Marlene and Berri, Part 2

MARLENE AND BERRI
PART II

It was two weeks later. There was another post-bar lull and since it was a
warm September night, Marlene and Berri decided to step out and watch the
stars. Berri looked over her shoulder hoping Dill might come out to join
them. She pulled a cigarette out and lit it, then lit the one Marlene was
holding. They took a few puffs while enjoying the night breeze.

"So what do you think about taking Dill out for his birthday this Saturday,"
Marlene asked, exhaling after two quick drags. "He's certainly earned a treat
as hard as he works. And Fred has the kids this week so I'm free."

"For him just being around the two of us seems to be a treat in itself,"
Berri replied smiling as she took a couple of drags and held her cigarette
with one elbow folded over the other arm. "He sure enjoys watching us smoke.
But it sounds good to me. Stan doesn't seem to have a lot of time for me
these days, always work, work, work. I even mentioned this to him and he just
said fine, fine, whatever."

A few minutes later both had finished their cigarettes and stamped them out.
They were still on break so they decided to stay out a little longer.  The
front door to the restaurant swung open. It was Dill. The gals smiled over
their shoulders at him and moved a couple of feet apart from each other so
that Dill could stand between them. He stepped into the empty space and
commented on how nice the stars looked. Marlene decided she could use another
smoke and took one out. Berri did likewise. Dill dug into his pocket and
pulled out a golden lighter.

"Just got this with my last paycheck," he said.

"Ooh!" Berri said. "Light mine first, would you?" She held her cigarette up
to her lips.

"No, me first," Marlene said, giggling and emulating Berri. Dill chuckled
nervously, looking at Marlene and then at Berri, not sure what to do. Then
Marlene said "It's OK, Dill. She asked first, go ahead."

So he held the lighter up to Berri and flicked it. The flame made contact
with the tip of her Pall Mall and she puffed and exhaled. Dill fixed his gaze
on her until she was finished and then turned to his left and lit Marlene's
Salem. Marlene was right-handed but held her cigarette in her left hand so as
not to accidentally burn Dill.  This was 1977 and not as much was known yet
about the effects of second-hand smoke.

Then he turned to his right while Berri took another drag. She gave him a
sweet smile and exhaled out the right side of her mouth so the smoke wouldn't
get in Dill's face. Immediately she took another drag and exhaled.  Dill
gazed admiringly.

"So what is it with you and female smokers," Marlene suddenly inquired.

"Mar-lene!" Berri said, looking across Dill at Marlene in amazement at her
abruptness. Dill silently blushed. Berri looked at him sympathetically.

"I'm sorry, honey," Marlene said smiling, "but I really am curious. I haven't
said anything to Mr. McConnell about those dishes, but you really were
distracted that one night when Phyllis sat there puffing away. And you don't
smoke yourself, but you spent what had to be a big chunk of your check on an
expensive lighter." She gave Dill a precocious look as she put her Salem up
to her lips and exhaled.

Dill was of course embarrassed at being "found out," but he conceded that
this wasn't something he was really hiding very well. He looked in Marlene's
direction, then turned his head toward Berri. They both looked so gorgeous in
their brightly colored polyester tunics and black miniskirts, and both
happily smoking away. He wanted to stay where he was forever.

"I don't know," he finally said. "I just think women look even prettier when
they're smokin'. I mean, you two look great without the cigarettes, but
somehow you look even more fetchin' with them." Marlene couldn't remember the
last time she heard the word "fetchin'." She was rather flattered.

"I love watchin' old movies with actresses like Bette Davis. Even them
commercials they used to have before they got rid of them ads. I couldn't get
enough of them. Then there was this cousin of mine, Sally Beth, who was four
years older than me, smoked all the time. I used to look forward to her and
her folks visitin', because of the way she smoked. She was a cutie too, but
the cigarette made her look...sexier."

The girls were amazed. Dill was ordinarily very taciturn and didn't talk very
much. But here he was opening up and being very candid. Marlene felt somewhat
embarrassed after boldly posing her question to Dill, but was amazed by his
honesty.

"Well, all I know is I love to smoke," she said.  "Most days that's what gets
me out of bed, knowing I can light one up the second I hit the deck."

"And I don't intend to ever stop," Berri put in, flicking the ashes of her
Pall Mall 100. "I don't care what Stan thinks.  It's something that comes
with the territory and he'll just have to deal with it. I'm glad you like it,
though, Dill." She took another drag and tilted her head toward the heavens
as she exhaled.

Changing the subject, Marlene asked Dill "So, are you up for our little
birthday celebration for you this Saturday?"

"Can't wait," Dill replied. "That's what's getting me through the whole
week."

They continued watching the stars until break time was up. After finishing
their smokes, they advanced toward the front door, Marlene in the lead, Dill
right behind her and Berri at the end, quickly surveying Dill top to bottom
and liking what she saw.

END OF PART II

Previous part | Next part