Jess's World, Part 7

Jess's World
by Gray Haze

Part 7 - Two More for the Family

During the second week of August, the family headed for Cape Cod for a two
week vacation.  They had rented a large, four bedroom beach house right on
the beach, on a island called Martha's Vineyard, just off the coast of the
Cape.  

The trip from their home in North Carolina was a long one.  Eighteen hours in
all.  Fortunately, the family owned a large, 1979 Chevy conversion van.  It
had two captain seats up front, and two rows of bench seats in the back, and
plenty of space to store luggage to boot.  Jess loved going to Martha
Vineyard.  The family went almost every year.  

Everyone was allowed two bags, one big one for their clothes and one smaller
on for anything else.  Jess decided to scrimp a little on the clothes to make
room for her cigarettes.  Cigarettes were cheap in North Carolina and she
didn't want to pay more in Massachusetts.  So along with her clothes she
packed four cartons of Salem's and two cartons of Pall Malls.

During the trip, mom and dad sat up front, with Jess and Jamie in the second
row and Jill and Jennifer sat in the back.  They left at Midnight Friday
night.  An hour prior to leaving, Jamie joined Jess in her bedroom to load up
on nicotine prior to the trip.  Jess wanted to fall right to sleep once they
started moving so she joined Jamie.  To fully load up Jess pulled out her
holder and loaded two cigarettes onto it.  She would have preferred a cigar
right then, but she didn't have one available.

"So that's what you use that thing for," Jamie smiled as she lit her own
cigarette.

"Two or three of these and I will be sleeping like a baby in no time," Jess
responded has she exhaled a huge plume into the air.

"Can I try it?" Jamie asked as she reached her hand out to Jess.  Jamie then
took a couple of big puffs off the holder.  "Wow this is incredible; I'm
going to have to get one of these."

"Ah, why don't you wait until you get older Jamie," Jess smiled while she
took the holder back.

Sure enough, both Jess and Jamie fell asleep soon after they hit the highway.

At six, Jess woke up coughing terribly as was quickly becoming her custom.
As soon as she realized where she was, she tried to conceal it as best she
could out of embarrassment.  One thing that she didn't conceal was her need
for a cigarette.  She immediately reached in her purse and pulled out a Pall
Mall.  She would have loved to light up two right there and then, but knew
that wouldn't have been cool.  

Jess then cracked open the window and lit up.  She continued to periodically
cough which caught the attention of her mother.  "Good morning sweet heart,
did you sleep well."

"OK I guess mom," Jess responded as she took another long drag.

"That's quite a cough you got there dear, I hope you're not catching a cold
or something," her mom said with concern.

"No, I'm just a little congested this morning that's all," Jess responded
after taking yet another puff.

"Oh, I'm pretty congested myself most mornings also," her mother smiled while
lighting her own cigarette.  "Two or three of these usually clears me up,"
she continued while looking at her cigarette.  

"Don't worry mom, I plan on following your prescription," Jess responded with
a smile as she exhaled out the window.

Jess continued to smoke non-stop until finally, after her sixth cigarette,
she had got her nicotine level up to normal.  Jess then looked in her purse
for a brush for her hair.  She saw three packs of Salem's and two packs of
Pall Malls.  "That should be enough for this long trip," Jess thought to
herself.

For the rest of the trip, Jess continued to light up every ten to fifteen
minutes, which was becoming her custom.  Of course Jill bitched and
complained the whole way, that is until her mother yelled at her good at
about ten that morning.  Jennifer as usual sat quietly in the back reading
the whole way.   It was a tough trip for Jamey.  She was dying for a
cigarette the whole way, and to make matters worse she had to sit and watch
both her parents and Jess puff away the whole trip.  "I kill for one of
those," Jamey whispered in Jess's ear while Jess was holding a cigarette.  

"I told you that you should just get it over with and tell mom," Jess
whispered back.  "Then you wouldn't be dying right now, would you."

Jamey did manage to sneak an occasional puff from Jess during stops at
restaurant and gas stations.  But even those chances were limited.  Finally
at eight they arrived at their rental house on Martha Vineyard.  Jess and
Jamey shared one bedroom while Jill and Jennifer had there own.  Jamey
quickly rushed her luggage up to the bedroom urging Jess to do the same.  Of
course, Jess knew what Jamie wanted, so she quickly obliged.  While
un-packing, Jess and Jamey kept only one cigarette burning at all times, not
wanting Jamey to get caught.  If somebody came in, they would just assume
that the cigarette burning in the ash tray was Jess's.

Over the course of the next couple of days, Jamey was constantly sneaking
smokes from Jess whenever she could.  She also would leave for sudden walks
by herself, while everyone else was hanging out at the house.  Her mother had
begun to start suspecting that Jamey might be experimenting with smoking
months before, but had no real proof of it.  Finally, on Wednesday, while
everybody else was at the beach, her mother found a pack of Pall Malls in
Jamey's top drawer.  She was cleaning up the place and putting away a load of
laundry when she found them.  She thought at first that they might have been
Jess's and somehow they got in the wrong drawer.  

Later that day, she managed to catch Jess alone on the front porch of the
house.  Jess was enjoying the seaside view while smoking, when her mother sat
down next to her.

"Have you noticed anything different about Jamey lately?" her mother asked
Jess.

"No, not really, she seems like the same rambunctious kid that she always has
been," Jess responded as she lit another cigarette.

"I kind have seen some changes over the last month or so with her.  It is
kind of hard to explain, but just call it a mother's intuition," her mother
said as she lit a cigarette also.  "I really think that she has been
experimenting with smoking, but I have yet to see any solid proof of that.
The way she been sneaking off constantly this week makes me kind of wonder."
Her mother than took another drag, inhaled and the exhale as she continued.
"Well, while I was putting clothes away today, I found this pack of Pall
Malls in her dresser drawer.  I thought that I would ask you to make sure
that they aren't yours."

Jess knew that Jamey was busted.  She could say that they were hers, but
wasn't sure if there is any other evidence also.  Besides, she was getting
tired of covering her kid sister's tracks all of the time.  

"Yeah mom, she does smoke," Jess responded solemnly as she exhaled a thick
puff of smoke from her Salem.  "I caught her about six weeks ago.  I was
going to tell you, but she pleaded with me not to.  To make matter worse,
that little snitch has been stealing packs from me, I know it.  I thought
that I was missing some, but with all that I smoke, it is hard to keep track
of them.  Last week though I caught her red handed grabbing one out of my
carton I keep in my desk drawer."

"I see, so I was right, I knew it," her mother chimed in.

"After I caught her I again threatened to tell you.  But then she started to
cry.  I guess she been smoking for two years now.  She first started stealing
packs from you.  Then she stole one from dad, and instantly fell in love with
the Camels.  That little shit has been smoking unfiltered cigarettes for over
a year now," Jess said as she put out her cigarette.  "I told her she needed
to quit right now before she got good and hooked.  Then she looked at me with
a big tear in her eye and said that it was too late, she already was."

Jess mom sat quietly for a few minutes not saying a thing, just puffing
steadily on her cigarette.  Finally as she put her cigarette out, she just
looked down at the ground and said, "That poor little thing.  I can't believe
my baby is smoking.  God, she's only 13."

"I'm sorry mom, I was going to tell you, but she got me to promise not to,"
Jess said as she lit another cigarette.  "So I decided to let her smoke in my
room after I caught her, just to see how experienced she was.  Mom you should
have seen her, my little baby sister sitting there smoking a Pall Mall like
an experienced truck driver.  I will tell you this much, this kid knows how
to smoke."

"So do you think she is hooked Jess?" her mother asked.

"No doubt in my mind mom," Jess responded as she exhaled a plume of smoke
into the sky.  "She has been constantly bugging me ever since for cigarettes.
This kid is good and hooked!"

"Oh, I see," her mother said.  "I guess I'm going to have to talk to your
father about this one.  If she is hooked, it might be real tough getting her
to quit.  She will just continue to sneak around behind our backs I'm
afraid."

"I know she will she likes smoking way too much to quit.  Just like you and
me, once you get the smoking bug, it's damn near impossible to quit," Jess
replied with the sound of authority.  "Don't worry mom, if you want to drop
the hammer on her, I will support you.  I won't keep feeding her habit, you
can count on me."

"Thanks Jess let me talk to your father and see what he thinks we should do.
I doubt he'll be pleased," she said with a concerned voice.

Nothing was said the rest of the night.  Jess did tip Jamey off about what
happened to let her prepare for the worst.  Nothing was said the next day
either until just before dinner.  Jamey was called up by her father to come
talk to them in their room.  After about 20 minutes the three of them came
down and nobody said anything.  Soon the entire family sat down for dinner.

After dinner, Jess immediately reached for a Salem, followed closely by her
mother while the rest ate some desert.  After a couple of minutes, Jamey
started to pull something out of her pocket.  She nervously extracted a
cigarette out of her pack while Jess, Jen and Jill stared in stunned
disbelief.  Then out of nowhere, her father flicked his lighter and held it
up to Jamey, as she tipped her head toward the flame and sucked the flame
into her cigarette.

"You gotta be kidding me Jamey!"  Jill shouted out in disbelief.  "Mom, how
can you let that little squirt smoke like that?"

"That will be enough of that Jill," her mother yelled back.

As Jill and her mom continued to argue, Jennifer silently got up and left.
Nobody even noticed her leave.  Then again, nobody ever noticed silent Jen.
Jen was the geeky one in the family.  A straight "A" student, she was
constantly up in her room either studying or reading.  She probably was the
least attractive of the four sisters also.  But that was more because of a
lack of trying than natural beauty.  Jennifer did have some friends, and they
would often get together to study or see a movie.  And even though she was
15, she hardly ever dated and really wasn't all that interested in boys.  Jen
got along with her sisters good enough though, but they usually paid little
attention to her.

But there was one secret nobody in the family knew about.  And as Jennifer
entered her bedroom, she knew that it was time to tell all.

Meanwhile, back at the table, the argument between Jill and her mother
abruptly ended when her father finally piped in with authority.

"Thanks daddy," Jamey said as she took another drag off of her cigarette.

Jess looked at her sister and with a smile and a wink said softly, "way to
go."

As the four were chatting quietly while smoking and Jill was sulking while
she nibbled at her dessert, Jennifer came back down and sat down.  Like
always nobody even realized it when she sat down.  But that was about to
change as Jennifer slowly pulled out a pack of B&H Menthol 100's.  She
nonchalantly extracted a cigarette out from the pack, put it in her mouth,
and just like she has been doing this in front of her parents for years,
casually lit it up.

All of the sudden conversation stopped, as everyone just stared as Jennifer
as she slowly exhaled her first puff.  Finally Jennifer said with some
embarrassment, "well I figured if little Jamey was aloud to smoke now, you
wouldn't mind me smoking also."

Of all of the kids, Jennifer was the last that anybody would suspect would
become a smoker.  Not geeky little Jen.

Finally, their dad broke the ice while he looked at his wife he said, "Well
honey, it looks like we badly influenced three of our daughters," and then he
said while laughing and looking at Jill, "please don't tell me you want one
also."

"No daddy, I can assure you that I don't," Jill responded. 

"Good, I'm glad to hear that Jill," he said while he continued to laugh.

"You know what guys, I hope all of your lungs rot in hell," Jill said as she
stormed out of the dining room.

"Well Jen, this certainly is a surprise," her mother said as she lit another
cigarette.  "Of all of my kids, I figured you'd be the last one to take up
the habit."

"I know it isn't like me is it.  But believe it or not, I really like to
smoke, and I'm relieved to finally be able to come out from the closet on
this," Jennifer said as she placed the cigarette back in her mouth.  As she
took another puff, she looked at Jamey and said through a talking exhale,
"Thanks for making it easy for me little sis."

"My pleasure Jen," Jamey said as she put out her cigarette.

"Well Jen, I see you have excellent taste when it comes to what brand to
smoke," her mother said complimentarily.

For the next hour, the five of them sat around the dinner table laughing and
smoking.  Jess smoked her usual five in that time period, while her mother
downed four.  Jamey and her dad smoked only two of their filterless
cigarettes.  But what was most surprising was Jennifer; she had four just
like her mother.  It turned out that Jennifer was quite the accomplished
smoker.

After being gone for a half hour Jill came back down to join the rest of
them.  Her mother than came over to Jill and gave her a big hug and said,
"Jill I'm glad that you have chosen not to smoke.  I guess you're the only
smart one of the bunch of us.  I urge you to continue with your athletics and
stay away from these things."

"Thanks mom," as she looked at her family she said, "I'm sorry that I've been
a little hard on you guys, can you forgive me."

Jess then reached for her pack, took one out for herself, and then after she
place one in her mouth, she held out her pack to Jill and said while
laughing, "care to join us Jill."

"Not right now Jess," Jill answered, while everybody else was rolling on the
floor laughing.  "But maybe later" as she started to laugh also.

That night, Jen, Jess and Jamey sat up late in their room smoking like
chimneys and laughing up a storm.  Jess and Jamey were fascinated with the
smoking story Jen had to tell.  It turned out that Jen had started four years
ago, longer then even Jess.  She was always fascinated with smoking and fell
in love with it after her first one.  She was smoking almost a pack a day by
the age of twelve, but easily concealed it from everybody in the family
because no one paid much attention to her.  Over the last year or so, she
spent considerable amount of time over at her friends Sarah's, to not only
study, but to smoke.  Sarah's parent let her smoke, so that became her `smoke
out'.  She was able to buy cigarettes at a convenience store a few blocks
away from her house, and paid for them by using her allowance and whatever
money she earned baby sitting.  By the time this summer started, she had
reached a level of a carton a week, and lately almost two packs a day.

"Wow Jen, two packs a day," Jess said in amazement.  "It sounds like you are
like me and mom.  It won't be long before you chain smoke like us!"

"Well now that I can smoke freely, I hope to," she responded as she lit her
next cigarette off the lit end her just finished cigarette.  

"Keep smoking like that and you will," Jess said while laughing.

"You know I always admired mom's dedication to her cigarettes.  She smokes
with such an open, unashamed style, that it is so obvious how much she love
her cigarette."  Jenn then continued after taking another puff.  "Then
watching you smoke this summer Jess, you have taken it to a whole other level
above that of mom.  It's amazing how dedicated you are.  How much do you
smoke Jess, if you mind me asking?"

"About two carton of Salem's and a carton of Pall Malls a week," Jess
replied.  "Plus an occasional one of dad's cigars also."

"Oh my God Jess, that's over 4 packs a day," Jen said as she took another
drag off her B&H.  "You must really love smoking to smoke that much."

"My love for smoking can't be measured," Jess said while laughing.  "I smoke
to the max and love every second of it."

Jess then went on to tell all about her smoking.  The intense cravings that
she always has and how dutiful she works to satisfy them.  

"Why don't you tell her about the holder Jess," Jamey chimed in.

"Oh yeah, wait until you try this," Jess continued as she pulled the holder
out of her dresser drawer.  Jess then placed two Pall Mall on it, lit it, and
took a big puff.  As she was holding the smoke in she handed the holder it to
Jen.  "Go ahead, try it, the rush is incredible," Jess finished as she
proceeded to exhale a huge cloud of smoke.

Jen took the holder and proceded to follows Jess lead.  With a huge smile on
her face, she took a puff, inhaled deeply, and held it for four seconds.
Then she reluctantly let out the biggest cloud of smoke that she has ever
had.

"I gotta get myself one of these," Jen said as she lifted the holder back up
to her face.  "The buzz you get off of this is incredible."

"I know, but I use it to kill the really bad cravings I have usually in the
middle of the night, and in the morning," Jess responded.  "A couple of these
in a row will kill any nicotine fit."

"Don't tell me you can't make it through an entire night without smoking?"
Jen asked while laughing.

"Not usually, that is part of being a heavy smoker.  Mom can't make it
either.  Don't worry, give it some time and you will also be getting up to
smoke in the middle of the night also," Jess responded laughing as she took
the holder from Jess.

The three girls made short work out of the two cigarettes on the holder.
They waited about five minutes, and then Jess lit up one of her Salem's
followed quickly by Jen lighting up a B&H menthol.  

"Jen, I see a great smoking future for ya," Jess said as she exhaled the
smoke from her newly lit cigarette.  "You don't seem to be having much
trouble at all keeping up with me tonight."

Just then, they heard a knock on the door.  It was Jill.

"Mind if I join you guys?"  Jill asked.  "Couldn't help hearing all the
laughing going on in here."

"Sure come on in Jill," Jess responded, "But you better bring a gas mask, the
smoke is awfully thick in here."

"Oh I don't mind, I guess I have gotten used to it this summer being around
you and mom," Jill said with a smile.  "The whole nagging stuff that was just
an act, to try to get under your skin.  I hope you will forgive me."

"Of course I will," Jess responded, "you're my kid sister and I love you to
much not to.  Besides, I like getting under your skin sometimes as well."

For the next hour, the four girls sat around talking, smoking and laughing.
Jess was smoking pretty much constantly, while Jen was trying to do her best
imitation of Jess.  Jamey had only one, and of course, Jill didn't smoke.
But as Jess continued to tell about how great smoking was, Jill starting to
think that she was missing something.

"You know Jess; do you think I could try one of your Salem's?" Jill asked.

A stunned silence fell over the room as the three smokers look at Jill in
shocked disbelief.

"Jill, I think you better stick to athletics," Jess said as she finally broke
the silence.  "You are such a great athlete.  If you start smoking these
things your days of playing soccer will end quickly."

"I only want to try it Jess, I don't plan on becoming a smoker or anything
like that," Jill responded.  "After watching you guys smoke it's obvious that
I'm missing something."

"OK Jill, but remember this, I didn't plan on becoming a smoker either and
look at me now," Jess said as she handed a Salem to Jill.  "Don't say I
didn't warn you."

Jess then showed Jill all the basics of smoking, and then lit her up.  It
didn't go well at all, and Jill was real embarrassed, but the others assured
her that their first didn't go well either.

"Don't worry Jill, keep practicing, you'll get used to it in no time," Jamey
reassured her.

"No Jill, you'll never get the hang of it," Jess chimed in still trying to
dissuade her from smoking, "I think you should stick to soccer."

Over the rest of the first week of their vacation, Jess continued her
tremendous smoking.  Jen started to keep up with her and Jamey continued
enjoying her pack a day habit, relieved to be able to smoke without hiding it
anymore.  Jill continued to experiment a little and was actually able to
tolerate an entire Salem.

That Saturday night, their parents were snuggling out on the porch, enjoying
watching the sun go down on the horizon.  Jess the came out with lit
cigarette in hand and joined them.  A little while later, her dad got up and
went inside to retrieve his box of cigars.  When he got back he immediately
offered one to Jess, who dutifully accepted as she extinguished what remained
of her cigarette in the ashtray.

"Thank you daddy," Jill said after accepting a light from her father.  "This
tastes wonderful."

"I didn't know you smoked cigars Jess?" her mother asked.

"Yeah, me and daddy smoke one together on occasion," Jess responded.  "Want
to join us mom?"

"Ah, no Jess, I don't think that it is particularly lady like to smoke big
fat cigars," her mother said in a disappointed voice.

Just then, Jen came out.  "Can I try one daddy, please?" she asked with great
interest.

"I'm sorry princess, but I think that you need to be 18 to smoke these," her
father replied with authority.

"Oh Jen, why don't you join me for a cigarette?" her mother asked as she
reached her pack out to Jen.  "We'll let those two bums smoke those stinking
cigars while we enjoy a real ladylike smoke."

Over the remainder of the vacation, Jens smoking continued to increase.
Hanging out with Jess and her mother was a constant prompt to light up.  Much
like she did with Jess, her mother gave her constant encouragement about
maximizing the pleasures of smoking.  Jen was enjoying every minute of it.
By that next Wednesday, Jess had smoked three packs for the first time.  And
after smoking three packs the next day, Jess was starting to feel the intense
cravings that only heavy smokers feel.  

On the last day of the trip, Jess and Jen talked about the cravings that Jen
was feeling, and how she was finding herself constantly reaching for a
cigarette to feed them.

"Wow Jen, sure sounds like to me that you're definitely turning out to be
like mom and me," Jess told her after hearing about it.  "I think it's
genetic or something.  For whatever reason, nicotine seems to have a
tremendous effect on us.  Mom and I both agree that we were born to be smoke
like chimneys."

"It's incredible Jess, the more I smoke the more I want to.  And the more I
want to, the more I need to.  And the more I need to, the more I smoke.  I'm
not sure when this cycle ends, but I'm loving every minute of it," she said
as she extracted another cigarette from her pack.
 
"Well, school starts soon Jen, that will put an end to it," Jess responded
while laughing.

"Oh, I don't look forward to that at all," Jen said, "I had enough trouble
last year making through a class, and I smoked half as much then.  I think
that it's going to be torture this year."

"Jen the scholar calling school torture," Jess said with a laugh while she
lit another cigarette.  "I thought I never would here that in my life.  I
guess I really have corrupted you."

"No, I can assure you, my grades will be sparkling next year," Jen responded
with a serious look on her face.  "It's just these I'm going to be dying for
these during school," she continued as she looked at her burning cigarette.
"Jen then took another big cheek hollowing puff followed by a deep inhale.
"God I love these things," she said as smoke spewed out her mouth and nose.

Once vacation ended, everyone returned to their usual routine.  Jess started
getting packed for college which was going to start in another week.  Soccer
practice had just started that week and Jill wisely decided to suspend her
smoking, at least until soccer ended later that fall.  She was still
grappling with whether she really wanted to take it up full time after that.
Jen went back to her quiet ways again, except this time she smoked constantly
while reading in her room.  And Jamie continued her happy go lucky ways,
except she got a kick out of smoking her Pall Malls freely in front of her
friends, with full permission from her parents.  She particularly liked using
her holder while at the mall to flirt with the astonished young boys.

Their mother was quite impressed with Jen's new devotion to the habit.  Just
after they got back, she was running to the smoke shop to pick up cigarettes
for herself for the week.  Before she left, she asked Jen if she needed any.

"Yeah can you pick me up a carton, or better yet, make that two," Jen told
her as she held what was becoming an ever increasing site of a cigarette in
her hand.

"Two cartons Jen, why aren't we becoming quite the heavy smoker lately young
lady," her mother said with a smile.  "A chip off the old block I guess."

"Yeah, I guess I was born to be a human chimney, just like you and Jess," she
said while taking another puff.

"Well I'm glad that you are maximizing your smoking pleasure Jen.  If you're
going to be a smoker, you might as well smoke as much as it takes to fully
enjoy it.  Two cartons it is then," she said as she headed out the door.

Finally Jess had to head back to college.  The summer was over, and it was
back to reality.  But life would never be the same again.  Three months ago
while she was heading home, she was extremely conflicted over becoming a
smoker.  But now she wasn't, she had found how incredible smoking could be,
and she was never happier.

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