Encouragement, Part 2

Subject: Encouragement, Part 2
From: an4@anon.lelnet.com
Date: 5 Feb 1997 15:56:12 GMT
Message-ID: <199702050407.XAA15761@mail.msen.com>

   "You sure you don't mind walking ?" Sean asked, hoping the answer would be
no.
   "Of course not," Kirsta said, smiling. "I love to take a walk on a cold
night. It's the best time in the world to smoke, you know. And I can get it
out of my system."
   Sean shook his head. It had only been a week- the best week of his life. But
Kirsta still seemed to have some inhibitions that he intended to work on. For
her sake, for his, and if he was right, for Brenda as well.
   "No way. You're going to smoke as much as you want to tonight. Promise me."
   Her smile was, as always, electric. "I wish all promises were that easy to
keep. But are you sure ?"
   "Oh yes. Let's get going and I'll tell you about Brenda."
   
   As soon as they stepped outside, Kirsta lit a cigarette.  They began
walking, Sean's girlfriend trailing smoke behind her like the world's most
beautiful little chimney. They began talking, Sean enjoying the light
pressure of her arm on his. Her long hair danced in the light, chill breeze,
touching his face and neck.
   "I've known Brenda all my life. Right from pre-school. She started smoking
when she was fifteen-"
   "Is that when this started ?" Kirsta asked.
   "When what started ?" 
   Kirsta brought the cigarette to her lips and put on a show for him. She was
glad to do it, really. After all, just a week ago she'd been seriously
considering quitting altogether, quitting and then calling Hank back. She
made the most of the inhale and exhale, noticing that they were being noticed
by other walkers. There was open pride on Sean's face. What a refreshing
change.
   "When you realised you were attracted to women who smoked ?"
   The lie would have been easy. Easy to tell. Hard to believe, probably.
   "Yeah. She and I- we never- but yeah, no question-"
   "But now ?"
   "Well, she dated someone like Hank- only worse. Not only did he smoke, but
he insisted that she not smoke. It was the most ridiculous thing I'd ever
seen. Dylan- he was just an asshole about it."
   "And now she's dating Jean ?" she asked, pronouncing it perfectly, so that
it sounded somewhat like his own name but with a J.
   "Yeah. Jean doesn't smoke. Doesn't seem to like it much. So she's been-"
   "Sneaking ?" Kirsta asked.
   "Yeah, and she's miserable, I think."
   Kirsta inhaled again, so sensuously that Sean's knees almost did buckle. She
smiled at him while treating him to a nose exhale. The smoke drifted upwards
from her face into his and he stopped in his tracks. Before he could bend his
neck to kiss her she reached up with the hand holding the cigarette and
pulled his head down to hers. The sweet taste of tobacco in her mouth was
exhilarating.
   They broke and she held the cigarette out to him.
   "Come on, Sean. Just a puff or two."
   He smiled. She really was sweet. She wanted to share it all with him, maybe
still not understanding .
   "Later, if it's what you really want. Right now, watching you is enough."
   The cigarette went back down to waist level, held so perfectly that it
amased him her wrist didn't get sore from always doing it with such
precision.
   "So anyway, you want me to smoke tonight. I take it there's more to it than
just working on my inhibitions ?"
   They began walking again, Kirsta smoking with none of those inhibitions
obvious. She looked so comfortable, so relaxed, that part of Sean wanted to
take her back home right now. It was almost  more than he wanted to share
with anyone.
   Almost.
   "I think Brenda's miserable right now, and I also think if Jean saw how-
well-"
   "If he saw her smoking he might end up feeling the same way about it you do
?"
   Sean smiled. "Something like that."
   
   Kirsta knew what Sean would want before he even thought to ask, and she was
more than happy to oblige.
   She stopped him just outside the door to Le Grande Cafe and lit another
cigarette, inhaling the cold night air and smoke in equal quantities. Then
they walked inside. It was Wednesday- no reservation night. The hostess
smiled at them and asked how many there would be in their party. Sean said
four and they were immediately led to a table in the back of the smoking
section. They'd gotten the last table in that half of the restaurant. There
were plenty of seats in non-smoking, but of course the hostess didn't need to
ask about that, not with Kirsta blowing thick plumes of smoke in every
direction.
   Brenda and Jean came in just as Kirsta was lighting her second cigarette and
sipping at the red wine Sean had ordered.
   Jean frowned, as Sean had expected. Brenda, always the pleasant one, smiled
at both of them.
   "Anything exciting happen after I left ?" Sean asked Jean.
   "One of the junior investment counselors quit about five seconds before
Jayme could fire him right at 6 o'clock. That guy Wendell-"
   "The Wharton kid ?" Sean asked, thinking it was odd calling a guy nine
months younger a kid.
   "Yeah. Turns out he was working some clients on his own time."
   "I want you to meet Kirsta." Sean made the introductions and Kirsta took
each of their hands with her right while smoking with her left. That hand was
shaking ever so slightly and Sean sensed her nervousness, but somehow she was
still managing to smoke without any reservations. Sean could see the gleam in
Brenda's eyes.
   The small talk continued- as did Kirsta's smoking- until the appetizers
came.
   By the time dinner was over, two things were obvious- both Jean and Brenda
really liked Kirsta, which was entirely understandable- and Brenda was
itching to have a cigarette. Her eyes kept wandering to the box sitting on
the table, and after ten years, Sean knew exactly what that look meant. It
was going to happen, the question being how Jean would respond.
   As soon as the desert plates had been cleared and coffee served, Kirsta
picked the box up. 
   The taste of fine coffee. Kirsta loved it. She took one of the last two
cigarettes from the pack and said "There's nothing quite like a cigarette
after a meal like that. Don't you agree, Brenda ?"
   Brenda shot Sean a look that was half venom, half friendship.
   "I-"
   She looked at Jean, who shrugged his shoulders as if to say 'How would I
know ?'
   "Would you mind ?" she asked Kirsta, who handed the box over immediately.
Seconds later they were both smoking, Brenda looking more relaxed than she
had in weeks. It was hard to say which of them was the better at it, but Sean
only felt himself go weak watching Kirsta. They smoked the cigarettes
patiently, their inhales deep and full, their exhales thankfully blanketing
the two men in a haze of sweet smoke.
   Kirsta held the cigarette close to her face the entire time, wrist upturned,
at a slight angle. She needed only bend her wrist down slightly and move her
lips outward to embrace the cigarette. It only left that spot long enough for
ash to be tapped from the end- Kirsta never let the ash at the end of her
cigarette grow. She varied nose and mouth exhales exactly the way that Sean
had admitted drove him wild, turning her head towards him with each exhale.
   Brenda became more animated immediately. She'd been quiet all evening,
almost too quiet, and Kirsta thought she knew exactly why. She began waving
the hand with the cigarette, telling a joke that was absolutely hilarious,
showing the same comic timing Sean remembered from long ago.
   
   Sean invited them over for drinks and was relieved when Jean immediately
accepted. He'd expected his colleague and friend to be annoyed, but there was
no evidence of that.
   They stopped at the CVS on the way home. Brenda stood behind Kirsta while
she bought another pack of cigarettes, still looking unsure of herself. As
Kirsta stepped away from the counter she saw Jean lean over and whisper
something in Brenda's ear. Sean and Kirsta shared a quick kiss as Brenda
bought two packs for herself.
   They sat and talked for hours and Sean was glad to see Jean acting perfectly
natural towards Brenda, hugging and kissing her just like always, even as she
and Kirsta smoked one cigarette after another.
   On the way out the door Jean stopped by Sean as the women were sharing
goodbyes and said "I'm not sure exactly what for, Sean, but thanks."
   Sean knew exactly what for.
   As the door closed, Kirsta walked up behind Sean and gave him a tight hug.
   "Would you smoke just one cigarette with me, Sean ? I'd really love the
chance to share it with you- to watch you for a change-"
   Her breath was warm on his ear and he thought that just maybe he could do
that for her. For both of them.
   
   

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