Stairs, Part 4

Stairs

Part 4 - Second Training

Nearing the end of her cigarette and anticipating another, she realised she
would be starting a new packet with the next one she smoked, which is what
she did without delay, taking pleasure in unpeeling the shiny cellophane and
removing the foil from one side. After lighting up, and inhaling, she got up
from the bed with her newly opened packet to find a biro. This time it was
she who wrote in bold letters:

S.  2nd Training

Pleased as punch with herself, Suzy drew on her Player's and took off for the
stairs with her packet and lighter, adding another draw for the stairs as she
reached them. All the smoke from her first ciggy out of the newly opened
packet felt glorious so deep down in her chest; she made her exhales tiny.

Her cigarette was almost finished, as was mum's, by the time she sat down
again on the sofa where mum was keen to chat. "Now you don't have homework on
Monday nights, do you?" she checked. "That's good." They lit fresh cigarettes
and went through the minutiae of the day as only women can. Though feeling
better with every cigarette she smoked, Suzy mentioned a couple of times how
difficult the afternoon was; mum just commiserated for now. Mum carried on
smoking throughout their conversation while Suzy just had one more Player's.
Then it was time to get dinner under way, so mum suggested, "Let's start one
while we get going on the meal," which they did and smoked the rest of their
cigarettes in the kitchen. Suzy found she liked helping mum round the house
when, every so often, she could just open her packet, light a fresh Player's
and direct-inhale lots and lots of strong unfiltered cigarette smoke. It felt
great and made her feel so happy. 

By the time everything was in the oven, she had smoked two more  cigarettes.
She took her second training packet and lighter with her and went to phone a
couple of friends. She felt quite devilish keeping her smoking a complete
secret when lighting up and inhaling deeply during her conversations, making
very subtle smoking noises so as not to give the game away. She smoked a
cigarette while chatting to each friend and wore a grin like a Cheshire cat
the whole time.

Then mum called to say dinner was ready, and Suzy realised there would not be
time for a pre-dinner Player's. Oh well, she thought, I'm sure I can make up
for it afterwards with my new packet. She lost no time though in finishing
her meal, and gladly lit up with mum. The follow-on ciggy after a meal seemed
almost ingrained in Suzy already and she enjoyed her two Player's to the
full. It was already getting quite late for a school night so they decided on
a little TV with more cigarettes to round off the day. Suzy smoked another
two Player's while snuggled at the end of the sofa; cigarettes seemed to go
very well with relaxing in comfort. 

Mum signalled it was time for a last one before bed, which Suzy sucked down
appreciatively, kissed mum good night, and made her way to bed. While Suzy
took a spare packet of Player's from the landing cupboard, Pamela lit the
first of several more Player's of her own, which she could chain
enthusiastically now that her daughter was not there. Again she was very
satisfied with Suzy's progress even though, thanks to school, she had only
smoked 19 cigarettes as compared to Sunday's great tally of 22. Luckily
Pamela had plenty of ideas to help her catch up, and naturally move ahead in
her smoking.

On Tuesday morning Suzy came down again to the kitchen and waited a couple of
minutes for mum to pour the tea. She loved the taste of the hot liquid in her
mouth first thing, now followed by the taste of delicious Player's smoke,
never nicer than the first of the day. Once more she felt a second would have
been good but thought she had better get dressed and down to breakfast.
Today, however, mum seemed to have put only one round of bread in the toaster
for Suzy. Mum professed absent-mindedness and said, "Shall I put one in for
you now? It'll only take four or five minutes. Or would you rather have a
cigarette with me?"

"I think I can pass on the toast, thanks Mum!" Suzy replied with a grin, and
lit her Player's. Much better than all that stodgy toast, thought Suzy. She
made sure to keep pace with mum so that, as she hoped, when they both
finished their ciggies, mum offered her a follow-on too. 

"Don't dawdle on that one if we're to make it out on time," urged mum. "In
fact you ought to go up and get your blazer and school bag so you're ready."

"OK, Mum," and she inhaled as she got up from the table, and double-pumped to
start up the stairs. Suzy was enjoying going round the house with a lit
cigarette between her fingers, taking deep draws off it whenever she fancied.
She loved her cigarettes. Finally they got to the car. Though it was not long
since she had smoked two cigarettes in a row, Suzy automatically lit up her
car Player's from mum's packet as they headed down the road. Knowing it was
her last till late afternoon, she drew repeatedly and deeply on her
cigarette, holding her smoke inside till she had to breathe again.  

If anything, Suzy speed-walked even faster back home than yesterday, so keen
was she to be re-united with her Player's. The sight of her blue and white
packet on the hall table was an extremely welcome one when she returned.
Blissful, thick, deep, extended pulls off her cigarette were the order of the
day; she kept dragging as she walked over to greet her mum and sit with her.
Suzy inhaled deeply. 

"It's so long till I get back from school to have my ciggies, Mummy, I really
do miss them," Suzy said with feeling.

"I know it can be hard, darling, but you mustn't take them to school till
you're fourteen. Now you've lots of chance to catch up in the evenings and
weekends - here you are, love, I'm sure you're ready for another - and if you
practise conscientiously, you'll impress your school friends no end by how
well you can smoke when you start smoking cigarettes regularly at school." Of
course it was a deliberate strategy of Pamela's to enforce a long period of
abstinence during the day so that Suzy would want to catch up all the more
fervently when she could smoke again. 

"Are you spending time in front of the mirror refining your technique and
style?" 

"Oh yes, Mum, at least once a day."

"Good girl," mum praised. "You must have homework tonight. Why not take a
drink up and polish off your homework before we eat. Maybe fit in a little
`homework' on your smoking programme so you're top of the class!"

"Great idea, Mum," Suzy answered after lighting a fresh Player's for the
stairs and standing up. "I've only got about an hour's worth of stuff to do
so I shan't be long." Pamela noticed Suzy trying a couple of dangled inhales
when she reached down into the fridge for her drink; and it now seemed a
reflex for her to double-drag before starting up the stairs. Pamela also
decided to have another Player's while Suzy got settled in, then she would
pop upstairs to see how she was getting on and what encouragement she could
offer.

Soon enough, Pamela started a new cigarette which she took upstairs with her.
Opening Suzy's door, she saw a very smoky bedroom because Suzy had not opened
a window. Oh well, she thought, it will just help her get used to inhaling
cigarette smoke all the more. She also noticed Suzy's smoking had kept pace
with her own,.

"Oh I've left my cigarettes downstairs, could I scrounge one of yours?" mum
said as they both finished their ciggies.

"Of course, Mum, help yourself," which she did and, offering the open packet,
helped Suzy to a further cigarette, the last in her second training packet.
They lit up contentedly.

Pamela could see on Suzy's iBook that she had already answered one question. 

"How are the exercises?" she asked. 

"The first one wasn't too bad, but some of the others look tricky," Suzy
replied. 

"That brings back memories," Mum reminisced. "If I came across a hard one, I
would just sit back, light a fresh cigarette and take good long draws while I
re-read the question. It really helps your concentration."

"Thanks, Mum, that's definitely worth trying." 

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