Happy Hour, Part 6

HAPPY HOUR
===========
By Blackbladder

PART SIX - HOME SWEET HOME
---------------------------------------------------

"I don't know if we should, Paul...I never got any sleep on the plane." Lizzy
droned as the couple stepped off the coach outside Mason's.  The flight had
been tedious; delays had dominated and their departure had been delayed by
hours.  Lizzy was now just looking to return to her own bed and sleep off the
jetlag of the flight.  However, Paul, her boyfriend, was not tired and
insisted they stop off for a drink first.

As they entered Mason's, they sat at a table and hung their coats on the back
of the wooden chairs.  

"I don't know how you've still got the energy." Lizzy moaned as she struggled
to keep her eyelids open.

"It's coz I've had cafeeine all day today.  I'll get you a coffee which
should freshen you up." Paul said as he laid the couple's heavy suitcase
beside their table.

As Paul approached the counter, he noticed the cafe was quiet and deserted,
apart from two customers sitting and smoking in the corner.  He found this
odd as before they left, the cafe had became a smoke-free zone.  Paul could
only conclude that the customers were taking their chances as he saw Grace
washing up several mugs.  

"Hey Grace - we're back!" Paul smiled as the Cafe Owner faced him and smiled
back.

"Welcome back - how was your holiday?" Grace asked as she forced a smile.

"It was just what we needed...just a few weeks away from work was wonderful!"
Paul replied eagerly.

"So what can I get ya?" Grace asked impatiently, but in a polite manner.
This confused Paul as Grace had been a mother figure to him since he became
Lizzy's boyfriend.  Grace seems a bit edgy, Paul thought as Grace fiddled
with her dishtowel.

"Two coffees. black. Thanks." Paul replied as he handed the Owner the change
he had kept before leaving for France weeks ago.

Meanwhile, Lizzy watched the smokers in the corner with disgust.  She thought
Grace's smoke-free environment would have been followed through as she saw
Paul walk back to the table empty-handed.

"You forgotten somethin." Lizzy asked sarcastically, gesturing at Paul with
no drinks in his hand.

"She's bringing them over." Paul replied plainly as they both glanced around
the deserted cafe.

Before leaving for their holiday, Mason's had been a highly popular cafe for
the local community of Westfox.  Now they found the cafe with almost no
customers.

Grace emerged from behind the counter with a poster, and pinned it up on the
entrance door with adhesive, before returning to collect the hot coffees.

"There ya go!" Grace said as she handed the couple their drinks.

"Thanks Grace - we've missed your coffee!" Lizzy smiled as she sipped from
the coffee mug.

"Yeah, I've missed you kid. A lot has changed since you guys went on
holiday." Grace returned half-heartedly as her smile turned into a frown.

"So what's up Grace? This ain't you - you're normally the one cheering us up
if we're down." Paul urged as he pulled a chair from another table.

"Just five minutes then... give me a sec." Grace relented as she walked back
behind the counter, passing the smokers without any comment.

"Something's not quite right - in normal circumstances she would have thrown
out these ignorant people." Lizzy whispered as she could feel the caffeine
beginning to take effect.  As her body continued to waken properly, her
normal hate for smoking began to regenerate.

As Paul nodded in agreement, they heard a click of a lighter coming from the
counter.  Grace stood there, with a dangling unlit cigarette, an empty
ashtray in one hand and a bic lighter in the other.  They watched in shock as
she flicked the wheel numerous times, growing frustrated as a flame never
appeared.  After six unsuccessful flicks of the lighter, she looked over
towards the small group of smokers whom had been shunned just days ago.
Grace buckled to the pressure of her cravings, and walked towards the group
with the cigarette still standing.  The group laughed momentarily at the
irony of the scenario, but were more than happy to provide the light for
Grace's cigarette.  As soon as a flame appeared from one of their lighters,
she leaned the tip in and sucked heavily with her cheeks collapsing.  With
the smoke flooding into her mouth, her cravings simmered as the nicotine
toxins were inhaled into her lungs.  Lizzy and Paul watched in surprise as
Grace stood by the smokers, tipped her head towards the ceiling and released
a stream of smoke.  As the nicotine rush surged through her veins, and her
cravings appeased for now, she returned to Lizzy's table, puffing contentedly
on her cigarette.  

"What is this?!" Lizzy said in subdued shock as the groggy feelings from the
flight still persisted.

"Oh the cigarette....I just started yesterday.  That's the first change."
Grace said as she looked at the cylinder burn between her fingers.  

"Have you ever smoked before?" Paul asked.

"I smoked many years ago but gave up.  I was under stress, and felt like
having one again yesterday." Grace reasoned as she tipped the cigarette
against the ashtray.

"So what exactly happened yesterday?" Lizzy questioned as she sipped her
coffee, as the smell originating from the ashtray tickled her nose. 

"Let me tell you about Charlie, my cook.  He handed in his notice on Tuesday
for a new bar that has just opened this week.  I'd been begging him to stay
here but he seemed adamant this bar was where he wanted to work..." Grace
puffed on her cigarette again, as the nicotine seemed to calm her nerves
instantly.  "...Anyway, knowing that this bar was actually now competition
for my cafe, I headed down there yesterday to confront the owner, Monique,
and try to get Charlie back." Grace concluded as she directed her exhale away
from the couple.

"Monique who?" Lizzy asked as the name was highly familiar with her.

"Let's see....I think it was Dindeleux, not quite sure." Grace replied with
another puff.

Lizzy couldn't believe it - one of her department's most wanted suspects had
set up business in her own backyard.  What were the chances? Lizzy thought.
Lizzy's Debt Management Department had been trying to track down Monique
Dindeleux over a period of months over financial irregularities in a previous
bar business scheme in New York.  Everytime they came close to catching her,
she fled unnoticed.

"You know her?" Grace asked as she de-ashed her cigarette.

"No. Was just curious." Lizzy shrugged her shoulders as she wanted to keep
this information private for the meantime so Monique would be caught on this
occasion.

Can't wait til I tell Bethany - she will be over the moon, Lizzy thought

"So what happened, Grace?" Paul questioned as he stirred his coffee.

"I approached this Monique, and told her what I thought of her trying to
steal all my customers - it was a right cheek.  All she did in reply was give
me a cup of her coffee - it tasted like shit and I told her that I would
never serve that crap in my cafe!  She wouldn't let me talk to Charlie.  I
was pissed off by now and took offence when she then lit up a cig right in
front of me.  Well, I had it and ranted to her about smoking openly in an
environment where food is being served.  Monique never batted an eyelid -
smug cow - just sat there smokin her cig.  Monique then started blowin her
smoke in my face ignorantly and started goin on about how her business is
here to stay and asked what was the point of my cafe remaining open.  For
some reason, I kinda thought about it, then agreed...just look at this
place....I can't offer customers as much as that bar business can
offer...they seem to have something for everybody down there..." Grace said,
gestured with the cigarette between her fingers.

"Anyway, after I realised this, I felt a bit more calm then the bitch offered
me a cig.  Normally, I would have taken the cig, ripped it into pieces and
force it down her throat! But I ended up taking it...All of a sudden my
childhood memories came floodin back and I knew in the past a cig always
helped calm me down.  Monique soon lit me up and I thoroughly enjoyed it - it
was just like that first time smoking experience with the same buzz again.
As I smoked with her, everything Monique said seemed to make sense.  You'll
find that poster I've just put up states that Mason's is closing due to lack
of business.  Because of this bar, I've lost most of my customers."  Grace
continued frantically.

"But you're a fighter, Grace.  You've had competition before and you've
always won.  What are you gonna do if Mason's closes?" Lizzy asked, annoyed
at the changes to her neighbourhood.  The more she heard about Monique, the
stronger her determination to close in on her strengthened.

"Here's the irony - Monique's offered me a kinda partnership down at the bar,
dealing purely with the catering side of things.  So I can be reunited with
Charlie.  Plus, in the past, I've always managed to keep my customers, but
ever since this bar opened, my business has been extremely quiet - I can't
keep the running costs of this place going when there aren't any customers."
Grace reasoned as she lifted the cigarette towards her lips once more.

The couple nodded towards the owner in acknowledgement - so much had changed
for Grace since they left.  While they were still baffled by her sudden
defeat to a renewed smoking habit and a new business rival, they could
understand she was a woman under stress.  They finished their coffees in
silence and walked out of the cafe, deeply inhaling the fresh oxygen of the
night air...

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

"Thanks again for letting me stay over tonight again - I really needed a
break from my parents' smoking." Pamela said, distracted partially by the
report she was writing for her College Project.

"You've just swapped one smoky environment for another, Pamela." Gillian
answered back as she surfed an anti-smoking website on her computer.

"I know...but I'm still upset about it all with them after they promised to
quit for me and Lizzy." Pamela sighed

"Look at this site, Pamela....it gives you all stats on smoking in bars!"
Gillian said as a page on upcoming smoking bans appeared.  They frowned in
disappointment as their city wasn't on the list of places being reviewed at
the moment.

Suddenly, Gillian's bedroom door was tapped and her mother walked in, unlit
cigarette in hand.

"Are you girls wantin any pizza? I'm ordering..." 

"I am fine, Mrs Watson." Pamela replied politely, her eyes drawn to the
unfamiliar object between the mother's fingers.

"Pamela....just call me Nancy." Nancy retorted as she raised the cigarette
towards her lips and fished in her trouser pocket for her lighter.

"Have a look at this site, Mom - you should take note.  Westfox will fall
prey to the politicians soon enough, and then you will be questioning why you
bothered starting smoking in the first place...and don't even think about..."
Gillian barked as her mother flicked the wheel of the lighter, a flame
erupting.

Before Gillian could complete her demand, Nancy took full advantage and
lowered the tip of her cigarette into the flame, lighting up easily.  

"Honey, this is MY house remember...you'll just have to get used to it."
Nancy replied as she inhaled greedily.  The cravings were satisfied.  Before
her night out with her friend, Nancy was easily offended by the presence of
cigarette smoke but now basked in its presence.  As she exhaled casually,
Nancy wondered why she had never smoked a cigarette before.  The process of
smoking seemed so natural to her now and the taste was wonderful.  Nancy
looked towards the website and laughed.

"These scrutinies are different for every city - it all depends on local
enforcement.  Even if there was an interest to investigate the law, it would
take years to pass a bill anyway with all the red tape involved." Nancy
stated, now an avid supporter of her newly-acclaimed habit.

As Nancy left the room in a smoky haze, Gillian closed the website window and
leaned back in her chair, sighing as she gazed at her carpet.

"I've tried everything Pamela...I've showed her pictures of smokers' lungs
from the net and she still won't budge.  I just don't know my mother any
more." Gillian said despondantly.

"I know the feeling.  Hopefully when my sister goes back to work, she can
help us get to the bottom of this.  I want to know what is changing people
around here just as much as you at the party tommorrow night.  I also want my
family and friends back."

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

"Hi Mom, I'm back!" Lizzy shouted as she walked into the house.  She sighed
as she looked around the familiar decor of the hallway as a voice emanated
from the kitchen.  The flight home, the delays, and the drink in Mason's had
left her very tired and weary - all she wanted to do was go to bed. As Lizzy
walked towards the kitchen, she also detected an unwelcome odour as she
entered the kitchen.  She gasped in disappointment as her mother sat puffing
on a cigarette at the kitchen table, surrounded in a haze of blue smoke. 

"What's going on, Mom?" Lizzy stated as she dumped her holdall at her feet.

"Doesn't your Mom get a hug?" Kirsten asked, as she walked over to her
daughter, her arms open wide as she left the cigarette to burn in the
ashtray.

They temporarily hugged, and Lizzy wrinkled her nose at the heavy smoke from
her mother's cardigan.  The smoke was irratating.

"God, Mom, you stink! What happened to you quitting?" Lizzy moaned as her
mother sat back down and reached for her cigarette.

"I know - but it was so hard." Kirsten said as she puffed on her shrinking
cigarette.

As Lizzy sat down at the table, she noticed a bottle of wine and glasses
sitting on top of the table.  Kirsten noticed her daughter stare at the items
and smiled.  Anything to take the focus of my habit, Kirsten thought as she
poured some wine into Lizzy's glass.

"Thanks for the gesture, but I'm just tired.  I just wanna go to bed." Lizzy
tried to push the glass away.

"Come on dear, just one single drink...after all, you've just got back.  This
is a celebration." Kirsten smiled as she inhaled once more to her daughter's
displeasure.

Lizzy conceded her stance, and sipped the wine.  Although Lizzy had a taste
for wine, she noted that this blend was particularly strong.  Kirsten then
began to question her daughter on her holiday as they finished their drinks.
When Kirsten hinted about a second drink, Lizzy agreed reluctantly, and held
out her glass.

"Where is everybody?" Lizzy asked as her glass was filled with more wine.

"Your Dad is away with his work friends for the night and your sis is having
a sleepover with Gillian.  She's also not happy about my smoking..." Kirsten
considered as she grinded out her cigarette in the ashtray and reached for
her ever-present pack on the table as part of a natural routine.

"With me back now, I can give you and Dad support to quit the habit again.
I'm so mad that you both promised me to at least limit your habit while I was
away." Lizzy said as she became accustomed to the strength of the wine.  

Kirsten removed a cigarette from the pack and placed it between her lips.

"Who said I am going to quit again? Not me...this is my habit once more - it
tastes heavenly!" Kirsten said as the cigarette bounced between her lips as
she spoke.

As Kirsten reached for the lighter, Lizzy frowned upon the open admission
from her mother.  Her boastful statement in support of her habit shocked
Lizzy as Kirsten had always been ashamed of the need for nicotine.  Lizzy
recalled that Kirsten had vowed to quit smoking for years.  She knew that
Kirsten was normally very self-conscious and aware of how others felt around
her.  This admission just did not make any sense to her at all as she watched
her mother light up with anger - and a small hint of lust.  Lizzy simply
reasoned her feeling of mild curiousity stemmed from the fact she was very
fatigued, and had no fight left back in her.  However, she noticed that the
wine had a positive effect on her body as it tickled her senses.

They both sat in silence as Kirsten smoked with a passion in front of her
tired daughter, who couldn't help watch her mother take constant drags from
her cigarette.  From each drag, Lizzy's curiousity rose - a voice within her
began debating what it would be like to smoke herself.  This is crazy, I hate
smoking, Lizzy tried to convince herself.  Kirsten noticed her daughter
watching her smoke with intrigue.  Ever since resuming the smoking habit
full-time, Kirsten had found that she felt more free and adventurous.  As
Lizzy continued to stare at the burning cigarette between her fingers,
Kirsten contemplated offering her daughter a cigarette as a joke.  

The curiousity had increased greatly within Lizzy by the time her mother had
finished her latest cigarette.  She watched fascinated as the cigarette was
crushed delicately into the ashtray.  What is wrong with me?, Lizzy asked as
she thought about going to her bedroom.

That thought evaporated as Kirsten picked up her pack of cigarettes once
more.  However, this time, the pack was tilted with it's lid open towards
Lizzy - the filters sitting comfortably in their rows, quietly exhorting her
to take one.  As soon as the pack was tilted in her direction, Lizzy felt an
overwhelming craving moan internally.  Lizzy slowly reached towards the pack
and removed a cork-tipped cigarette and studied the object in her hand as her
mother lit up.  

It feels so light...I should crush this right now, Lizzy thought as the
cravings continued to grow.

Against that chain of thought, she lifted the cigarette filter towards her
lips as Kirsten produced a flame from her lighter.  

I shouldn't be doing this, Lizzy thought, as she placed the cigarette between
her lips, and held it as the lighter's flame engulfed the tip.  Suddenly,
Lizzy detected the smoke filling up inside her mouth - it was strange...but
warm and smooth.  The cravings allieviated as she instinctively sucked the
smoke down into her fresh lungs, the way she had seen Kirsten do for years.
The noxious smell of cigarette smoke no longer irritated her.  As the
nicotine began to infiltrate her bloodstream, a moment of pure bliss overcame
Lizzy as she sat back in her seat and slowly removed the cigarette from her
mouth.  The taste was magnificent and the buzz from the nicotine was
wonderful as it explored her body like a tourist.  Lizzy closed her eyes and
embraced the light-headed feeling she was experiencing.  As if mentally
prompted, she pursed her lips and exhaled a stream of smoke towards her
mother.  Without delay, without question, Lizzy instantly lifted the
cigarette towards her lips for another drag. From the first puff, her mind
had now been emptied of all previous worries and concerns, including the fact
that her department's top suspect was working in Westfox. The smoke seemed to
have lifted her fatigue - it gave her a new lease of life from her first
puff.  Her opposition to the smoking habit melted with each powerful drag, as
she worked to emulate her mother's own smoking style.  

"I got that wine from the new Drôle Bar down the street.  You should try it
out some time - the prices are good." Kirsten insisted as her spellbound
daughter continued to suck heavily on the cigarette.

Lizzy remained silent as she inhaled once more...she couldn't believe how
easy this came to her.  Now the purpose of chasing Monique Dindeleux seemed
pointless as she smoked.

"You look great smoking, Lizzy.  I bet you are loving it at the moment."
Kirsten commented as she smoked her own cigarette.

"I'm just totally blown away by this - I never ever thought smoking could
ever make me feel like this..." Lizzy answered, lost in her smoky daze.

Mother and daughter shared two further cigarettes before going to bed that
night.  

As Lizzy lay in her bed, lustful thoughts of her smoking experience played
back in her mind.  Within minutes of that first cigarette, she had felt her
whole way of thinking change - but in this case, change for her was good!

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