's with her.

   Playing the game pleased Giorgia.  She guessed Tom's goal was the same as
her own, namely, to keep Cindy ensconced in a smoke-filled room where the
temptation to smoke would soon prove irresistible.  She didn't know why, but
she was sure Tom supported her plan.  She could feel it.  And she was
confident that, in due course, this would produce the desired result, and
Cindy would smoke again in front of everyone.

   As they played, wine continued flowing.  Giorgia deliberately smoked more
than usual.  She was almost chain-smoking, and subtly encouraged Jim to keep
pace.  She wanted the room to be thick with smoke, and she passed Jim her
pack each time she lit up.  He didn't need much encouragement.  Soon he was
smoking constantly, too.  Then Tom fired up a cigar.  

   Cindy made no comment when Tom lit up.  It seemed she almost expected him
to have one.  The room was now a smoker's paradise.  Both Tom and Giorgia
hoped Cindy would give in and join them by asking for a cigarette.  And under
the circumstances, it seemed very likely.

   But for awhile, nothing of the sort happened.  Then Giorgia asked Tom for
a puff of his Maestoso.  Everyone had had several glasses of wine.  No one
was drunk, but everyone was acting a little goofy.  Tom made a big production
of giving Giorgia his cigar.  With a flourish the Italian girl put her
cigarette in the ashtray and put the long, brown stogie in her pretty red
lips.  She took a long, extended drag and lightly inhaled.  Passing it back
to Tom, she tipped her head and blew a thick cloud of smoke straight up in
the air.  "That is so good," she sighed.  "It is a very nice complement to
smoking cigarettes."  She surveyed the table.  "Honestly, you all should try
it at least once.  I'm serious."  Her eyes stopped at Cindy.  They exchanged
knowing smiles.

   Cindy was no dim-wit.  She knew what Giorgia was doing, and she knew Tom
wanted her to give in.  It was a scenario where she, Cindy, could easily save
face and ask to smoke, but it wouldn't seem premeditated.  Giorgia's
borrowing of Tom's cigar would make it easy for Cindy to similarly "borrow" a
cigarette from Giorgia.  After Tom got his cigar back, Cindy was ready.

   She took a big sip of wine, designed to bolster her courage.  She cleared
her throat and spoke.  "Look, can I say something?  Let's cut the crap.
Everybody here knows what's going on.  It's no secret.  You all know I'm
going to smoke a cigarette here in a minute.  So let's not pretend it's a
shock when it happens.  Okay?"

   No one said a word.  Everyone waited for Cindy to go on.  For several
seconds she stared at each of them.  Before continuing, she took a deep
breath of the smoky air and then sighed.

   "Let me say something.  You all know this, but I'll say it anyway.  This
morning I smoked a cigarette with Giorgia.  It was my first one in
twenty-five years.  She dared me to, and I took her up on the challenge." She
looked around.  Still no one spoke.

   "I intended to teach Giorgia a lesson," she went on.  "Giorgia told me
that smoking is wonderfully enthralling, and that anti-smokers like me should
get off her case, because we don't understand the allure of her habit.  She
said the charm of smoking cigarettes is totally irresistible, despite all the
health risks.  Like I said, she dared me to smoke one with her.  She was sure
I'd be sucked back into my old habit, even after twenty-five years.  I wanted
to show her she was wrong, that will power and good sense can resist the
temptation to smoke.  I wanted to show her I _could_ overcome nicotine's
wicked power to seduce me.  Well, I have to admit, Giorgia was right, and I
was flat-out wrong.  After smoking, at first I felt really proud of myself.
I smugly crushed out that cigarette in the ashtray and told her off.  But my
smugness wouldn't last.  The experience was too captivating.  She's right;
it's irresistible!  I couldn't stop thinking about smoking the whole rest of
the day.  Finally, this afternoon, I had another cigarette, secretly,
upstairs in my room.  I couldn't help it.  I'm not proud of that, but I did
it.  I didn't intend to smoke again.  I didn't want to.  I thought my will
power would be strong enough to resist.  But it wasn't.  I was mistaken.  I
needed a cigarette.  I didn't just want one; I _needed_ one, God damn it.
Tom stole one for me from your pack, Giorgia, when he went down the basement.
He wasn't fixing a loose bolt with that screwdriver.  The only loose screw is
the one in my head."

   Cindy soberly shook her head and continued with a sigh.  "I'm not stupid.
I _know_ why you guys wanted us to play Monopoly here in the kitchen.  You
wanted me in a smoke-filled room.  You figured sooner or later I'd have to
give in and join you.  Well, you're right.  I don't have the will to resist
your wicked little plan.  I set myself up to fall, and I knew I was doing it,
when I told you kids to smoke in the house.  I was cooking my own goose, but
I couldn't stop myself.  I wanted to smell your smoke.  It's intoxicatingly
delicious.  So, this is it.  You win.  Yes, I give up.  I admit it.  It's
driving me fuckin' crazy to be here with the three of you smoking up a
storm."  She paused, and again, no one spoke.

   She raised her wine glass to her lips.  "Okay, Giorgia," she muttered,
after taking a big sip.  "This is it.  I'm officially asking.  May I have one
of your cigarettes?  Please?  I really need one.  I know you understand.
Don't you?"

   Giorgia smiled.  "Si.  I mean, yes, of course I understand.  Here." She
held out her pack.  It was the moment Giorgia waited for.  All her scheming
the last few days was aimed at this moment, at this result.  Cindy slowly
reached out her hand and pulled out one single, solitary, all-white, one
hundred millimeter cigarette.  She held it between shaking fingers.

   She sighed.  "I'm going to smoke again, but only because I can't help
myself.  Unlike some of you, I'm not proud of it.  I'm only smoking because I
can't help myself.  It's not because I approve, and I'd never encourage
anyone else to smoke."  She glared at her son and daughter.

   Cindy looked miserable, but she forced a polite smile.  "Giorgia, can I
have a light?"  Without emotion the Italian girl handed her the disposable
lighter.  With resignation the older woman quietly made the sign of the
cross.  She clicked Giorgia's lighter and put the unlit cigarette in her
waiting lips.  The lighter's flame hit the tip.  Her cheeks hollowed as she
handed the lighter back to Giorgia.  It was a big drag.  Cindy sucked the
smoke deep into her lungs and waited.  After several seconds she slowly
exhaled a long stream of smoke through pursed lips.  As she did, her face was
magically transformed.  A smile erupted while the smoke escaped from her
lips.  "Oh God," she gasped.  "This does taste damn good, doesn't it?"

   Jim spoke.  "Mom, I'm sorry you feel conflicted.  I know it's not easy for
you.  You've been a vocal critic of smoking for a long time.  It's got to be
hard to switch sides and come back.  I understand that.  I just hope you can
enjoy it.  It'd be a shame to smoke but not like it."

   Cindy still smiled, albeit involuntarily.  "Oh, don't worry about that.  I
like it.  That's the problem.  I like it too much.  At your age, honey, I
smoked thirty cigarettes every day.  Now I suppose that'll happen all over
again," she sighed.  "God, I just hope I can control myself better this
time around.  But I don't know if that's possible, to be honest."  She took
another big drag and inhaled the smoke in her lungs.  "No, I love to smoke,
Jim," she went on during a contented hold.  "I'm in heaven right now, to be
blunt.  This cigarette tastes wonderful."  She directed another plume of
exhaled smoke into the air.  "Too wonderful!"

   "Well, okay, then," Tom interrupted, trying to break the tension in the
air.  "Everyone is smoking now.  That's a change.  But from now on I look
forward to enjoying my cigars, and maybe even an occasional cigarette, here
in my house.  Cindy may not fully agree with me, at least not yet, but I want
to thank you, Giorgia.  I'm glad you helped us resolve this."  He smiled
warmly at his wife.  "Don't worry, Cindy.  You'll come around.  The pleasure
of smoking again will soon overshadow any lingering regrets you have."

   "Hey, Dad, wait a minute," Lauren objected.  "What about me?  I don't
smoke."

   "Oh?" Tom seemed surprised.  "Honey, I didn't know.  I guess I just
assumed that after living with Giorgia you'd have . . . . 

   "Well, I haven't!  And after hearing Mom, I don't know if I want to,
either."  She stood up, visibly upset.  "You guys tricked Mom into smoking
again, and she's not happy about it.  I think it sucks!"

   Giorgia was lighting up a fresh cigarette.  "Lauren," she said, with her
cigarette dangling from her lips.  "That's not fair to your mother, or to us.
Look at the smile on her face."

   They glanced at Cindy.  It was true.  In the midst of another long,
luxurious drag from her cigarette, her round face mirrored pure bliss.

   Giorgia smiled.  "If that is what being pissed looks like, then I want to
be pissed all the time!"  She took a long drag on her cigarette and sucked
the smoke inside.  "Everyone else here likes to smoke, Lauren.  If they
didn't, they wouldn't do it.  Your mother is merely struggling to come to
grips with how much she enjoys it.  Isn't that right, Mrs. Martin?  I mean,
Cindy."

   Cindy exhaled a long stream.  Giorgia simultaneously released one of her
own.  The smoke from their two exhales mingled in the air between them.
Cindy was calmer now, and growing mellower by the minute.  She smiled as she
turned to Lauren.

   "Sweetie, I'm afraid Giorgia is right."  Wisps of smoke continued to come
from her mouth.  "I still feel conflicted.  But it's true that the more I
smoke, the less upset I feel.  My God, nicotine is such a wonder drug!" She
tapped some ashes in the ashtray and smiled again.  "Don't worry about me.
I'll get over it, I'm sure.  Don't take up an offense on my account."

   "God, I can't deal with this," Lauren blurted out.  "My mom's personality
is changing before my eyes!  One minute she's pissed, the next she's in
heaven.  Finish the Monopoly game without me!  I'm going upstairs to bed!"
She turned and stormed out of the room.

   Cindy reacted first.  "Oh, my God.  This is my fault!"  She puffed
nervously on her cigarette.  "I don't want Lauren to feel pressured by what's
happening to me.  But she shouldn't start to smoke if she hasn't already
started."  She tipped her head and exhaled straight up.

   Giorgia smiled.  "But why not?  You say she shouldn't smoke, but I don't
understand why.  You love it so much, Cindy.  Admit it.  You do."

   "Yeah, I know I do," she blushed.  "I do love it, more than anything."
She tapped an ash into the ashtray and stared thoughtfully at the burning
cylinder between her fingers.   "But I _shouldn't_ love it; I know that.
That's why I'd hate to see Lauren start."

   Giorgia enjoyed an exaggerated drag of her own.  "You are a puzzle to me,"
she said with a pixyish smile.  "When I enjoy something, I encourage my
friends to partake in the same pleasure.  Always.  But even though you enjoy
smoking, you don't want your daughter to share that enjoyment with you."  She
exhaled through her nostrils.  "I don't know about anyone else, but I would
like to see Lauren smoke," she stated resolutely.  "It is a wonderful thing
for anyone to enjoy.  I don't want her to miss out on this wonderful pleasure
we all enjoy."

   "God, I don't know," Cindy confessed, shaking her head.  "I'm just not
thinking clearly.  I hear what you're saying, Giorgia.  I like smoking, and
I'm sure Lauren would, too."  She hesitated.  "But I also know the long-term
risks, and they're not pretty."

   "The real long-term risk is missing something you would enjoy very much,"
countered the pretty Italian.  "And I think you overstate the health risks.
People often do when they discuss smoking.  None of us will die tomorrow.
Medical science advances every day.  Lauren might be missing out on years of
smoking enjoyment for nothing!"

   "God, I just don't know," Cindy admitted with a heavy sigh.  She _wanted_
to agree with Giorgia, but couldn't quite bring herself to.  She looked at
the cigarette in her hand.  "I admit, it's great to be smoking again!  I
just have such mixed feelings about it."  She drew again on her cigarette.
"But not mixed enough to make me stop doing this," she added with a wry
smile.

   Giorgia stood.  "There!  Don't you see?  That's the answer.  You just cast
your vote.  For you, Cindy Martin, the advantages of smoking, the wonderful
pleasure and the great enjoyment you have, these things completely outweigh
the supposed disadvantages.  You admit it.  That's good.  And that's all
Lauren needs to hear."  She slipped her Marlboro Lights 100's into the pocket
of her sweater.  With her half-finished cigarette in hand, she headed for the
staircase.  "And that's what I'm going to tell her right now."

   Tom had been quiet during the discussion, but he interrupted Cindy's
half-hearted attempt to stop Giorgia from following Lauren upstairs.  "Let
her talk to her," he counseled.  "Lauren's got a decision to make.  Of course
we'll support her whatever she decides.  But everyone else in this family
will be smoking from now on, including you, Cindy.  Our little Italian friend
is right.  We all enjoy it.  Especially you," he added with a sly grin.  "Let
Giorgia talk Lauren through the issues.  We should stay out of it.  I think
that's best."

   "Okay," Cindy sighed reluctantly.  "But Giorgia.  Just one thing before
you go."

   "What's that?"

   She grinned sheepishly.  "Can I have another cigarette before you go talk
to Lauren?  I've finished this one, and I'd really like another one.  I'll
buy you a pack tomorrow, to pay you back."

   Now it was Giorgia's turn to smile.  Taking her pack from her pocket, she
held it out to Lauren's mother.  "No need to repay me," she said graciously
as Cindy took another cigarette.  "In fact, take two.  You know, just in
case," she added with a twinkle in her eye.  "I am always happy to help a
smoker in need.  And I can see you are a smoker again.  Don't worry.  I have
a whole carton downstairs.  Go down to my room and help yourself."

   Cindy lit her new cigarette from the butt of her old one.  "Thanks," she
sighed, gratefully releasing an initial puff of smoke from the corner of her
mouth.  She extinguished the first butt in the ashtray.  "God, this is good!"
She smiled while exhaling another thick stream of the smoky vapor.  "I
probably shouldn't say this, but good luck with Lauren."  She was grinning.

   "Thank you," Giorgia smiled in response to her implicit signal of support.
She manicured her own cigarette in the ashtray before leaving.  "Lauren and I
have talked many times about smoking.  She knows what I think.  But with you
smoking now, she has new information to consider.  Whatever decision she
makes is fine with me."  She wanted to sound magnanimous, but the statement
wasn't true.  She had no intention of letting Lauren off the hook; not this
time!

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

   She bounded up the stairs to Lauren's room.  On the way Giorgia grabbed an
empty pop can to use as a makeshift ashtray.  All evening she'd thought about
what to say to her roommate in light of recent events.  It was now time to
say those them.

   She knocked on the bedroom door.  "Lauren, it's me, Giorgia," she called.
"Let me in."

   "Go away.  I'm pissed."

   Giorgia laughed.  "I don't know why.  You knew I would talk to your mom
this morning.  You knew I would try to convince her to smoke, and it worked.
She did.  Your dad and your brother are thrilled.  Even your mom is happy,
and she grows happier by the minute."  She waited.  No reaction.  "C'mon,
Lauren, let's talk," she urged.  "You know I won't give up."

   The bedroom door opened.  A distraught Lauren stared at her.  "C'mon in,"
she sighed.  "I suppose it'd be good for us to talk."  She eyed Giorgia's
cigarette.  She almost asked her to put it out, but decided not to.  She was
used to her roommate smoking.  It wasn't really a problem.

   Lauren's bedroom was beautiful.  The furniture was expensive.  Trophies
from her career as a high school lacrosse player covered one full shelf of
her bookcase.  Quite a few over-sized Pooh, Piglet and Eyore stuffed animals
looked at Giorgia from the twin beds.  Giorgia sat on the floor, and Lauren
returned to her place on her bed.

   "Tell me why you're upset, Lauren," Giorgia asked.  Her voice was full of
compassion.

   She tried to explain why her mother's smoking so unsettled her.  Her mom
was so firmly against smoking for so long, she explained.  She never thought
Giorgia could actually convince her to cross the line and take up her old
habit again.  And her mom's ambivalence bothered her.  She didn't like
seeing her suffer.  Natural compassion kicked in, she explained, which made
her mad at Giorgia, and mad at her brother and father, too, for assisting in
the devious plan.  "It's not completely your fault, I suppose," she conceded.
"But if you hadn't worked on Mom this morning, none of this would've
happened."

   By now Giorgia had finished her cigarette.  "You're right," she agreed,
rattling the butt around in the empty pop can.  "But I didn't _make_ it
happen.  I was only a catalyst, Lauren.  I helped both your dad and mom
re-discover what they want.  They want to smoke.  Both of them want it very
much.  There's no doubt."  She took a deep breath.  "And I think you want it,
too."

   Lauren startled.  "Why do you say that?"

   "I say it because you know how wonderful smoking is.  You live with me,
and you spend lots of time with Libby and Brigit.  You know how much we all
enjoy it, and how much pleasure smoking gives us.  In the last few months you
have observed how both Libby and Brigit matured in their cigarette habits,
from being little baby smokers, nothing but novices, into devoted and
committed nicotine addicts.  But those two girls have never been happier than
they are today.  In a short time you've now seen your mother experience a
similar transformation.  Do you know what she said to me when I came
upstairs?"  Giorgia smiled.  "She begged me for another cigarette, and she
lit it up before she'd finished her first one.  She loves to smoke, Lauren.
We all do.  That's the way smoking affects everyone.  And tonight's the
night for you to experience that for yourself.  Until now, you've only
watched others enjoy it.  But it's time for you to learn about the pleasures
of smoking firsthand."

   Lauren sniffled.  "The only reason I ever even thought about learning to
smoke in the first place was just to be closer to you, Giorgia," she
mournfully whimpered.  "I was jealous.  Jealous, because you, Libby, Brigit
and Steve shared something special that I didn't understand.  It was
something I couldn't share with you.  I felt so left out."

   "I know," Giorgia replied.  "And believe me, once you begin smoking,
Lauren, we will become much closer, I promise.  Smokers have a bond
non-smokers cannot understand.  We smokers experience in common the pleasure
of loving our cigarettes.  We share a satisfaction that comes from
understanding that relentless need to smoke.  If we go without for too long,
we share the longing of desperately wanting a cigarette, and the great joy of
satisfying our mutual desire by lighting up and smoking together.  Yes, it's
wonderful, Lauren.  Tonight I will teach you to share that pleasure with us.
Everyone else in this house is now a smoker.  Each and every one.  But you
can join us, Lauren, and become a smoker, too.  Right now!"

   Lauren's big eyes pled with her roommate.  "But do you really think Mom is
happy?  Despite what she said, are you sure she's not still upset?"

   Giorgia laughed.  "Trust me."  The lilt in her voice was intoxicating.
"Your mom is having a wonderful time downstairs.  It's an adjustment to start
smoking again, but she's enjoying it immensely."  She lowered her voice.
"She wished me good luck in coming up to see you."

   "She did?"  Lauren was on the verge of tears.  "So you think she won't
mind if I decide to smoke, too?"

   Giorgia shook her head.  "Don't be silly!  She will not mind.  Remember
what she said to Jim?  It shows how she feels about smoking.  What did she
say?  She urged him to smoke.  She _wanted_ to see him do it.  Did you see
the look on her face the first time he lit up in front of her?  She was _not_
pissed.  I think she's happy Jim is smoking.  She knows the pleasure he gets
from cigarettes.  And now she shares that pleasure with him.  It's wonderful.
Yes, dear, sweet, Lauren, your mother will be delighted to share that same
pleasure with you now.  She will not mind if you smoke.  Quite the contrary.
She expects it to happen, and in fact she wants it to."

   Lauren took a deep breath.  "I _do_ want to learn.  I've wanted to for a
long time," she blurted out.  "I wanted to learn to smoke the night I tried
it in our dorm room.  I wanted to like it.  I wanted to experience the
pleasure you guys talk about.  Pardon my language, but I think I just fucked
up!"

   Giorgia grinned and spoke softly.  "You did fuck up.  But we can fix that.
Tonight I will teach you how to smoke properly, one step at a time.  By the
time we are back at school Sunday night, you will be smoking just like Libby,
Brigit and me.  And you will enjoy it as much as we do.  I guarantee that to
you!"

   Lauren hesitated.  "Okay," she finally whispered.  Her countenance visibly
brightened, and a strange sense of excitement crept into her voice.  "Then
let's do it.  Right now!  Okay?"

   Instead of using the pop can, the girls got a glass soap dish from the
bathroom to use as a makeshift ashtray.  Both of them were visibly excited.
Giorgia was overjoyed.  She'd dreamed of teaching Lauren to smoke for weeks.
But Lauren was tickled, too.  Having finally made the decision, she sensed
Giorgia's eagerness and responded to it in kind.

   Giorgia explained to Lauren the ground-rules.  She showed her how to hold
a cigarette, how to puff on it, how to tap ashes in the ashtray, and so on.
She cautioned her not to inhale the smoke, at least until she got accustomed
to it.  After her briefing, the Italian girl lit two Marlboro Lights 100's.
She gave one to Lauren, who held it gingerly.  She watched it burn as Giorgia
reminded her what to do.  She had Lauren lightly puff without inhaling, and
she did.  It was successful.  Lauren had been constantly surrounded by
second-hand smoke for the last twenty four hours.  Her pulmonary system was
well-equipped to tolerate it, and she felt no adverse reaction from pulling
smoke into her mouth.  From her first cigarette, Lauren had eight or nine
uninhaled puffs with no adverse effects.

   As she finally crushed out her cigarette, Lauren felt excited.  Unlike the
last time, smoking the way Giorgia instructed wasn't hard.  It wasn't
pleasant, but Giorgia promised it would be if she stayed with it.  She
suggested Lauren wait an hour or two before trying again.  "The smoke, and
the nicotine in the smoke, is something your body is not yet used to.  It is
important to build up your tolerance gradually," she warned sagely.  She and
Giorgia decided to go back down to the family room.

   The Monopoly game had been long abandoned.  Everyone had migrated to the
family room to watch TV.  An amazing sight greeted Lauren's eyes as she and
Lauren walked in.  Her parents were on the couch, side by side.  Cindy's head
rested on Tom's shoulder, and his left arm was draped around her.  They
looked comfortable.  In Cindy's right hand was a lit cigarette.  Periodically
she would raise it to her lips for a long, slow drag, and then return it to
her side.  An ashtray was on the couch beside her.  Absent-mindedly, she
would tap ashes in it after each hit.  Thin streams of smoke dribbled from
her lips after each drag, slowly at first, faster as they picked up
intensity, and eventually petering out altogether.  From Lauren's vantage
point in the doorway, she saw her mother repeat this ritual several times.
She'd never seen her as mellow or as tranquil, so obviously happy.

   Tom was no longer smoking but, in a chair across the room, Jim had a
cigarette in his hand, too.  He was characterized by the same sense of
complete serenity.  Everyone looked content, and the family room was thick
with ambient smoke.  The full ashtrays by her mother and brother testified
that they'd been smoking heavily while the two girls were upstairs.

   At first no one noticed them in the doorway.  "Hi, guys," Lauren finally
called out.  Three heads turned toward them.

   "Oh, hi, honey," Cindy drawled warmly.  Her contentment was unmistakable.
"How are you doing?  I was a little worried about you, sugar."

   "I'm fine now," Lauren smiled.  She walked in and sat down.  Beside
Cindy's ashtray was a fresh pack of Marlboro Light 100's.  She'd accepted the
offer to help herself to a pack from Giorgia's carton.  Lauren gave them a
sheepish grin.  It was time for her announcement.  "Well, we did it.  I mean,
I did it."

   "No shit?" Jim interposed.  "You smoked?  How'd it go?"

   She blushed.  "Okay," she shrugged nonchalantly.  "I liked it.  Giorgia
says it's an acquired taste.  I guess that's true."  She immediately looked
for her mother's reaction.

   Cindy released a slow exhale through smiling lips.  "Honey, I hope you
didn't feel pressured by what I said before.  I'm sorry if I upset you.  I
just want you to be happy, sweetie.  That's all.  You do whatever makes you
happy.  Okay?  That's all I care about.  Honest."

   Lauren was fascinated to see smoke pouring from her mother's mouth.  She
had an unperturbed and peaceful expression on her face.  If Lauren had ever
wondered whether her mom was glad to be smoking, this picture was worth more
than a thousand words!

   "Thanks, Mom," Lauren smiled.  "I appreciate you being so open-minded.
I've been thinking about this a lot.  If you don't mind, even though it's not
good for me, I'd like to be a smoker, too, like the rest of you.  I mean, a
regular smoker, a real one."

   "That's just fine, honey," Cindy purred.  Effortlessly she raised her
cigarette to her lips and puffed again.  "I'm in no position to criticize
_that_ decision," she smiled.  "I understand completely.  I hate to admit it,
but you know what?  I haven't felt this good in twenty-five years."

   "I can tell," Lauren nodded.  More exhaled smoke cascaded from her
mother's contented lips.  "You seem so satisfied, Mom.  I've never seen you
look quite like this before."

   "I haven't felt this nice in a long time," she confirmed.  "God, I feel
good.  I'm not trying to talk you into it or anything but, honestly, I feel
_so_ incredibly good."  She nuzzled her head against Tom's shoulder.
"There's no doubt I'll keep smoking.  No doubt at all.  God, it makes me feel
great!  I'm sure you'll like it, sweetie.  It's the best!"

   "Yeah, I suspect I will like it, Mom.  I did smoke one cigarette
upstairs," she said proudly.  "Giorgia says all I need to do now is practice,
and take it slow.  Right, Giorgia?"

   Her roommate was busy lighting up.  "Oh, absolutely," she confirmed as she
took an initial drag from a fresh Marlboro Light 100.  She grinned at the
Martins.  "Lauren will be a committed smoker before you know it.  She handled
her first cigarette well, though she hasn't inhaled yet.  I suggested she
have one more tonight, and then we can work on it again tomorrow.  Then
Lauren will be ready to inhale, and take the last, most significant step on
the road to becoming a real smoker."  She exhaled a thick, creamy plume into
the already hazy atmosphere.  "Breathing the air in this house today has
prepared Lauren well," she added with a coy smile.

   "Lauren, honey, I think it's super," her dad confirmed.  "To be honest,
baby, you _should_ try out smoking.  Absolutely.  Some people might think
it's odd for me to say that.  But I honestly believe it.  And then, if you
like it, go ahead and join in.  We obviously won't mind."  He shot a sly grin
at Cindy.  "Your mom has lost her earlier opposition to it.  Right, honey?"

   "Yeah, most of it's gone," Cindy grinned.  "I'm still not as enthusiastic
about you kids smoking as your dad, but I admit, I'm sure as hell getting
there."  She took another long drag and inhaled deeply.  "God, there's
nothing like it," she sighed, releasing smoke from her mouth in the process.

   Jim piped up.  "Lauren, this is the coolest.  You have the best roommate
in the world.  And Giorgia, if you get Lauren to smoke, my hat's off to you.
I never thought it was possible."

   "And why not?" Lauren demanded, pretending to be miffed.

   "Because you're such a nerd," he teased.  He ducked as Lauren took a
pillow and threw it at him.  He laughed.  "Seriously, Sis, you'll love
smoking.  That's for sure.  Look at Mom; and me, too.  Maybe we'll even get
Dad to smoke cigarettes instead of those nasty cigars."

   "In your dreams, buster," Tom laughed.  He slowly untangled himself from
his wife and stood up.  "But right now, I'd _like_ another cigar.  Does
anyone mind?"

   Cindy shook her head.  "Yeah, like we care," she chuckled sarcastically.
"Go right ahead, dear.  You've been depriving yourself on my account for too
damn long.  So, enjoy!"  Cindy's voice sounded cheerful and satisfied.  She
looked at the two girls and smiled broadly.  "Lauren, purely out of
self-defense you might want to consider moving up your timetable for having
your second cigarette."  She motioned at the smoky haze that saturated the
room.  "Look at this place!  You don't even _need_ to light up.  Just sitting
in this room for awhile and breathing the air would make anyone nicotine
dependent," she laughed.

   Lauren looked at Giorgia.  "What do you think?  Is it okay?  Can I?
Everyone else is smoking," she said, with a pouting frown.  "I'm so tired of
being left out.  I want to join in.  Damn it!  I'm sick of being around
people who smoke without me.  I want to do it, too."

   "That's okay with me," Giorgia shrugged with a grin.  "Just don't overdo
it, Lauren."

   "I won't," she eagerly replied.  Lauren waited while Giorgia lit a
cigarette for her.  After her roommate handed it over, she took an initial
puff and blew the smoke out.  "Thank you so much," she beamed.  "You know
what?  I like it.  Honest, it tastes really good!"

   Amazed by her own lack of concern, Cindy Martin stared at Lauren.  Seeing
her little girl with a lit cigarette in her hand didn't upset her.  If
anything, there was a strange pleasure in seeing her begin to smoke.  She
expected to feel anxiety or trepidation seeing her little baby girl holding a
cigarette and blowing smoke through her pretty, young lips.  But instead, she
felt just the opposite.  She suddenly was glad for Lauren, glad to know she
stood on the threshold of a truly wonderful adventure.  Damn!  It was weird,
but Giorgia was right again.  She smiled and took another drag.  God, the
smoke felt so good inside her body!  Wow, she silently mused.  Coming back to
smoking had changed her whole attitude, more than she ever thought possible.

   Meanwhile, Lauren was completely enjoying herself.  She'd been around
smokers a lot the last few months.  But she'd never been happier than right
now.  For now she, too, had a cigarette in her hand.  At long last she was
part of the crowd, one of the gang.  And it felt good.  God, did it ever!
She slowly raised the lit cigarette to her lips for a slightly longer drag.
This time, instead of blowing the smoke right out, she waited a few seconds.
It wasn't an inhale, but the taste seemed to change as the smoke rolled
around in her mouth.  She liked it.  Finally, she blew it out.  She looked
around.  No one was paying much attention after her first couple puffs.

   All attention had focused on Tom's fresh cigar.  Having fired it up, he
regaled the others with an explanation of the pleasure of cigar smoking.  He
did it partly to deflect attention from his daughter.  Tom knew that, being a
real novice, Lauren might feel self-conscious smoking in front of her
parents.

   His plan to divert attention from Lauren worked.  No one noticed her
carefully raise the cigarette to her lips for a much more protracted drag.
Yes, she liked the feeling of drawing on a cigarette.  But this time, she was
determined to inhale.  She didn't want to wait another minute to experience
smoking just like everyone else did.  So instead of blowing the smoke out,
she breathed in slightly.  There was a tingle in her windpipe and lungs as
the smoke traveled inside her body.  But the feeling wasn't disagreeable, and
more important, she felt no impulse to cough.

   It stayed several seconds inside Lauren's virgin lungs.  She felt the
nicotine begin to surge through her system.  Her head started to spin.  She
knew what caused it, but it felt good.  Damn good!  She tipped her head, like
Giorgia did, pursed her lips, and exhaled a thin stream of smoke.  Unlike her
prior exhales, this one had both form and substance.  The smoke was under her
control as she thrust it through her lips and up into the air.  She liked
doing it.  It was cool!

   Lauren looked around.  Still no one was paying any attention to her.  They
were all laughing at Tom, who was pontificating on how to properly handle a
cigar.  Before puffing again, she loudly cleared her throat.  When everyone
turned to look, she took a long drag and carefully inhaled the smoke.  It
worked fine; no problem.  With everyone watching she jutted out her lower jaw
and expelled a thin, willowy cloud of smoke into the air.

   The significance of her action wasn't lost on her audience.  "Oh, my God,"
gasped her grinning mother.  "Oh, shit!  Lauren, you're doing it!  You're
inhaling now!"

   "Lauren," Giorgia scolded.  "I thought we agreed you'd wait until
tomorrow."

   "We did," Lauren smiled smugly, casually tapping an ash into the ashtray.
"But I didn't want to wait.  Why should I?  I can inhale, too." She giggled.
"And I like it.  It feels good."

   "God, that's great," Jim grinned.  "Now you're really smoking!  Do it
again.  I dare you."

   "Not too fast," Giorgia warned.  "Let's not overdo.  We don't want you
getting sick like happened the last time!"

   "Nonsense," Lauren chided.  "I want to do it again.  I like it.  I've
waited for months to do this.  I'm sure as hell not stopping now."  All eyes
were on her as she returned the cigarette to her waiting lips.  This time she
took an even longer drag, opened her mouth for a millisecond and then pulled
a large ball of smoke inside.  She offered her viewers a self-satisfied smile
as she held it in.  She felt nothing but pleasure, pure pleasure, and a great
sense of accomplishment.  

   She slowly released a jet of smoke into the air.  "Oh, my little baby
girl," Cindy exclaimed.  "Oh my God!  Now you're _really_ smoking!"
Impulsively she crossed the room to give her a hug.  The two women, mother
and daughter, embraced for several moments, each holding a burning cigarette.
Cindy looked at Lauren with tears in her eyes.  "And are you okay?"

   Lauren laughed.  "Mom, I'm great!  I've never felt better.  My head's
buzzing, but it feels good.  In fact, it feels great!  God, I can't believe
it!  I've finally learned to smoke!  This is so cool!"  Incredulity and joy
filled her voice.  "I thought this moment would never come.  Now I can share
the experience of smoking with all of you."  In particular she gazed
approvingly at her mom and her roommate.  "Thanks for being so supportive,
guys.  I really appreciate it."

   "No problem, honey," her father interrupted.  He put his cigar in his
mouth with a huge grin.  "Now that your mom is adjusted to the idea of all of
us smoking around here, things are definitely going to change in this family.
I can promise you that!"

   "And for the better," Lauren smiled.  "Definitely for the better!"

   She took several more puffs from her cigarette.  She was confident of her
ability to inhale, but took Giorgia's advice.  There was no sense in
overdoing her first night.  There'd be a lot of time to practice inhaling
again later.  She smiled to herself.  She'd be "practicing" this for the rest
of her life!

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

   Cindy and Tom snuggled in bed after the best sex they'd had in ages.  She
had several powerful orgasms while they made love for a long time.  She was
surprised and delighted both by Tom's enthusiasm and his staying power.
Something had really turned him on tonight.  In the afterglow, she decided to
ask him about it.

   "Hey, sweetie," she said softly, poking him in the dark.  "You were good
tonight.  You were like an animal."  

   "You weren't bad yourself, babe," Tom chuckled.  "I was afraid everyone in
the house would hear you, the way you were screaming there for awhile."

   She giggled.  "Something was different tonight, Tom.  You were really
turned on.  Tell me.  What was it?  Whatever it was, I liked it.  Was it
something special I did?"

   "Of course."  He rolled over and looked at his wife in the dark.  "But it
was two things, actually.  I've decided I like both of them.  I bet you know
what I'm talking about."

   "I have an idea," she coyly replied.

   "The first is, I love it when you talk dirty.  But you know that.  That's
not new.  We've talked about that for years.  However, usually you don't seem
comfortable doing it.  But tonight, something's changed.  Listening to you
talk when you were so upset this afternoon, here in the bedroom?  Man, it was
a real turn-on!  You swore and used the f-word constantly.  I fuckin' loved
it, Cindy.  There's just something about hearing you talk like that.  It
makes you seem like, like such a bad girl.  It makes me hot!"

   It was Cindy's turn to chuckle.  "You mean saying things like this?  That
you're a goddamn fuckin' piece of shit, you asshole?"

   Tom pinched her ass.  "Yeah, exactly."  He kissed her lips.  "I love that.
You know I do.  It was a pleasant surprise this afternoon.  And it didn't
stop there, either.  For the rest of the day you seemed to continue that kind
of talk every once in awhile.  It was great."

   "I'm glad you enjoyed it, you fucker," she laughed.  She touched herself
in the dark.  Tom was right.  For some reason, she didn't feel inhibited
anymore.  "God, Tom, I'll use the f-word all the time if you continue to
perform in bed like you did tonight.  It was so great."  She grinned.  "It
was _fuckin'_ great!"

   "It sure was!  But that's not all.  The second thing that turned me on
was seeing you smoke tonight," he went on.  "I don't know what it is, but
seeing you light up a cigarette and put it in your mouth over and over made
me want to put my hands all over you.  It was nice."

   "I'm glad you enjoyed that," she nodded with appreciation.  "Because I
enjoyed it, too.  Smoking again did make me feel good.  Damn good!  I felt
relaxed, stimulated, and happy all at once.  It was pure pleasure.  I feel a
little guilty admitting this, but the best thing was, I feel as if I deserve
it!  God, it was nice to smoke again!  I mean, it _is_ nice, because it's
not over."

   "And I think that's what turns me on the most.  It's seeing you so
determined to pleasure yourself, no excuses, no apologies.  That's a nice
change, Cindy.  Maybe it's your Catholic upbringing, but for years you've
been consumed with guilt.  Today, seeing you indulge yourself and enjoy it,
by smoking as much as you felt like it, was really wonderful."

   "I wanted to keep smoking cigarettes all night long," she admitted.  "I
just didn't want to deprive myself anymore.  It was a big thing for me to
admit, but once I did, it seemed real easy.  Yes, I do _want_ to smoke.  I
enjoy it.  Giorgia has taught me that that's okay."

   "It _is_ okay," he chuckled.  "And I'm happy having my cigars back." He
paused.  "But the big turn-on for me is watching you abandon yourself to the
pursuit of pleasure.  Smoking is a symbol, a symbol of your willingness to do
whatever makes you feel good, regardless of the consequences.  I like that,
Cindy.  I really like it.  So I like seeing you smoke.  It makes me want to
pleasure you in other ways."  He reached out in the darkness and began
stroking her breasts.

   Without warning, she got out of the bed and walked across the room.  "Hey,
where are you going?" Tom asked disappointedly.

   "Just a second," came the reply in the darkness.

   Suddenly a bright light hurt Tom's eyes.  It was Cindy's lighter.  He saw
his naked wife standing by the table with a cigarette in her lips.  The
lighter clicked off, but the bright orange glimmering of a lit cigarette
between her lips continued to glow as she moved back to the bed.

   "I'm not done smoking tonight, I decided," came her explanation.  In the
dim light he saw wisps of smoke escaping from her lips.  "I want another
cigarette before going to sleep."  The orange glow of the dangling cigarette
increased as she took another drag.  "If I'm going to abandon myself to
satisfy my cravings, like you said, then shit, I'll just start smoking
whenever the hell I feel like it."  She paused to release another exhale.  He
couldn't see it, but he heard the familiar whooshing sound as his wife
expelled the smoke from her lungs.  "Do you mind?"

   He chuckled.  "Mind?  Oh God, no!"  He felt his cock grow hard again.  He
stroked her shoulder, and then allowed his hand to find its way to her
breast.  He gently massaged it as he began pushing himself against her body.
"I don't mind at all, Cindy.  Not one bit."

   She gave a throaty laugh.  "Tom, you're such a fuckin' liar!  I think my
smoking's bothering you a lot."  She reached down and found his cock.  "My
God!  You _are_ back.  This is certainly an interesting development.  We
haven't fucked twice in a row in years."

   "I can't help it, Cindy.  I want you again.  Right now."

   "I want you, too," she purred.  "Oh God, that feels good.  But Tom, do you
mind if I finish my cigarette while you rub my breasts like that?" His cock
hardened in response to her question.  "No, I didn't think you'd mind," she
laughed, taking another long drag.  "It looks like I've found a nice tool to
woo you into bed."  She blew smoke into his face and lowered her voice.  "And
right now, big boy, I want you to fuck my brains out!  Will you do that for
me?"

   Groaning wildly, Tom rolled on top of her.  Her lit cigarette remained
perched in her left hand as he assumed the missionary position over her
undulating body.  Slowly but forcefully, he inserted his rock-hard cock into
her hole once again.

   "Oh God," she gasped.  "But Tom, what about my cigarette?"

   "Keep smoking it while I fuck you," he moaned.

   She grinned as his thrusting began in earnest.  "Okay," she happily
agreed, returning the cigarette to her lips.  "Ooh!  That's nice.  God,
it'll be a pleasure to smoke while we fuck, baby!"

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

   The next morning Lauren awoke at eight.  A female figure was asleep in the
twin bed beside hers.  She startled, until she remembered that last night
Giorgia moved upstairs from the basement.  There was no longer any reason to
quarantine her down there.  On the bedside table was an ashtray, a lighter,
and an open pack of Marlboro Lights 100's.  Lauren smiled.  Last night she
and Giorgia each smoked one last cigarette before bed.  Doing it in her room
made it seem more exciting.  She enjoyed it.  She'd inhaled every puff.  She
was growing used to having smoke in her lungs, and she completely understood
why people make such a big deal out of inhaling it.  It was exhilarating.  It
was addictively pleasurable!

   Rather than wake up Giorgia, she went downstairs.  As she went she smelled
the familiar aroma of fresh brewed coffee.  Mmm, she thought.  She'd love a
big mug right about now!

   Fresh coffee wasn't the only fragrance assailing her senses.  As she
walked to the kitchen she also caught a whiff of fresh tobacco smoke.  Her
mother was at the kitchen table, in her bathrobe, smoking a freshly lit
cigarette.  Judging from the contents of the ashtray on the table, it wasn't
her mom's first cigarette of the day, either.

   "Hi, honey," she smiled graciously.  "How are you this morning?  You're up
early!"

   "So are you, Mom," Lauren quipped.  Her mother usually slept late on
weekends.  In addition to being a holiday weekend, it was Saturday.  "Why are
you up so early?"

   "I couldn't sleep," Cindy sighed.  "I woke up at 6:30.  All I could think
of was having a cup of coffee.  And a cigarette," she added with a wry smile.
She shuddered.  "God, that's terrible," she conceded.  "I can't believe I
admitted it."  She tapped some ashes into the ashtray.  There were two other
butts in it, which meant she was already on her third cigarette of the day.

   Lauren shrugged.  "What's so terrible about that?  Giorgia says one of the
best parts of being a smoker is waking up in the morning and having a
cigarette first thing.  That's what she always does."  She smiled.  "I guess
this means you really are a smoker again, doesn't it, Mom?"

   Cindy put the cigarette in her lips and began a purposefully long drag.
With an audible "whoosh" she sucked the smoke deep into her lungs and held it
for several seconds.

   "I guess so," she admitted with a mournful smile.  "I'd forgotten how
much I used to love to smoke first thing in the morning"  She paused to
exhale a stream of smoke in her daughter's direction.  Lauren didn't flinch.
She let the smoke roll past her face without complaint.  It smelled nice.

   "And now all I want to do is smoke," her mother went on.  "I'm embarrassed
to admit how many cigarettes I had last night.  And here I am, going full
blast again early this morning."  She manicured her cigarette in the ashtray.
"Maybe you _should_ think twice about this thing, honey," she cautioned.
"Smoking really gets under your skin, you know."

   "Yeah, I know," Lauren acknowledged.  "But that's part of its charm, isn't
it?"  She waited for her mom to reply.  Cindy said nothing, so Lauren went
on.  "I mean, that's why you love to smoke, isn't it, Mom?  You love it
because it feels good every time you do it.  Once you're addicted, every so
often your body cries out for a cigarette, and when you finally light one up,
the reward is exquisite.  That's why _I_ want to smoke.  I want to experience
that."  

   Lauren could stand it no longer.  She put her hand on top of Cindy's hand,
the one holding the cigarette.  Her fingers slowly closed over her mother's.
Cindy understood.  She let go, and Lauren took the cigarette in her own
fingers.  She raised it to her lips and then paused.

   "I'm going to learn to smoke," she said with conviction.  "I mean,
_really_ smoke.  From now on, every day, like Giorgia and now like you, too,
I want to do this."  She put the cigarette in her mouth and sucked hard.  The
cherry end burned bright.  Removing it, she smiled and inhaled.  "I'd like
to do this all the time from now on," she repeated with confidence.  "I want
to smoke."  She gave the cigarette back to Cindy and exhaled a rivulet of
smoke into her mother's face.

   Like Lauren, Cindy didn't flinch as smoke rolled by.  She simply smiled.
"I understand, honey," she answered.  "Oh, believe me, I understand.  So,
tell me.  Would you like a cigarette of your own?  Do you want to smoke with
me?"

   "Yes, please," she courteously replied.  "I'd love to.  I'd very much like
a cigarette of my own, if you don't mind.  And some coffee, too, please."

   Cindy rose to get her daughter some coffee.  She set it down in front of
Lauren and then handed her the pack of Marlboro Lights 100's.  Lauren took a
cigarette and put it in her mouth like a veteran.  As it dangled, she waited
for her mom to offer a light.  Cindy did, and watched Lauren's initial pump
on the cigarette.  Her daughter looked just like she did when she smoked!  

   Lauren grinned and, with a tip of her head, released a dense cloud of
smoke into the air.  "Oh God, thanks, Mom," she said with satisfaction.
"This tastes good; real good, in fact."

   "Yeah, it sure does, doesn't it, honey?" Cindy concurred.  For a second
she didn't know whether to be horrified or gratified that she and her little
girl were actually smoking together.  She followed with a drag of her own.
"It really does taste good," she repeated.  "But soon, before you know what
hit you, you have to have it.  And you need it more than twenty times a day,
honey, every day.  So be careful!"

   Lauren watched the smoke ascend from her cigarette.  She smiled at her mom
through the haze.  "I _won't_ be careful," she promised with a big grin.  She
returned the cigarette to her lips for another drag.  "I promise I won't be
at all careful."  After inhaling, she released another thick cloud of
blue-gray smoke from her lips and nostrils.

   Cindy absent-mindedly manicured hers in the ashtray, thoughtfully
considering how to respond to her daughter's bold statement.  Obviously,
Lauren had made up her mind.  She was intent on being a smoker.  But maybe
that's not so terrible, Cindy mused.  After all, she thought, I'm
apparently going to be a smoker again, too.  She followed her daughter's
lead and took another long drag for herself.  The thick, rich tobacco smoke
felt wonderful sitting inside her chest.  She jutted out her lower lip and
directed a stream of smoke upwards.  There would be no turning back for
either of them now, she knew.  This was the way it would be from now on.

   Cindy looked at Lauren.  "Well, dear, if you aren't going to be careful,
then I guess it means that you'll be a smoker."  She smiled graciously.
"It means you'll be just like me."

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