The Vacation (1996), Part 2

    This story, a sequel to "Lisa's Quest," contains adult language and sexual
themes. If you find such language or themes offensive, please do not continue
to read.


    THE VACATION

    2. Things Are Not Always What They Seem.

    After a day of sun, tennis, swimming and reading, Lisa and Rene drove to
Lisa's parent's for Sunday dinner. It was 5:30 p.m. as they pulled into the
Robinson's driveway. Cathy ran to the car to greet them. The shyness of the
day before seemed completely gone. Cathy took them inside to introduce Rene to
her mother.

    Rene and Sharon hit it off well. They chatted on the patio, together with
Cathy, while waiting for Lisa's father to return home. Once again, he'd golfed
all afternoon. As they sat on the porch, both Lisa and Rene smoked freely.
Lisa now felt more comfortable smoking at home. Rene, on the other hand, never
felt uncomfortable smoking anywhere. While they smoked, Sharon talked with
Rene and Lisa about working in law firms.

    At almost six o'clock Sharon announced, "I hear your father's car in the
garage." She stood up. "I'm going to work on dinner. I'll send him out." Lisa
was nervous; her father would arrive momentarily, and there was still a whole
cigarette between her fingers. Sharon didn't seem to notice Lisa's tension.
"You know," Sharon suggested, "I'd love you two to come to my office for lunch
tomorrow. Rene, I could introduce you to my boss, Michelle. She's about your
age. You'd like her, I know," Sharon concluded with a wink, "because she
smokes!" Sharon walked into the kitchen. "I'll send your father out in a
minute," she said leaving the patio.

    "You know, that'd be fun," Rene announced. "I'd love to see the law firm
where your mom works, Lisa." She turned toward Cathy. "Can you come, Cathy?"

    Cathy looked disgusted. "School," she said. "Can't do it!" Then she
smiled. Cathy enjoyed Rene's company. And Cathy didn't seem bothered at all by
Rene's smoking. She stood and moved toward the kitchen door. "I'll help Mom
get supper ready." For a moment Cathy looked back at Rene and Lisa, as if to
confirm that they were still smoking. Then she went inside.

    "God, I wonder if Cathy has ever smoked?" Lisa wondered as she realized
how comfortable and how interested Cathy suddenly seemed. "I'll ask her
later."

    Lisa's musing was interrupted by her father's appearance in the doorway.
Lisa set her cigarette in the ashtray and stood up. "Rene, meet my father, Don
Robinson. Dad, this is Rene Williams, my boss." Rene, too, stood up and then
looked at Lisa's father.

    What happened next was as uncomfortable as it was comical! When he saw
Rene, Don's face turned ashen. Rene too looked surprised, as if she'd seen a
ghost. Neither spoke for several moments. Lisa knew something was amiss, but
couldn't guess what.

    Finally Rene broke the awkward silence. She smiled and extended her hand.
"Don, so nice to meet you." She paused and looked right at him. "Again." Don
shook Rene's hand but said nothing.

    Lisa was puzzled. "You've met?" she asked incredulously.

    Rene sat down and picked up her cigarette from the ashtray. "Yes, we
have," she said in a deep, raspy voice. She took a big drag and french-inhaled
the smoke up into her nostrils. Rene paused. "You remember, Lisa. I told you
about it. Yesterday afternoon. In the hotel bar?"

    Suddenly Lisa understood. She turned toward her father. "Dad, that was
you?" she gasped. "You had drinks with Rene yesterday?" Anger began to
percolate inside Lisa. She remembered Rene's two admirers were fascinated by
Rene's smoking. They even encouraged it! How could her father, the great
anti-smoker, flirt with Rene yesterday and lustfully watch her chain-smoke
cigarettes?

    Rene smiled sweetly at Lisa's father. "It's all right, Don," Rene began.
"I told Lisa all about my adventure in the hotel bar yesterday, about the two
cute guys who couldn't seem to get enough of watching me french-inhale." Rene
took another drag. She seemed delighted with this awkward turn of events. Don,
meanwhile, still looked shaken.

    Don cleared his throat and tried to speak. "Let me explain this, Rene," he
started hesitantly. Then he turned toward his daughter. "Look, Lisa," he went
on, "nothing inappropriate happened. My friend Phil and I played golf
yesterday at the Conquistador. Afterwards we had a couple drinks in the bar.
We ran into Rene and Phil asked her out. That was it. Phil's a single guy.
Nothing inappropriate. I just didn't realize who you were, Rene. That's all!"

    Rene was enjoying the whole situation. Lisa nodded as her father finished
speaking. "Nice recovery, Dad," she began, "but based on what I heard there's
more going on." She knew Phil, and not her father, had made a pass at Rene.
But Lisa sensed she'd found a chink in her father's armor. She intended to
make the most of it.

    "Rene said you told her she looked good smoking," Lisa went on. "She said
you and Phil both liked it! Is that right?" Don nodded slowly, acknowledging
the truth of Lisa's statement.

    "I can't believe it," Lisa finally said with a bitter laugh, "you, Dad,
the anti-smoker, the smoke hater, hanging out in a bar with a strange woman
who's chain-smoking. And telling her that her smoking looks great! I guess we
never knew how you really feel about smoking, did we?" Lisa shook her head. "I
don't know whether to be disgusted or disappointed or delighted. Dad, tell me
the truth: Do you have the fetish?"

    "The what?" Don asked.

    "You heard me, Dad," Lisa continued. "The fetish. You know, the smoking
fetish!"

    Don stood silently for a moment. Finally he answered the question. "Lisa,"
he said quietly, "you're right. I'm obviously embarrassed about this, but I
guess there's no point denying it. Yes, you're right. I've always thought
women who smoke are attractive."

    Lisa expected the answer. But she still needed to ask the next question.
"Then why in hell did you give me such shit yesterday about smoking?" Oh God,
Lisa thought, I'm swearing in front of my father! But she continued. "And not
only yesterday, but as long as I can remember you've spoken out against it.
You always said people who smoked were stupid. It doesn't sound like you think
so!"

    Don sat down and put his head in his hands. Then he looked up at his
daughter. "I guess the attraction of smoking is why I've always been a vocal
advocate against it," he explained. "It's a defense. That's why I never allow
guests to smoke in our house. It's my protection against something I find
attractive but don't understand why." He looked stricken. "I guess I love it
and hate it at the same time. I'm sorry." Don paused. "But please, both of
you, don't tell Sharon about this!"

    Disappointed but amused by her advantage, Lisa paused to light up. No, she
realized, it wasn't disappointment. Lisa felt sorry for him. "Don't worry,"
she began, "we won't tell Mom. Listen, I understand. I know some guys think
seeing a woman smoke is a turn-on. It's pretty well documented these days. My
boyfriend, Brian, is like that. He has the fetish and likes nothing better
than to watch me smoke." Lisa paused again. "And I also know that lots of guys
who like to watch women smoke won't smoke in public themselves but are closet
smokers." She looked right at her father. "Do you smoke, too, Dad?"

    Don looked as if a knife had been thrust into his chest. "No," he
stammered. "I mean, well, not very often...." His voice failed him. "What I
mean is," Don finally continued, "I do occasionally, I guess. Sometimes. Yeah,
I smoke every once in a while." He stood up suddenly. "Look, Lisa," he went
on, "this is very difficult for me. Very embarrassing!"

    At that moment Rene, too, lit up another cigarette. Don's eyes followed
the cigarette to her lips while she took a big drag. As he watched her inhale,
Don suddenly realized Rene knew he was watching her. "I'm sorry," he muttered
shamefully, "it's a hard habit to break!"

    Rene looked amused. "I'll bet quitting watching isn't as hard as quitting
smoking," she said with a whimsical smile. Don didn't smile in return. "Look,
Mr. Robinson," she went on, "I mean, Don. Hey, it's okay. See, Lisa and I love
to smoke. God knows why, but we do! It's a filthy habit but we love it anyway!
Lots of people think that's stupid or strange or whatever. But we live with
that disapproval because we don't want to give it up. We'd rather smoke and
deal with disapproval than quit." She forced him to look into her eyes. She
spoke softly and with compassion. "And you like to watch us smoke. That's not
so bad! It doesn't hurt anybody. There's nothing to be ashamed of. Actually,
I'm glad to meet guys who think my smoking's a turn-on." Rene laughed. "Hey,
maybe before we go this week we'll smoke a cigarette with you; you know, bring
you out of the closet!"

    Don smiled a weak smile. "Thanks, Rene," he answered. "I appreciate your
understanding. I've never understood the fascination of this damn thing. That
scares me a little bit. And you must understand, Lisa," he said urgently, "I'm
not attracted by watching you smoke!" I mean, it's not that kind of thing!
You're my daughter, for God's sake!"

    Lisa nodded. She'd never heard her father use a swear word in her entire
life. She put her cigarette in the ashtray and took her father's hand. "I know
it's not, Dad. Don't worry, it's okay. I understand. Maybe now you and I can
both be a little more accepting of each other. I'd like that, really."

    Don squeezed his daughter's hand in return. "I would, too, Lisa," he
sighed. "I would, too!"

    Suddenly, a look of mischief appeared on Lisa's face. "But Dad," she
teased, "don't you think I look good smoking, too? I mean, you don't think
Rene's more attractive than I am, do you?"

    Don smiled as he watched Lisa exhale a cloud of smoke. "Honey," he said
warmly, "you look great whatever you're doing. And I admit, you look great
smoking that cigarette."

    At that point Sharon appeared in the doorway and announced dinner was on
the table. "We'll talk more later," Lisa whispered to her dad. "Don't worry
about a thing." Lisa put her cigarette out and stood up. "The fetish just
means you're human, that's all." She smiled at her father. "Dad," she added
quietly, "I'm proud of you for admitting it. I'm not shocked. And just think,"
she concluded, "you won't need to make such a big fuss about me smoking now."

    Don smiled gratefully. Lisa saw tears in her father's eyes. "Lisa," he
whispered, "you're a great kid. Except for the fact that your mother would
never understand it, I'd even give you and Rene permission to smoke in the
house!" They walked together into the dining room.

    The rest of the evening was uneventful. They engaged in pleasant
small-talk over dinner, and then retired to the patio where Lisa and Rene
smoked. True to their promises, no one said nothing further about Don's prior
meeting with Rene.

    "Wow," Rene exclaimed later as they got into the car, "what a shocker!
When I realized that your dad was `Don' I thought I'd pee my pants! But you
handled the whole thing pretty well tonight, Lise!"

    Lisa sighed. "Thanks," she answered. "You know, I never think of my
parents as sexual beings. For example, I always had trouble imagining my
parents having sex. I mean, you never imagine your own parents having sexual
drives and needs. So it's not easy to realize that my own dad has a smoking
fetish! I've talked with Brian about his fetish. So I understand it somewhat."
Lisa paused as Rene turned onto the freeway. "I wonder if he should tell my
mother," Lisa wondered. "Boy, I don't know what Mom would think. Maybe he's
right. He should just keep it to himself."

    Rene opened her purse. "Hey, Lisa," she said brightly, "lighten up a
little bit! I'm ready for a smoke. Are you going to join me or not?" Rene
deposited a Marlboro into her mouth and pushed in the car cigarette lighter.

    With a grin Lisa got out a Salem for herself. "Me, too!" The lighter
clicked and the girls took turns igniting their cigarettes. "God," Lisa sighed
again, this time with smoke escaping from her mouth, "what a night! Nothing
else this exciting will happen the rest of the week."

    Rene just smiled. She took a big hit on her Marlboro. "We'll see," she
said as she pulled the smoke into her lungs. "We'll see!"

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