Smoke And Mirrors, Part 22

This fictional story contains adult themes and descriptions. If such offends
you, read no further.  All persons and situations depicted are fictional, any
similarities to real persons or events is purely coincidental. All rights
reserved. This story cannot be reproduced without the written prior approval
of the author. You can notify the author at del999@yahoo.com.

Smoke & Mirrors
Part 22: It's A Mother and Daughter Thing:

Suzanne's alarm buzzed loudly. It was 7:00 AM. His first class was at 9:00
A.M. She had deliberately set the alarm a bit earlier, so that she would not
have to rush around in the morning. Plus, she would also need some extra time
to have her customary cigarette or two to start the day. She felt a little
rough this morning, not realizing that she had smoked nearly three packs of
cigarettes over the last two days. Her inhales had become longer and
certainly deeper. She no longer concentrated on blowing the smoke out, but
instead preferred to let the inhaled smoke linger in her lungs to get its
full effect. She again noticed soreness in her chest, the cumulative effect
of over 100 cigarettes that she had smoked during her first week as a smoker.
I must be coming down with a cold, she thought to herself, not realizing that
it was her body's way of telling her that her lungs were trying to adjust to
the intense and regular exposure of smoke that they had been receiving over
the last week.

Oh well, she thought, as she saw the package of VS 120's on her night table.
I have time for a cigarette, before I start cleaning up. She had never smoked
so soon after waking up. But somehow, she just couldn't wait. She remembered
how much better these cigarettes had tasted compared to the ultra lights.
These were smooth and easy to draw on. She lit the cigarette solemnly. The
taste was delightful, as she inhaled hungrily. The smoke escaped from her
nose as she continued to breathe the smoke in following a natural breathing
pattern after the drag. Her thoughts returned to her mother. Why couldn't she
just accept me? Why did she have to be so judgmental? The anger welled up in
her, as she angrily drew hard on her cigarette. "Well, Mother. This is
entirely your fault, as she looked at the burning cigarette between her
fingers. I hope you're happy now. She inhaled deeply again. She started to
feel her body finally calm down.

After smoking another cigarette with the freshly made coffee, she proceeded
to shower. Her body felt relaxed and satisfied. These morning cigarettes had
proven to be her favorites of the day. After changing, and gathering her
books, she looked at her watch. I just might have time to have one more
before class, she thought. Then it occurred to her. There is no reason, why I
can't smoke, as I walk to class. After all, she was a smoker now. It was no
big secret, even her mother new. Feeling quite proud of herself, she
proceeded to light up her third cigarette of the hour. She heard the door to
Jill's bedroom open.

"Oh, hi Jill, I've got early classes today. I'll see you for lunch, at the
usual time and place, okay. Gotta go, bye now," she said taking a long drag
as Suzanne walked towards the door.

"Okay I'll see you later" Jill said sleepily.

Jill walked over to the table, and saw the two spent cigarettes. Hmmm-she
said, realizing that Suzanne had smoked three cigarettes this morning before
starting her day. She seemed to have made time to add an extra one this
morning. She smiled to herself. There was no turning back for Suzanne now.

Suzanne sat through her first class. As the buzzer rang, to signify the
classes end, she realized that she had forty five minutes before her next
class. Maybe she would go to the lounge and have a quick coffee. As she
arrived at the lounge, she noted that it was very crowded. After getting a
coffee from the machine, she managed to find a seat beside a young innocent
looking girl, obviously a freshman like herself. As she put the change away
in her purse, she saw her cigarettes. Why not, she thought. I have time for
one, again thinking how angry her mother had made her.

Since it was very crowded and she was situated very close to the freshman,
she decided to be polite and ask if it was okay if she smoked. The young
girl, nervously said, "No please, its not a problem."

Suzanne quickly extracted one of her long cigarettes and took a long pull as
he she inhaled like an experienced smoker of many years. She noted that the
young freshman was watching her intently. "This isn't bothering you? Is it?
I'll move if you want." Suzanne said politely.

"No not at all, in fact the reason I was watching you so intently is that I
really could use a cigarette. Do you have a spare? By the way, my name is
Ashley. Do you mind? Please?" she said with nearly a pleading voice.

Suzanne voice brightened. "Be my guest, I have a whole carton back at my
apartment." Suzanne smiled at this realization. She reaffirmed her previous
revelation. Nearly everyone smoked in college. She cordially offered her one
from her pack, as she lit it with her gold lighter and positioned it in front
of her fellow freshman's eagerly waiting cigarette. "Oh thanks," she said as
she drew heavily with purpose. "Oh that feels so good, I was nearly
desperate." Ashley said with a satisfied look on her face.

She exhaled a long plume of smoke from her innocent lips. "I'm sorry, but I'm
on a real tight budget here at school. I really can't afford the luxury of
smoking. I miss it so." She took another long deep inhale.

"It's okay. Anytime you see me and you want one, just ask. Don't be shy. We
smokers have to stick together, right?" she said, smiling, as she thought how
ironic these words sounded coming out of her mouth.

Feeling comfortable with her newfound smoking friend, she decided to share
her secret. "Actually, I haven't been smoking that long. In fact, I just
started last week." she said honestly.

"No way! You certainly don't look like a beginner." She said, again taking a
long hit from the cigarette.  "You smoke like you've been doing it for a
while, and your brand. It's very elegant."

"Why thank you, it's nice of you to say that. Yes. I've learned rather
quickly to enjoy it," as she slowly turned her package over and over. Plus I
had a good teacher, she thought to herself.

"I'm curious, I am a late bloomer. How long have you been smoking? If that's
not too personal?" Suzanne said apologetically.

"My starting story is a bit different, from most. If you find this too
boring, just tell me." Ashley said as she raised her eyebrows.

"No go ahead, I have time, and I've always been curious why people start
smoking. It was sort of a big decision for me, as no one in my family
smokes." Suzanne said smiling.

"Well, that's not the way it was in my house. My mother smoked all the time.
In fact it was she who that got me started."

"Really!" Suzanne's eyes widened with surprise.

"Yeah it happened when I reached my sixteenth birthday. She surprised me with
a present. It was a carton of Marlboro Lights 100's. By the way, she smokes
Marlboro 100's, full strength mind you. I was totally surprised when I
unwrapped it. I asked her what the deal was. She knew I didn't smoke.

"She said since I was all grown up now it was about time that I gave smoking
a try. After all, I was old enough in her opinion. That was the age she
started. She didn't force me to smoke. It wasn't anything like that. I must
admit I was a bit curious. She was really good about it. She made sure one
day that we would be all alone. She didn't want me to try it with friends and
hide it from her. That's my mom for you, always very open. She started to
give me lessons on how to smoke. I didn't want to offend her, so I went along
with it. After all, she seemed to really enjoy her cigarettes. The first few
cigarettes were a bit difficult. Well, you know that, you just started."

Suzanne nodded remembering her own first reaction to smoking

"But it didn't take too long before I started to really enjoy it. My mother
seemed to enjoy having someone to smoke with. It brought us closer. I smoked
all through high school. It was great. It seemed to give me more confidence.
And it was fun. After I started smoking, my mother seemed to treat me more
like an equal, like an adult. We have such a great relationship. We're more
like sisters, than mother and daughter." She said smiling, again taking a
long deep drag. "I think she likes the fact that I smoke. It's something we
share every time we get together. My poor father feels so left out when we
light up and start gossiping. The room gets a bit smoky," she said laughing.

Suzanne's face saddened as she heard these words. Her experimentation with
smoking had resulted in the biggest fight that she had ever had with her
mother. She was afraid that their relationship had now been irreparably
damaged. She didn't know when she would ever talk to her mother again. She
wasn't going to back down. She wished that her mother could have been more
like Ashley's.

It was tragic that Suzanne was so disappointed in her mother. Little did
Suzanne know, that at that very moment her mother had just arrived at
Danielle`s house for another smoking lesson.


After arriving at Danielle's house on Monday morning, Giselle was about to
light up her seventh cigarette of her smoking program. Giselle took a rather
long and deliberate drag, and then inhaled deeply. The cloud of smoke that
exited from her mouth was nearly twice the size of her previous day's first
cigarette.

Danielle said, "Nice going Giselle, you're doing great. I'm impressed. Its
getting better isn't it?" Giselle nodded in agreement as she exhaled a rather
thick column of smoke from her lips.

"Yes, you were right. It's a bit easier now," she said guardedly, as the
cigarette was again brought to her lips. Her eyes twinkled. It wasn't that
hard at all.

After all she was doing this for Suzanne. Wasn't she?

Saint Nicotine smiled. Very soon Giselle would be doing this for herself. It
wouldn't take long. Another would soon be in the fold.

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