Farmer's Wife, Part 3

Farmer's Wife
By Gray Haze

Part 3

Megan continued to "practice" every chance she got during the rest of the
week.  Practicing was the excuse she gave herself to indulge in what was a
wonderful experience.  She hated to admit it, but she was quickly falling in
love with smoking cigarettes.  She couldn't quite put her finger on the all
the reasons why, but she just seemed to enjoy the wonderful feeling she got
every time she inhaled the thick smoke into her lungs.

By the time Mike picked her up Friday evening, Megan's half a pack of Salem's
was gone.  "Do you mind if we stop at the store before dinner?" Megan asked
Mike as they got into his car.  "I'm out of cigarettes."

"You must be reading my mind," Mike said with a laugh.  "I'm almost out
myself."

Megan slid over next to Mike in his pick-up truck as he pulled away.  He then
placed his hand on her thigh as Megan placed her hand on his.

"Do you mind if I buy your cigarettes for you?" Mike asked Megan as he pulled
into the store.

"Only if you let me buy the next time," Megan answered.

"What brand?"

"Salem 100's," Megan answered as Mike opened the truck door.

Mike then went inside and made his purchase as Megan patiently waited in the
truck.  He paid the clerk and then headed back to the truck.  Once inside the
truck, he handed the Salem's to a shocked Megan.  She was only expecting a
pack.  Instead, he bought her a carton.

"Thank you, Mike," Megan said as she started pulling a pack out of the
carton.  "A pack would have been plenty."

"Hopefully I'll get to see you smoke a lot of those," Mike smiled seductively
as he pulled a Marlboro out from his own box.  "If you haven't noticed, I
really like you, Megan."

Mike lit his cigarette and then extended the lighter to a waiting Megan.  She
inhaled her first puff while thinking about the huge quantity of cigarettes
sitting on her lap.  She had only smoked a little over a pack in her entire
life.  The thought of smoking ten more seemed momentarily daunting, and yet
she was quite excited.  Hearing Mike expressing his desire to see her smoke
made her want to do just that.  Add in the fact that she was enjoying the
cigarette in her hand made her look forward to finishing that carton - at
least as long as she could smoke them with Mike.

Once at the restaurant, the two sat in the smoking section and they both lit
up immediately upon sitting.  Megan made sure to concentrate on her
technique.  She wanted to appear as sexy as possible for Mike's viewing
pleasure.  With the practice she had earlier in the week, it was starting to
become almost natural.

For the next two hours, the two of them enjoyed the quiet company and
conversation with a good meal.  Megan smoked freely, keeping up with the much
more experienced Mike.  She no longer had any difficulty tolerating the
increased doses of nicotine.  The slight buzz she used to get while smoking
was now replaced with a sense of relaxation and well being.  

After dinner, they decided to go to Mike's fraternity house to hang out.  The
house had a nice rec. room with a pool table, bar and a kick ass sound
system.  Three of Mike's fraternity brothers were there with their
girlfriends when they arrived.  At first Megan pretty much stayed to herself
while Mike played pool with the boys.  But after a few beers she started to
loosen up and soon found herself talking with the girls.  

All the girls were smokers, as were two of the other guys.  Hanging out
drinking and smoking with friends was something that she had never done in
her high school days.  She was quickly finding that smoking and drinking went
together very well.  She liked the social aspect of sharing cigarettes with
other smokers, and noticed that she was much more social while smoking.

Megan also got to try another first when one of the girls opened her purse up
and pull out a bag of weed and a bowl.  It took a little coaxing, but Megan
reluctantly gave it a try.  The smoke was harsh, but the buzz she got was
like nothing she had ever experienced before.  

By midnight, Megan was loaded.  She just wasn't used to the drinking.  They
headed up to his room where the two spent some quiet time together exploring
different parts of each other's body.  Finally at about 2 am, Mike walked
Megan home.  

Megan woke up late the next morning to the ever present smell of Shelly's
cigarette.  Her head hurt a little, her throat was dry, and her lungs were
congested.  

"Hey, how was your date with Mike?" Sherry asked as she was drying off her
wet hair.  "You must have gotten back late because I didn't even hear you
come in."

Megan just smiled as she lay motionless in a fetal position on her bed.  She
had a great time and the smile was all that needed to be said.  

"You two are becoming quite the item," Sherry said as she crushed out her
cigarette.  "Did you do any smoking with him last night?"

"I'll admit, I had a few," Megan said reluctantly, knowing damn well that she
had a lot more than a few.

"Well, aren't we becoming quite the smoker," Sherry said, laughing.  "It
won't be long before you will be hacking away in the morning like I do.
Well, I'm heading for breakfast.  See you later."

Megan slowly got up out of bed as Sherry walked out the door.  She then went
to the bathroom to relieve herself and to freshen up a little.  Once back in
the room she grabbed a Coke out of the fridge and sat down on her bed.  The
aroma of cigarette smoke from Sherry still permeated the air.  It was a smell
that Megan was learning to like.

She then got up and grabbed her purse.  She opened it and saw the pack of
Salem's that gave her so much pleasure the night before.  Megan put the purse
down on the bed next to her.  She grabbed the pack and then slowly lifted the
lid up to see three white cylinders looking up at her.  "Wow, I smoked that
much last night," she thought as she stared inside the pack.  She then
grabbed her purse and started to put the cigarettes back in.  But she
stopped.  Instead, driven by a force unknown to her, she grabbed her lighter.
Was she becoming quite the smoker like Sherry had said?

Megan then put the purse back down.  She slowly pulled a Salem out and placed
it between her lips.  Holding the lighter in her hand, she paused to think
about what she was about to do.  Something about lighting up first thing in
the morning struck Megan as wrong.  But she desperately wanted to feel the
rich smoke in her lungs again.  Lighting up was a big step and Megan feared
where it might lead to.  Finally, not being able to resist any longer, she
clicked the lighter and lifted the flame to the tip of her awaiting
cigarette.

Megan immediately felt her body respond as she exhaled her first puff of the
day.  Megan was now starting to understand why Sherry lit up first thing
every morning.  That first cigarette of the day tasted wonderful.  Megan
grabbed the ashtray and then lay back down on her bed.  She smoked quickly,
enjoying the incredible feeling of nicotine rush through her body.  The
feeling was different than what she had experienced smoking before.  It was
like an incredible relief washed over her body with each successive puff.
After five minutes and twelve puffs, she sadly extinguished her spent butt.

"Oh, why not," Megan thought as she grabbed her pack of Salem's.  She enjoyed
the first cigarette so much, she decided to have another.  Once her second
cig of the day was lit, she sat and thought about what was happening to her.
She didn't want to be a smoker, and yet here she was chaining into her second
one of the day.   Guilt was starting to overcome her as she thought about how
much she liked to smoke.  "If only mom could see me now," she frowned, while
exhaling another large cloud of smoke into the air.  

Then she started thinking about Mike.  He was an incredible guy.  Soon the
frown was replaced by a smile.  The guilt was soon replaced by joy.  No, she
would continue to smoke.  Mike meant too much to her not to.  At that moment,
Megan made a promise that she vowed she wouldn't break.  She would stop when
and if she and Mike stopped seeing each other.  No matter how much she
learned to love to smoke, she would keep this vow.  Satisfied with her
decision, she smoked the rest of the cigarette with great pleasure.

Once done, Megan took a shower and got dressed.  She then pulled her new
carton out of her closet and grabbed another pack.  She placed the pack in
her purse, grabbed her book bag and headed out the door.  Mike had asked her
to spend the day with him.  They were going to just hang out in his room and
study.  She stopped quickly at the cafeteria to grab a breakfast sandwich
before starting her 15 minute walk to Mike's.  She ate the sandwich as she
began her walk.  Once the sandwich was done, she opened her purse and pulled
the last Salem from the pack.  She placed the cigarette between her lips,
threw away the pack in a nearby trash receptacle, and then lit up.  

Megan smoked as she continued to walk.  She was still a little self conscious
about smoking in public.  She hoped that she wouldn't pass anyone she knew.
She wasn't quite sure why she didn't wait until she got to the frat house,
but she was glad she didn't as she felt the wonderful smoke hit her hungry
lungs.  

Once at Mike's she headed up to his room.  Mike was sitting on his couch
watching TV when she got there.   She walked in, put her book bag down, and
gave him a big kiss.  That done, she opened her purse and pulled out her new
pack of Salem's.   She opened it and immediately lit up.  It was now 11 am
and Megan was on her forth cigarette of the day.

Mike started smoking when he was 15.  All of the adults in his family were
heavy smokers, including both his parents, so it came as no surprise when he
finally told them of his new habit.  They were both incredibly supportive of
his decision to smoke and very much encouraged it's development.  By the time
he got to college, his smoking resembled theirs and now at the age of 20 he
was a solid two pack a day smoker. 

Megan has been smoking for only a little over a week now, but she quickly was
becoming used to keeping her cigarette consumption up with Mike's.  She liked
smoking with him and took great pleasure in having him light her cigarette
along with his.  Mike had no idea that Megan had just started smoking.  How
could he?  They never really talked about it and she also smoked like a
veteran of many years.  

Keeping up with Mike meant smoking two or three cigarettes an hour.  Megan
did just that, and as the day wore on her newly opened pack was dwindling
fast.  The two studied for most of the day.  They did take a break to play
some pool, but other than that they stuck to the books.  At five, Megan
headed back to her dorm.  She wanted to spend the evening with Mike also, but
he had a fraternity function to attend.  Thus, she decided that a quiet
evening relaxing wouldn't be a bad alternative.

Sherry went out at eight with a group of friends from the floor.  She asked
Megan to go, but she declined.  She was a little tired from all the studying
she did that day.  Plus, Megan was still a little shy and often felt
uncomfortable with Sherry and her friends.  

Once Sherry left, Megan knew exactly what she wanted.  She immediately
grabbed her purse and pulled out her Salem's.  She was again surprised to see
how few were left.  In the six hours she was with Mike, she smoked fifteen
cigarettes.  Throw in one more during the walk back to the dorm and she now
only had four left in the pack.  

Lighting up, Megan realized she had smoked an entire pack that day.  It
didn't seem possible.  It was way too easy.  Megan enjoyed her cigarette
while she flipped through the channels on the TV.  "Nothing much on TV," she
thought as she put her cigarette out.  "Maybe I should have gone out with
Sherry."

Minutes later she heard a knock on the door.  "Come in," Megan said as she
placed her cigarettes back in her purse.  Megan was still a little
self-conscious and wanted to keep her smoking somewhat of a secret from most
of the girls on the floor.

"Hey Meg," Terry said as she walked in the door, lit Newport in her hand.  "I
see you didn't go out with the girls tonight."

"No, I was out late last night and decided to just stay in.  How about you?
Why didn't you go out?"

"I don't know," Terry said as she was searching for an ashtray.  "I like
Sherry and the rest, but I guess I am a little quieter than they are and
sometimes I just prefer staying in."

"Yeah, me too," Megan said as she handed the ashtray to Terry.  "What to you
say we just hang out here together?  Sound good?"

Terry put her cigarette out in the ashtray and sat next to Megan on her bed.
"So how did your date go last night?"

Megan told Terry all about Mike and the night they had together.  It wasn't
long before Terry lit up again as it was her chain smoking custom.  Megan at
first didn't think anything of Terry's smoking.  She just continued to talk.
But 45 minutes and three cigarettes later, Megan started thinking to herself
how good a cigarette would taste.

"Oh, one more thing about Mike that may surprise you, he smokes."

"Wow, really?" Terry replied.  "Doesn't that bother you?"

"Well, there is something I need to tell you, but you have to promise to keep
it quiet."

"Sure Megan, I promise."

Megan grabbed her purse and slowly pulled her pack of Salem's out.  "As you
can see, I have taken up smoking as well."

Terry looked on in shock as she watched Megan light up.  "Oh my God Megan,
when did you start smoking?"

"About a week ago," Megan said as she exhaled 

"I don't get it, why would you just out of the blue, start smoking?  Don't
you know how awful smoking is for you?"

"Yeah I know, but I really don't plan on smoking forever," Megan said as she
started to tell her story about how she got started.

Terry lit another cigarette as she listened to Megan.  The two smoked
together during Megan's story.

"So, let me get this straight, you got drunk one night, had your first
cigarette without even remembering it, and then woke up in the morning next
to Mike.  He sends you flowers, you fall in love, and now you're a smoker.
But if you and Mike don't work out, then you are going to quit."

"Yeah, that's basically it," Megan said as she lit another cigarette.  

"So what happens if you and Mike end up getting married?  Are you going to
spend the rest of your life sucking on these stupid things?"

Megan hadn't really thought about that.  She liked Mike and everything, but
marriage was really the farthest thing from her mind.

"Well I guess I would have to, but I highly doubt we will end up getting
married.  So I have absolutely no plans to become a smoker."

"So let's say you only date him for a year," Terry said while trying to make
a point.  "After a year of smoking, you are going to just quit, is that
right?"

"Yes of course, but until then, I might as well enjoy it," Megan responded
with a big smile.

"I got some bad news for you Megan.  If you are still smoking a year from
now, I can almost guarantee that you won't be quitting."

"What do you mean by that?  Of course I will," Megan said with confidence.  

"Let me tell you something about smoking cigarettes.  They are very
addicting, and not only in a physical sense.  You start to really love them
as well.  If you're still smoking a year from now, you probably won't want to
quit in addition to not being able to.  Take it from me, I'm an expert."

"So, what you are saying is that you couldn't quit, even if you wanted to?" 

"Nope, not in a million years could I.  But, you know something, I don't want
to either.  That's what cigarette smoking does to you.  Its grip on a smoker
is very powerful.  I myself love smoking and know that I will continue
smoking the rest of my life."

"I'm not worried, because when I set my mind to something, I succeed."

"OK then, but don't say I didn't warn you.  That said, do you like smoking?"

"You know something Terry, I do," Megan said as she was still thinking about
Terry's warning.  "I don't know what it is about these things, but smoking is
very pleasurable."

"Then why do you want to quit?  I mean, you like to smoke, so why are you so
concerned about being a smoker?"

"Let's just say that my family would kill me if they knew I was smoking.  Mom
and Dad had a real fit about me being on this floor as it was.  In fact, I'm
supposed to be looking for another room.  Besides, I really don't want to
wake up every morning hacking and coughing.  I enjoy my health too much for
that."

The two spent the rest of the evening hanging out and smoking.  It wasn't
long before Megan was forced to get another pack out of her carton.

"Wow Meg, you are committed to smoking," Terry said as she watched Megan pull
out a pack.  "You are now buying them by the carton.  Sure sign of a true
smoker."

"No silly, Mike bought them for me," Megan said laughing.  "Good thing he
did, the way I have been smoking today.  I'm already on my second pack."

"One week of smoking and you're already over a pack a day," Terry said while
laughing with Megan.

"Hanging out too much with you and Mike for some reason just makes these
things too irresistible.  You're a bad influence."

Terry stayed until about midnight.  Megan kept up her pace of two or three
cigarettes per hour while Terry did her usual four.  By the time Megan went
to bed she had smoked over 30 cigarettes that day.

For the next couple of months, Megan smoked every chance she had.  She still
kept it discreet.  She smoked only around Mike and Terry and those times she
was alone.  There were times she was tempted to just give in and smoke with
the rest of the floor, but she decided not to.  That would be a much bigger
commitment to smoking than she wanted to make at this time.

When Thanksgiving break arrived, Megan was surprised by her parents telling
her that they were going to go to California for the entire week to spend
Thanksgiving at her paternal grandparents.  Megan was exhausted from the
academic rigors of her freshmen year.  Although she missed her family, she
decided instead to take up Mike's offer to spend the week at his parent's
farm just outside of Binghamton.  She had been dating Mike for over two
months now and was falling in love.  To Megan, meeting his family was another
big step in what she perceived as a growing relationship.

The two headed out on Friday just after Megan's last class at one.  Once in
the car, Megan immediately lit up.  She hadn't had a cigarette in over four
hours and was starting to crave one badly.  Over the past month, Megan was
slowly getting hooked.  She didn't want to admit it, but she was finding that
going without smoking for any length of time made her feel uncomfortable.

It was about an hour drive to Mike's family farm.  They stopped on the way
there to pick up cigarettes.  This time Megan bought the two cartons, finally
repaying Mike from the purchase two month ago.  Once they arrived at the
farm, the two were immediately greeted by Mike's mom.  After she gave Mike a
big hug, she asked Megan to come in and join her in the kitchen while Mike
walked out to the barn to see his father.

Once inside, Megan sat down at the kitchen table while Mike's mom fixed some
coffee.  She handed Megan a mug and sat down next to her.  She then grabbed
her cigarettes and lit up.  "Oh, I'm sorry, would you like one?" she said as
she extended her pack toward Megan.

"Thanks Mrs. James, but I have my own," Megan said as she pulled her Salem's
out of her purse.

"Please, call me Joan," she said while touching her arm.

The two ladies talked for the next half hour.  During that time Joan smoked
three cigarettes.  "Mike was right, his parents are heavy smokers," Megan
thought as she watched her light up her third cigarette.  Megan did her best
to keep up.  She liked chatting with a fellow smoker, especially with a
cigarette burning between her fingers.

Mike's sisters Mary and Michelle came home from school at 3:45.  Mary was 17
and a senior in high school, while Michelle was 15 and a sophomore.  After
brief introductions, both sat down at the kitchen table and joined Joan and
Megan.  It didn't take long for both of them to reach into their purses and
pull out their cigarettes.  

Mike had told Megan that his sisters smoked, but actually seeing them light
up like this, in front of their mom, surprised her a little.  Finally, at 4
pm, Mike's last sister Julie came home.  She was 13 and in middle school.
She sat down and sure enough, pulled out her own pack and lit up.  Julie just
started smoking recently, and Megan and Mike hadn't known.  

Smoking in the James family was well accepted.  Although Mike's parents
didn't encourage it, they certainly didn't do anything to dissuade their
children from smoking.  To the James family, smoking was one of the finer
things in life.

Being in a house full of smokers caused Megan to smoke heavily the rest of
the evening.  She was starting to understand how Mike became a heavy smoker.
Everyone's smoking just seemed to feed on each other's.  By the time Megan
went to bed, she was well into her second pack of the day.

Megan slept in the same bedroom as Mary.  At 6:00 AM she heard her coughing
and then soon heard the familiar sound of a lighter clicking.  Living on a
farm, everyone got up early.  The cows had to be milked, stalls had to be
cleaned, and everyone helped out.  Megan decided that she might as well get
up also, and soon she was firing up a cigarette of her own.  

While everyone spent the early morning out in the barn, Megan stayed with
Mike's mom in the kitchen.  Megan was soon smoking right along with Joan,
enjoying the feeling of nicotine in the morning.  Joan took an instant liking
to Megan.  The two had a lot in common, and for whatever reason, Megan didn't
act as shy around her as she did with most people.  She was able to talk for
hours with Joan, almost like they had been friends for years.  Although Megan
offered to help out with the farm chores during the week, Joan would have
none of it.  No special guest of Mike's was going to be shoveling cow shit
all day.  So the two women spent a lot of time together inside during the
week while everyone else was out doing the farm chores.

Megan very much liked the social aspects of smoking, so whenever she was
around somebody smoking, she would enjoy lighting up right along with them.
Mike's mom was a particularly heavy smoker.  Mike lit up two or three time
per hour, but his mom lit up four or five times and hour.  At four packs a
day, she was a true chain smoker.

So every morning and every evening, Megan would stay in with Joan while
everyone was out with the cows.  She would help Joan fix breakfast and dinner
or anything else that needed to be done around the house.  But most of the 3
hours in the morning and 3 hours in the evening were spent talking and
smoking.  On that first Saturday morning, Megan was not able to keep up with
Joan.  But as Sunday and Monday passed, she subconsciously started to smoke
more and more around Joan.  By Tuesday morning, without even realizing it,
she was keeping up with Joan, lighting up every ten or fifteen minutes.  It
was her enjoyment of the social aspect of sharing cigarettes with another
smoker that caused her to light up every time Joan did.  

That social aspect also happened with the other smokers in the house.
Whether she was with Mike's sisters, his dad, or Mike himself, someone was
always smoking.  So little by little, she was smoking more and more as the
week went on.  She smoked a pack and a half on Saturday, two on Sunday, two
and a half packs on Monday and three on Tuesday.  This was far more than she
ever smoked before, and yet, she found that she loved every cigarette.

On Wednesday morning, she woke up before Mary and this time it was Megan's
cough and a click of the lighter that woke Mary up.  After Megan lit up, she
looked in her pack and noticed only three left.  "I better get another pack
before I head down," she thought as she walked over to the closet to retrieve
her carton.  What happened next shocked her.  The carton was empty.  The
night before, after smoking the last cigarette out of her pack, she asked
Mike to run upstairs to retrieve another pack.  Mike didn't say anything
about that being the last pack.  She knew that she had been smoking a lot the
last few days, but not an entire carton since Friday afternoon.  "Well, I
guess I'll have Mike run out later to buy some more," she said to herself
while being somewhat concerned.

"Good morning Joan," Megan said as she walked into the kitchen.

"Well good morning dear, you're up early.  Can I fix you a cup of coffee?"

"Sounds good," Megan said as she sat down at the kitchen table.  "There is
nothing like coffee with my morning cigarettes."

The two sat and talked while the rest of the family slowly made their way out
to the barn.  It didn't take long for Megan to smoke the first four
cigarettes of the morning.  At 6:30 am, she crushed out her last one.

Fifteen minutes later, she wanted another one.  "Joan, do you think I can bum
a pack of yours until I can have Mike run out to the store to buy more, I'm
all out."

"Here Megan, take the rest of this pack," Joan said as she handed her a 3/4
full pack of Parliaments.  Joan then got up and got herself another full
pack.  "I seem to be a little low myself.  After breakfast, I need to run to
the grocery store to buy food for tomorrow's Thanksgiving meal.  If you would
like, you can come with me and we can stop for cigarettes as well."

"OK, sounds like a date," Megan said as she pulled out a Parliament and lit
up.  Megan took a big drag then a deep inhaled.  She immediately noticed a
difference.  "Wow, these are different then my Salem's," Megan said as she
slowly exhaled.  

"Oh, you have never had a non-mentholated cigarette before?"  

"Believe it or not, no," Megan said as she lifted her cigarette up to take
another puff.

"Wow, that's hard to believe.  How long have you been smoking?"

"I started a few months ago."

"Really, you sure seem to be a much more advanced smoker than that.  You
almost keep up with me.  I hope it wasn't Mike that got you started."

"No, I was smoking a little before I met him.  But I do have to admit,
hanging out with him has certainly done a lot to get me used to smoking,"
Megan laughed.  

"Yeah, he smokes a little more than he should.  I guess it runs in the
family.  So do you like the Parliament's?"

"There not bad, though I think I like my Salem's better.  They seem to have a
funny filter on them."

"Yeah, it's recessed.  Don't ask me why it's that way, but they sure deliver
a nice smoke. You know, Megan, I still can't get over the fact that you just
started smoking.  It usually takes people much longer to be able to tolerate
smoking like this.  You must really like smoking, that's for sure."

Megan took another puff and thought for a few seconds.  Originally she was
only smoking to be with Mike, but now she hated to admit it, she was smoking
for herself now.  "Yes, I do like smoking.  I'm sure that I don't want to
spend the rest of my life smoking, but at least for now, I sure do enjoy it."

"Well Megan, I've been smoking four packs a day for 30 years and I love
smoking more now than I ever did.  I don't regret being a smoker at all.  You
know if you enjoy smoking as much as I think you do, maybe you shouldn't just
dismiss it out of hand.  I think you'll find that smoking will really enhance
your life."

"Maybe, but you got to understand, smoking is definitely taboo in my family,"
Megan answered as she crushed out her cigarette.  "Besides, smoking isn't
very good for you.  I'm not so sure I want to risk my health."

"Well, there are health risks.  But to me, the pleasures I get from my
cigarettes far outweigh the risk."

Megan reached for another cigarette and lit up.  "You know Joan, you are so
cool.  I wish my parents were more like you.  I mean, you even let Julie
smoke and she's only 13.  It would be a dark day in hell before my parents
would allow that."

"Well, I wasn't too thrilled that she started so young.  But I really
couldn't say anything because her older siblings were allowed to smoke at a
similar age.  But overall I'm glad that my children like to smoke.  Why
should they not enjoy the simple pleasures in life like I do?"  Joan then
pulled another cigarette out of her pack and lit it with the burning end of
her spent butt.  "You know, I'm sure your parents love you very much, and
they may learn to accept your smoking as an important part of who you are."

"I know they love me.  In fact, mom and I are very close.  I guess I just
don't want to disappoint them, that's all."

"I only met you a few days ago, and I must tell you that I am very impressed
with you as a young lady.  I'm so happy that Mike has met someone as special
as you.  Smoking doesn't change who you are.  You're parents must be very
proud of who you have become.  I am quite sure that smoking won't change that
at all."

"Thank you, Joan.  It means a lot to me that you feel this way," Megan said,
but she still was not convinced about Joan's opinion of what her parent's
reaction would be.

Everybody finished their chores at around nine.  Joan and Megan served
breakfast as was normally the routine at the Jones household.  At ten, after
Megan took a quick shower, Joan and her left for their shopping trip.  Both
immediately lit up once they got into the car.  Megan noticed that the ¾ full
pack that Joan gave her a little over three hours ago was almost gone.

"Say Joan, do you think we can stop and pick up cigarettes first.  I'm a
little embarrassed to admit it, but that pack you gave me earlier is almost
gone."

"Don't be embarrassed Megan.  The new pack that I opened this morning is
almost gone also," Joan said while laughing.  "I guess you enjoy your morning
cigarettes as much as I do."

"I don't know what it is Joan, but I seem to smoke an awful lot when I hang
out with you."

"It must be all the arm twisting I did to get you to light up," Joan said,
laughing hard.

Megan then ratcheted her cigarette up to her mouth, pretending to fight it.
"Please stop Joan, stop!" she said as she finally placed the cigarette in her
mouth and took a big puff.  "Please stop, Joan stop!" Megan repeated as she
immediately took another puff.  Both women broke out in laughter.

Joan pulled into the local convenience store and parked.  "Would you like
Salem 100's or maybe my Parliaments for a good change?" Joan said as she
turned the car off.

"Salem 100's, Joan," Megan replied as she pulled her wallet out of her purse.
"Here is money for my cigarettes."

"Don't be ridiculous," Joan said as she refused Megan money.  "The cigarettes
are on me."

"Thank you.  I appreciate it," Megan replied as she put her wallet back in
her purse.  "Oh, by the way, Mike needs cigarettes as well."

Joan went into the store while Megan waited in the car.  Soon Joan reappeared
with a large brown paper bag filled with cartons of various brands.

"Here Megan, could you take this?" Joan said after she got into the car.
"Your cigarettes are in there with the rest."

Megan looked into the large bag and noticed a huge amount of cigarettes.
There were three carton of Parliaments for Joan, two cartons of Marlboros for
Mike's dad, one carton of Newport's for Mary, another carton of Newport's for
Michelle, two carton of Marlboro menthol for Mike and finally, much to her
surprise eyes, three cartons of Salem 100's.

"My god Joan there is a lot of cigarettes here," Megan said as she pulled out
a carton of Salem's.  "This must have cost a fortune."

"Yes, this is a typical weekly stop," Joan said as she pulled out another
Parliament from her pack and lit up.  

Megan tore the wrapper off of her new pack and extracted a Salem.  She lit up
as Joan started the car.  She immediately felt the wonderful kick in the
chest her beloved Salem's gave her as she inhaled.  "Thanks for the
cigarettes Joan, but you really only had to buy me a carton."

"Well, the way you have been smoking these last few days, I figured you for a
much heavier smoker.  But I'm sure you'll find a way to finish them in time."

Megan quietly smoked as Joan drove away.  She thought about how Joan was
right about her recent smoking.  It was getting a little out of hand.  Yet,
she really liked smoking with Mike's family.  It seemed to help bring her
closer to them, especially Joan.  Plus, the act of smoking was becoming
increasingly enjoyable.  She really didn't understand what was happening, but
when she looked down at the three cartons sitting in front of her, she felt a
sense of excitement inside herself.  These were hers and she was going to
smoke them - every single one of them. 

For the remainder of the week, Megan smoked heavily.  She continued to enjoy
the social aspect of the habit, and there was always someone to smoke with.
On Sunday afternoon, Mike and Megan drove back to college.  Megan snuggled
next to Mike in the truck the entire trip.  "Mike, I had a wonderful time at
your parent's farm.  Your parents are so nice.  And you're mom is the
sweetest person I've ever met."

"Well, you sure did make a good impression on mom.  She couldn't stop talking
about you.  I don't know if you knew this, but mom hasn't always been that
receptive to the girls I have dated.  In fact, she has been very vocal to me
about her dislike of some of them."

Megan pulled out a Salem, placed it between her lips and accepted a light
from Mike.  She inhaled deeply and slowly exhaled through her nose.  "Oh I'm
so glad your mother likes me.  That means a lot to me to be accepted by your
family."

"Say Megan, rumor has it that you just started smoking a few months ago."

"Oh, some rumor that must be," Megan said laughing.  "Sound like something
your mother told you."

"Yeah, I admit, she did.  It just caught me by surprise.  You never seemed
like a beginner smoker to me.  I just hope you didn't become one because of
my smoking."

Megan hesitated for a second while she was thinking how to answer that
question.  She didn't want to lie to Mike and yet didn't want to tell him
that she smokes precisely because of him.  She certainly wasn't going to tell
him her plan to quit as soon as they broke off their relationship somewhere
in the future.  "Mike, I like to smoke.  I just never tried it before this
semester.  I guess being on a floor with a bunch of smokers, it was destined
to happen."

"I know what you mean about being around a bunch of smokers.  I guess growing
up in a family full of smokers stoked my curiosity."

"I think calling your family a bunch of smokers is understating it a little,
Mike," Megan said, laughing again.  "I couldn't believe all the smokers at
Thanksgiving dinner.  Your grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins all smoke.
It's really quite amazing in this day and age of health consciousness.  Even
your little sister smokes."  Megan took one last puff off of her cigarette
and tossed it out the window of the car.  "But I think the real shocker was
seeing your Uncle Bill light your Cousin Molly's cigarette.  I mean, what is
she, all of 11 years old?"

"Ten, to be exact," Mike answered as he reached for his Marlboro's.  Megan
followed suit and pulled another Salem out for herself.  Mike then lit
Megan's cigarette and then his own.  "It seems like they start younger and
younger in my family.  I was a little surprised by Julie's smoking."

"How old were you when you started smoking?" Megan asked after exhaling her
first puff.

"I was 15 when I started.  I'm kind of like you.  It didn't take me too long
to develop a taste for these stupid things.  I was smoking two packs a day
before I knew it."

"You sound like you wish that you didn't smoke," Megan responded to Mike's
stupid comment.

"No, not really," Mike answered.  "I like smoking too much.  But you have to
admit, it is kind of a stupid habit.  Plus, it really isn't good for you.
Overall, I like to smoke, especially when I'm smoking with somebody.  I like
sharing cigarettes with the person I love."

Megan realized that this was the first time Mike declared his love to her.  I
warm feeling flushed over her as she snuggled closer to him.  "I like smoking
with people I love as well, especially you."

Megan reached up and kissed Mike as he was driving. It was a special moment
for her even though he had to keep his eye on the road.  

"You know something, I thought smoking with your mom really helped make us
close.  She sure smokes a lot.  But what was funny, after a few days, I found
myself keeping up with her.  While you guys were out in the barn with the
cows, we would hang out and chain smoke together.  I hate to admit it, but I
really liked it."

"Looks like you still like the chain smoking," Mike commented after watching
Megan's frequent lighting up in the truck.  "You haven't stopped smoking
since we left."

Megan didn't say anything, knowing that he was right.  She was now smoking a
lot without even realizing it.  She also knew that she was well into her
second of three cartons that Joan had bought her on Wednesday morning.  She
took another puff off of her shrinking cigarette as she quietly thought to
herself about what was happening to her.  Smoking wasn't supposed to get out
of hand like it was, but she really liked it.  Was she slowly become a real
smoker like Mike, Sherry, Joan and Terry?  

Megan had such a great time at Mike's parents.  She especially enjoyed all
the smoking she was able to do.  During that time she got to experience the
joy of lighting up at will.  It made her start to think about how good it
would be to smoke freely every day.   Maybe it was time to putt an end to the
quiet social smoking and to open up to everyone about it.

Sherry was in the dorm room studying when Megan arrived.  "Hey Meg, welcome
back, did you have a good time?" Sherry asked with her ever present VS 100 in
her hand.

"Really good time," Megan replied.  "His family is really nice and his
parents are so cool."

"So, did you smoke at all during the weekend with Mike?" Shelly asked, while
laughing.

"Oh, I had a few," Megan answered as she opened her purse up and pulled out
her Salem's.  "A few cartons, that is," she finished as she lit up in front
of Sherry for the first time.  

"I was wondering when you were going to start smoking with the rest of us.
Welcome to the club!" Sherry said as she hugged Megan.  "Believe me, you'll
be glad that you did."

"Thanks Sherry.  I hope you're right about being glad."  Megan then paused to
take another puff. "I guess as long as I'm dating Mike, I will be smoking."

The rest of the evening, Megan continued her frantic smoking pace.  Hanging
out with Sherry and then later with Terry made it so easy.   The next
morning, Megan woke up early with a slight cough.  Her chest was congested
from all the abuse it took the week before.  It was the same cough she had
heard from Sherry every morning over the last couple of months.  It was that
morning cough that made Megan reluctant to become a smoker.  Megan then
reached over to her desk and grabbed her Salem's.  With a click of the
lighter, she began the day.  She smoked quietly as she slowly felt her strong
craving subside.  She now knew why Sherry lit up first thing every morning.
After her cigarette was done, she immediately lit up another.  Megan was now
a smoker and she wasn't going to fight it any longer.  

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