There is no spoon, Part 2

There is No Spoon (part 2 of 2)
an4@anon.lelnet.com    

Deb parked the car at the end of the driveway and paused to check her hair in 
the rearview mirror. It looked as good as it was likely to.
    She lit a Virginia Slims and exited the car nervously. Like the girls, 
she found herself thinking back to a week-long crush she'd had on Martin the 
first time they'd met. He was gorgeous in a stern, British sort of way, 
unlike her Jack, who had been a little too meat and potatoes for her adult 
tastes.
    She rang the doorbell and drew deeply on her cigarette just as it swung 
open.
    'Why hello, Ms. Cross. It is a pleasure to see you.'
    He was smoking. Of course he was. She'd seen him smoking many times, in 
fact, she enjoyed watching him more than once.
    'Please. Everyone calls me Deb.'
    'Then call me Martin. Do come in.'
    He took the bottle of champagne and favoured her with a smile that 
exploded the notion about all British teeth being bad.
    She lowered her voice. 'Tell me something. Has Christina been smoking ?'
    She leaned close as she said it and they were both enveloped in an haze 
of her cigarette smoke. Martin drew ever closer.
    'Why of course she has. Most gorgeously. Like mother, like daughter.'
    Deb blushed.
    'But she has the strangest notion that you might not approve. I suggest 
for your own benefit and hers- as well as that of young mankind- that you 
disabuse of her of that notion once and for all.'
    She looked at him, and he smiled.
    'Please, Deb. You must be aware of what a vision you are with a cigarette 
in your lovely hand.'
    Things inside her that she had entirely forgotten melted into butter.
    'Now, if you're willing to follow my lead I believe that we can end any 
reservations that your lovely Christina has about her smoking. Will you trust 
me ?'
    What an absurd question, Deborah thought to herself. She would trust him 
to do anything he wanted. Maybe it was just the accent, but she felt as if 
she had known him for a very long time and that his judgment was above 
question.
    'I think I can do that.'
    'Good.'

    Christina was wondering what the hell the adults were talking about. 
Hopefully, mom was flirting with Mr. Smith. It would be even better if she 
were getting somewhere.
    Oh my god, what am I thinking ? she wondered.
    Mary casually lit a cigarette.
    'Want one ?' she asked.
    'Shush. She'll here you ? What are you thinking ?'
    They heard the adults moving off towards the kitchen.
    'Well, the strangest thing about being a smoker is that it requires you 
to smoke. You were aware of that ?'
    'I'm not a smoker. Two cigarettes-'
    'Some studies consider you a smoker if you've have a cigarette in the 
last year. Give in, goddamn it. You are a smoker now. You can't go back- I 
won't let you.'
    Christina got up and sat down next to Mary. There was the sound of 
cabinets being opened, and finally glasses being taken down.
    'Maybe just one little puff.' She put her hand out for the cigarette but 
Mary slapped it away and lifted the cigarette to her friends mouth. She drew 
on it with appropriate eagerness, quickly blowing smoke to the sound of a pop.
 She exhaled twice more just to make sure that there was no smoke left in her 
lungs just as her mother and Mr. Smith walked into the living room holding 
cigarettes and two glasses of champagne each. The girls took theirs, and all 
standing, Mr. Smith made a toast.
    'To the new century.'
    They clinked glasses and drank, after which they sat down, the girls on 
the couch and the two adults on chairs.
    'So tell me, Deb, what is it that you do ?'
    'I'm an independent budget analyst. I come into a business, study their 
expense structure, and suggest ways to improve the cost/benefit ratio.'
    'Sounds like rather a lot of math.'
    'Actually, it's mostly common sense. Use Priority Mail instead of Fed 
Ex. Turn the lights off at night. Staff with full-time employees and hedge aga
inst turnover. That sort of thing.'
    'It's very lucrative,' Christina added helpfully, trying to give props 
to her Mom.
    'We're not starving,' Deb laughed. She paused, smoked, spoke. 'I enjoy 
it. Being your own boss is the biggest advantage.'
    'Simplify the decision making process. Not as much of that in what I do 
as I like. But writing on the side has rewards, and the school encourages 
publication.'
    'What sorts of things do you publish ?'
    'Publicly ?' he asked, with a devilish smile on his face.
    'Yes,' Deb said, exhaling a demure cloud of smoke that highlighted her 
grey eyes wonderfully.
    'Well, I was just published in Public Education Quarterly. '˜Unrealistic 
Parenting Expectations and Educators'. A bit drier than '˜Why Gifted Students 
Should Read Historical Fiction', but still enjoyable.'
    'What was that about ?' Deb asked, and Christina heard something strange 
in her voice. Expectation, as though she knew exactly where he was headed. 
She groaned internally as he answered.
    'Smoking is a perfect example. Does it bother you that Mary smokes ?'
    Mary flashed her friend's mom an '˜I hope not' look and drew deeply on 
her cigarette for emphasis.
    'Of course not,' Deb answered. 'That's between her and her parents, and 
honestly,' she looked directly at Mary and took a deep draw on her own 
cigarette, 'at your age, you should be making that decision on your own. If 
you want to smoke, well, you're old enough to decide without interference, 
especially from anyone who isn't your parent.'
    'Precisely. But these smoking advocacy groups want me to- even after 
school as she is leaving school grounds- command Mary not to smoke because of 
the example it sets for their own children.'
    Deb smiled, and already Christina knew that she had been played.
    'If Christina decided she wanted to smoke, not only would I 
wholeheartedly- and enthusiastically- support her, I would be royally pissed 
off at your trying to dictate a lifestyle choice that you have no business 
interfering in. It's like a parent who doesn't lock up their gun blaming the 
school system when their child brings that gun to school.'
    'Yes, now you're touching on liability issues, which is where most 
educators become concerned.'
    There was a pause, during which Mary nudged Christina hard enough to slop 
the champagne in her glass.
    'Do you mean that, Mom ?'
    'Mean what ?' Deb asked, as if she didn't know.
    'That you'd support my decision to smoke ?'
    Deb crushed her cigarette out in the ashtray by her chair and lit another 
before answering her daughter.
    'Of course. Honey, I've been smoking since I was thirteen years old. I 
understand as well as anyone why a person would decide to smoke and if you 
want to smoke, then I hope that you will.'
    Mary nudged Christina again, and she picked Mary's pack of cigarettes up 
from the table and lit one nervously.
    'Then I guess I start smoking tonight.'
    'It's about time,' Deb said, watching her daughter draw on the cigarette 
and exhale an ample cloud of white smoke. 'I was beginning to think that you 
would never come around.'
    'To straightening out those little misunderstanding which make life less 
enjoyable,' Martin said, raising his glass again, and they all drank happily.

    An hour later, Deb stood up. They'd finished the champagne and talked 
cheerfully enough, but Deb wanted to leave the girls alone to do their 
teenage girl things. She was also thinking that if she played her cards just 
right-
    Before she could say anything, Martin stood up as well. He could see that 
it was snowing heavily outside, which gave him the perfect excuse.
    'Given the weather, could I impose on your for a ride home, Deb ?'
    'Well, I suppose if it's absolutely necessary,' she needled, enjoying 
the way her daughter rolled her eyes as though she was an idiot.
    'I believe that it just might be. Wouldn't want the English tabloids 
running a piece on how those cold hearted Americans let an Englishman freeze 
to death on his way home from a party with three beautiful women.'
    'Is this really a party ?' Mary asked. She tapped ash off her cigarette 
and then inhaled on it in a way which made Martin want to stay.
    'Well, I certainly think so, but better not to share it with the school 
board. If they found out I was drinking with two underage girls, they'd have 
me hung by my diplomas.'
    'I'd defend you,' Deb said gallantly.
    'Then I'd have no difficulty, I am sure. Still- we should be off.'
    They left without anything more than quiet goodbyes. Mary saw them to the 
door because she was the hostess of this '˜party'.
    She ran back into the living room, sat down next to Christina and lit two 
cigarettes. Her friend took one eagerly.    
    'I don't who was jonesing worse- your mom or our teacher. God, if they 
don't fuck the sun isn't coming up tomorrow.'
    'Mary,' Christina shrieked, punching Mary rather hard. 'That's my 
goddamned mother, you know.'
    'I hope Mr. Smith remembers that and isn't too hard on her.'
    Christina thought about whacking her friend again, but she owed her quite 
the debt of gratitude.
    'Thank you.'
    'For what ?'
    'Did you set all of that up ?'
    Mary smiled. 'I did suggests to Mr. Smith when I saw him at the coffee 
shoppe that he might want to wander by around the time you and I went out 
back. But I didn't know your Mom was going to stop by. I thought sure I'd 
have to sneak in a call to her to get her to come over- especially with a 
bottle of champagne....'
    'You're terrible. I mean, if I had asked for help-'
    'You were screaming for help, and you know it.'
    Christina answered by not answering. Instead she just drew on her 
cigarette and laughed.

    Much later, the two girls were sitting up in Mary's bed. They were 
wearing nothing but their underwear and holding nothing but the cigarettes 
Christina had just lit for them.    
    'Isn't it dangerous to smoke in bed ?' she asked.
    'If you're tired. But I've never usually tired when I'm smoke. In fact, 
one of the secrets to my good grades is that I can stay up all night studying 
now that I smoke because it makes me feel so fucking alive.'
    Christina laughed. 'It's still making me a little dizzy, and with all 
that champagne and beer that we drank-'
    Mary put her hand out and took her friend's in hers. 
    'I'll tell you a secret how to wake yourself up. I assume that you've 
played with your nipples ?'
    'Mary !'
    'Come on. You're a woman- every woman plays with her nipples.'
    'It really helps ?'
    'Do you need me to do it ?' she said, reaching over. The truth was that 
Christina's breasts were perfect and she would have gladly done it, but her 
friend pushed her hand back.
    'I do know how.'
    For a moment, neither spoke. They simply smoked and pleasured themselves. 
In the faint light of their cigarettes Mary could see how taunt Christina's 
nipples were and she reveled in the way she was corrupting her friend. 
Thinking about touching those nipples- or better yet, licking them- was 
making it hard for her to concentrate. She wanted to do it almost as much as 
she wanted to smoke.
    Christina seemed to read her mind. She lifted up her Victoria Secret's 
bralette and sat back. Mary bent down and began stroking her right nipple 
with her tough between inhales. They both began to writhe slightly.
    'I love your breasts.'
    'Obviously. Tell me something, have you ever masturbated while you smoked 
?'
    Mary stopped what she was doing.
    'Only every fucking night before I go to sleep. Mom says that when dad is 
traveling without her, she does, too.'
    'I didn't need that image. Not that your Mom isn't attractive and all, 
but she's still your Mom-'
    'I know. I try not to think about it when I'm doing it myself, but god, 
I love it. I figured I'd skip that tonight.'
    Mary crushed her cigarette out in the ashtray and passed it to Christina, 
who did the same.
    'Don't let me stop you.'
    'I will if you will,' Mary said hopefully. When Christina had come over, 
she'd been hoping just to get her to smoke. The thought of sharing 
masturbation with her was almost enough to make her forget about boys 
entirely.
    Christina lit two more cigarettes, handed one to Mary, and began to work 
herself into a frenzy.
    Both came to orgasm before their cigarettes were half gone. Breathless, 
Christina said 'I've never done that with anyone else before.'
    'You went to summer camp last year.'
    'Well, not so anyone else would know. Three am in your sleeping bag is 
not masturbation en masse. You keep it quiet.'
    'Point well taken.'
    'What's it like to kiss a smoker ?'
    'If you'd ask Tommy out, you'd know.' 
    Christina drew, exhaled. 'I was afraid until now. But not anymore. Still, 
you went out with Frank and he smokes. What's it like ?'
    Mary took a hard pull on her cigarette, leaned over, and before Christina 
could object, kissed her hard. Their tongues met and Christina fought the 
intrusion back with her own. It was a deep, hard kiss and in the middle Mary 
let the smoke from her lungs bleed like water into Christina's mouth. She 
drew it in, kissed some more, and blew it out through her nose.
    'Oh my god.'
    She drew on her own cigarette and kissed Mary back.
    She then reached down and started to do for Mary what she'd done for 
herself. It was ecstasy when Mary responded in kind.

    'Did you enjoy spending the night with Mr. Smith ?' Christina asked her 
mother pulled out of the driveway. There was open approval in her voice.
    'You tried to call, didn't you ?'
    'I gave up at one. I figured that things were going well.'
    'He's- he has a lot of stamina. I'm going to be sore.'
    'Mom !'
    'Are you going to light that cigarette or just play with it ?'
    Christina giggled at the mention of play with it, and Deb wondered if the 
two girls hadn't done the sort of playing with one another which was entirely 
healthy in moderation.
    She lit the cigarette and cracked her window the same way Deb had. They 
pulled to a stoplight and Deb noticed a twenty-something staring at them with 
just the right amount of respectable admiration. She expected that Martin 
would be feeling the same way tonight when he came over for dinner and sex. 
Quick dinner. Slow, passionate sex.
    'Is that the only one you have ?'
    'Yes,' Christina said. She had a feeling her mom would gladly give her 
some of hers, but she wanted her own, the brand that Mary smoked.
    'Well, I'll give the money and we'll stop at the Gas '˜n Go. I'll park 
in front of the store and if Harry gives you an hard time, just say they are 
for me.'
    'Really ?' Christina asked, wondering what the catch was. The truth was 
that she'd dreamt last night about buying a carton of cigarettes. It would be 
exciting.
    'Yes.'
    'What's the catch ?'
    Deb looked at her daughter and frowned. 'Why would there have to be a 
catch, honey ?'
    'Because you make me use my babysitting money for everything else. Let me 
guess. Mr. Smith is coming over for dinner.'
    'Am I that transparent ?'
    Reaching out, she put her hand on her mother's arm and treated her to a 
smoky smile. 'Mom, you're way overdue. And I like Mr. Smith a lot. You could 
do much worse.'
    'So could he,' Deb said defensively.
    'I didn't mean he couldn't. But I'm happy for you- and for me and for 
us. I'm really glad you're cool with me smoking.'
    'I am. And I think Martin will enjoy the show we smokers put on 
tonight.' She pulled into the Gas '˜n Go, handed her daughter a twenty and a 
ten.
    'Get yourself a lighter. Every smoker needs a lighter,'
    I'm a smoker, Christina thought as she got out of the car.
    But she wasn't entirely convinced until she walked out of the store, 
holding her first carton of cigarettes and her first lighter.
    It was an happy New Year, after all.

Previous part | Next part