Revenge, Part 6

This fictional account contains adult language and themes.  If such language
and themes offend you, please do not read further.  Copyright 2000 by
SSTORYMAN.  All rights reserved.  Permission is granted to reproduce this
story in any form and for any purpose as long as this notice is reproduced
and no financial remuneration is received, directly or indirectly, by the
person reproducing it  Thanks to AZ-MAN and STOGIE-MAN for their help and
encouragement.

REVENGE

6.	Having a Wonderful Weekend.

   The next day was Saturday.  Larilyn slept till nine.  The satisfaction of
getting laid was still with her when she awoke.  Mitch had been fantastic!
She wondered if he'd call.  Shit, that's always the way!  Women wait for men
to call.  She wouldn't fall into that stereotype.  She'd call him if he
didn't call her.  The truth was, she wanted to see him again, and soon.

   Andrea was still in bed.  Donning her robe, she went downstairs to start
the coffee.  She got the newspaper and scanned its headlines while waiting.
Then she toured the downstairs gathering up dirty ashtrays.  It was the part
she didn't like; emptying ashtrays.  Dumping them in the trash, she washed
each in the sink and returned it to its prior resting place.  She kept one
with her at the kitchen table.

   Finally the coffee was ready.  She poured a large cup and took a seat to
read the paper in earnest.  The aroma was fantastic.  From her housecoat
pocket she got her Marlboro Menthol Lights 100's.  It was time for the day's
first cigarette!

   She couldn't help but savor the marvelous taste, smell and feel of
mentholated smoke in her mouth.  She breathed in deeply.  Oh God, it felt
good!  There was no one to see her, so she pulled hard a second time while
her lungs retained the flavorful smoke from the first hit.  Mmm!  It was so
nice!  Bits of smoke flowed from her nostrils as she worked hard on the
second drag.  She inhaled again, deliberately holding the smoke in her chest
as long as she could.  She felt guilty.  She'd never do that in public.  But
she desperately craved the fantastic, euphoric feeling.

   She finally removed the cigarette from her lips and stuck out her lower
lip to force the inhaled smoke out through her mouth, slowly, deliberately,
sensually.  Relief pulsed through her body.  It was the nicotine; it wasn't
good for her, but she didn't fuckin' care right now!

   She smoked relentlessly, returning the cigarette to her lips every fifteen
seconds in a rapid-fire series of prodigious drags.  God, smoking felt great
today!  The combination of nicotine and caffeine was superb!  It was evident
why smokers love having 'em together.

   Unobserved, she abandoned herself to the cigarette.  She finished it in
under four minutes.  As she crushed it out, she released the last of the
smoke through pursed lips and stopped to consider what it meant.  It was a
dangerous sign.  Only those addicted to nicotine consume cigarettes like
she'd just done.  Well, that wasn't today's problem.  She'd deal with it when
she was ready to quit.  For now she'd simply enjoy the sentence she was
required to serve.

   She lit a second cigarette a few minutes later, enjoying it as much as the
first one.  She didn't smoke it as furiously, but it was still nice.  She
realized she _could_ probably smoke more than eleven a day, especially on
weekends.  Being at home instead of the office, with no one but Andrea around
to smell the odor on her clothes or see her light up, there was no reason not
to get ahead of her self-imposed schedule.  After all, she reasoned, there
might be some days when meeting her goal of eleven would be difficult!

   The phone rang at ten.  She hoped it'd be Mitch, but it was Kate.  She
wanted to come by after lunch.  There was no reason to hide anything from
Kate.  In one way she was proud of what she'd accomplished in just four days.
She wanted to show off to her former nemesis.

   Andrea got up at ten thirty.  They had two cigarettes together before the
teenager headed out.  Larilyn had a fifth at eleven.  With no one there she
again double-pumped her first hit.  She liked the extra kick starting a
cigarette.  At noon she wasn't hungry for lunch, but had a bagel and a glass
of V-8.  Then she lit up again, her sixth of the day.  She poured a second
V-8 and drank it in between puffs.  There was something nice about smoking
and drinking.

   At one Kate showed up.  With approval she noticed the cigarette butts in
the ashtrays.  She demanded a full report of everything that'd happened since
Monday at the bar.  Larilyn gave it to her straight.  By the end Kate was
beaming.

   "Your life's improved since Monday," she winked.  "You and Andrea are
spending time together, and you've got a new boyfriend, too."

   "I wouldn't exactly call Mitch my boyfriend," she cautioned.  Then she
grinned.  "At least, not yet.  Maybe he won't call me again," she shrugged.

   "Yeah, as if.  But hey, I want to see you smoke.  You've told me about it,
but let's see."

   She hated to admit it, but she did want to flaunt.  "Sure," she said
placidly.  "I'm ready for another cigarette, I guess."  She took her box of
Marlboro Menthol Lights 100's and casually removed one with her long fingers.
"I assume you'll join me?" she asked politely, readying her lighter with her
cigarette dangling.

   "Sure," Kate glowed.  She got a Salem 100 from her case.  "Light me."

   Larilyn steadily held the light.  Kate caught it and took a first drag
while Larilyn moved the flame to the tip of her own cigarette.  Her initial
hit was long and sustained.  She sucked smoke into her lungs while removing
the burning cylinder from her mouth.  "Ah, there," she said in a satisfied
tone, not really knowing why she'd said that or anything at all.

   Kate watched Larilyn hold the smoke in her lungs for several seconds and
then release it in a long, thick stream through pursed lips.  She nodded.
"God, woman, you're _smoking_ all right," she said approvingly.  "You look
like a pro."

   "Thanks," the blond blushed.  "I'm working to master the technique.  After
all," she added, "Susan expects me to smoke like you guys."  She took a
second hit.  "I don’t want to disappoint her, now do I?"

   Kate smiled.  "Believe me, honey, you won't disappoint smoking that way."
Larilyn performed a mixed exhale, simultaneously expelling smoke through her
lips and nostrils.  "Susan will be damn impressed," Kate laughed.  "I daresay
you'll pass."

   "Shit, I'd better," Larilyn answered calmly but firmly, tapping ashes in
the ashtray.  "I'm sure not doing this for my health, for God's sake."

   Kate took a drag of her own.  "That's still your issue, isn't it?  The
health thing?  I can see you like smoking.  It's as plain as the nose on your
face.  But you can't fully enjoy it, can you?  You're worried about the
health stuff.  Is that it?"

   "Well, sure," Larilyn conceded.  She puffed again and pulled the smoke
inside.  "Every time I do this, I know I'm killing myself.  What's worse,
Andrea is, too.  So is Susan, so are you, and so is Mitch.  I care about you
guys.  It drives me crazy to know we're doing this to our bodies.  Lung
cancer, heart disease, the whole thing!"

   "You don't know the whole story, do you?"  The look on her face was
genuine.  "You've been told a bunch of half truths."

   "What do you mean?"

   "They fuckin' brainwash you at the lung association, don't they?  I can't
believe no one told you.  The truth is, smoking's not totally bad for you;
certainly not as bad as you think.  I can prove it.  For example, the
findings of a recent study by the World Health Organization puts the popular
notions in doubt.  The findings indicate smoking in moderation, less than a
pack a day, doesn't necessarily cause lung cancer.  They couldn't find one
instance, in millions of case histories, where a patient was diagnosed with
lung cancer while still actively smoking.  In ninety percent of the cases
where a smoker eventually developed lung cancer, it occurred more than seven
years after the patient quit.  In another five percent, it was after five
years of no smoking the cancer developed.  Health care people say it takes
five to seven years for lungs to clear themselves after quitting smoking.
The WHO study concluded moderate smoking may impart some immunity to the
formation of lung cancer in people who are genetically susceptible to cancer
formations."

   Larilyn tried to interrupt, but Kate waved her off.  "Let me finish.
They've also found that modest smoking drastically decreases the likelihood
of developing breast cancer in women, prostate cancer in men, and liver,
colon and pancreatic cancers in both sexes.  In addition, they've found
smoking makes people seventy-five percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's
till very late in life."  By now she was passionate.  "Meanwhile, the
American Cancer Society and American Lung Association both admit to juggling
figures in their sponsored studies to make their results match their
predetermined verdicts.  It's on record, but the reports are buried on the
back-pages of the newspapers, and never make TV evening news.  But most folks
believe the numbers those groups keep erroneously quoting!"  She took another
drag.  "It's true, Larilyn.  Examine the numbers.  They're full of holes!
Smoking isn't a monolithic evil like the anti-smoking organizations, such as
your lung association, want you to believe!"

   Larilyn was dumbstruck.  "You're kidding, right?"

   "No, I'm not.  Look it up, I dare you.  Smoking in moderation may actually
be a health benefit for some people and some diseases.  And continuing to
smoke moderately may be better for a smoker than quitting altogether."

   "Kate, it can't be," she stammered.  "We all know smoking isn't good for
you."

   "I didn't say it's good for you," Kate countered.  "I said it's not a
monolithic evil.  It has some positives.  Quitting may be worse than
continuing to smoke moderately.  But equally important is that smoking's so
damn pleasant!"  She took a puff from her cigarette.  "I don't need to
convince you.  You already know how pleasurable smoking is.  Don't you?"

   "I don't know what to say," Larilyn answered.  "I've never heard such
claims."

   "I'll get you some stuff off the internet.  I'll print the pages and drop
'em off.  If you're open-minded, you can read it and see for yourself."

   Larilyn nodded.  "Sure," she agreed.  "I'll read it.  Of course I'm
open-minded."

   "Good.  Now, back to the subject.  I'm so pleased by your progress.  By
the 16th you'll be in Susan's good graces!  If you want, I'll tell her you're
following her regimen and doing great."

   "Thanks," Larilyn smiled.  "I'd appreciate it.  I so much want to see
little Ashley.  That's the main reason I'm enduring this hell."

   It was Kate's turn to smile.  "Well, for those of us heading there, I hope
hell's as much fun as you're having now," she said ironically.  "Admit it,
Larilyn.  You're enjoying it, aren't you?"

   She blushed.  "Yeah, I hate to admit it, but I am," she confessed shyly.
"And I've come to understand smoking and smokers better."  She tapped ashes
in the ashtray after a final drag.  "But I'll still quit when this is done.
My sympathy won't change my lifestyle."  She wondered if her strong protest
was more for her own benefit than for Kate's information.

   "That's up to you," Kate replied.  "Susan only said you had to give it a
chance.  That's all.  But I'll get you some of the health information.  The
rest is your decision."

   They talked for an hour.  Larilyn had a second cigarette.  Kate smoked
four compared to her two.  Even so, Larilyn was pleased how naturally she
adapted to smoking with her friend.

   After Kate left she ran errands and decided to call Mitch.  She was mad he
hadn't phoned.  She _did_ feel something for him.  It wasn't love, at least
not yet.  But it was something.  She didn't want to lose the opportunity for
that to grow and develop.

   Thinking of him reminded her to have another cigarette.  She'd opened her
third pack.  She was twenty percent done.  Buoyed by the thought, she lit up
again, her eighth of the day.

   She was apprehensive calling Mitch, and took two extra-long drags before
dialing.  Everyone said smoking was relaxing.  It did seem cigarettes calmed
her down.  After several rings she got his machine.  Damn!  He'd mentioned
something about visiting his mother that weekend.  Double damn!  She left a
message and hung up.

   Sitting by the phone, she contemplated her mood.  She wanted to talk to
Mitch.  She hated spending Saturday night alone.  She considered calling
Sylvia or another of her single friends.  But it made no sense.  Rather than
hang out with them, she'd smoke and get ahead of schedule.  She could hit
fifteen cigarettes if she tried.  Putting the cigarette back in her mouth,
she took a prolonged puff.  Kate was right.  Smoking _was_ more appealing
than she'd originally imagined.  She tipped her head to release a narrow
stream of smoke from her lips.  It was four o'clock.  By having only one an
hour, she'd make it to fifteen by bedtime.

   That's what she did.  She curled up on the sofa with a novel and spent the
day reading, drinking coffee and smoking.  Andrea was out with friends, so
Larilyn developed a pleasant rhythm.  She hit the sack at eleven, with
fifteen Marlboro Menthols under her belt for the day.

   The next day, Sunday, she repeated that schedule.  While working around
the house, she smoked every hour with the exception of breakfast, lunch and
dinner.  Those times she had two cigarettes.  By bedtime she'd had sixteen.
At that rate she'd finish before the 16th.

   Larilyn had adjusted well to smoking on a regular basis.  No longer did
she need to concentrate on it.  She smoked in the midst of other activities,
like making grocery lists, paying bills, and the like.  She took between ten
and fifteen puffs from each cigarette, inhaling each drag deep into her
lungs, and exhaling over several successive breaths.  By the end of Sunday
night smoking was becoming normal for her, something she did almost without
thinking.

   Monday morning she and Andrea shared two morning cigarettes over coffee as
usual.  Andrea had noticed her mother's regular-as-clockwork smoking pattern
Sunday, and wondered if she'd find it hard to not smoke at work now that she
was smoking more often at home.

   Larilyn laughed confidently.  "Hell, no.  I don't _have_ to smoke.  I'm
only doing it to get ahead of schedule.  Oh, I suppose I might have three
cigarettes instead of two when Brianna and I have lunch.  But it's just to
keep ahead.  I won't have any problems.  I can promise that."

   Andrea smiled.  "Okay, Mom," she sighed.  "But don't underestimate
nicotine's power.  You might be surprised."

   At work that morning Larilyn felt good.  She talked with Mitch, who said
he'd been out of town with his mom.  They agreed to get together one night
that week.  He was still happy about their Friday night tryst.  She had a
productive morning doing paperwork and making calls, until eleven thirty when
she began feeling edgy and a bit distracted.  She remembered Andrea's
warning.  Could she need to smoke?  She laughed and dismissed the thought.
It was impossible.  But she suggested to Brianna they leave for lunch a
little early.

   "Sure," she grinned, getting her coat.  "Let's beat the crowd."

   Of course, there _was_ no crowd.  She and Brianna went to the bar where
she and Mitch ate.  Settling into a seat, Larilyn found herself strangely
anticipating lighting up a cigarette.  From her purse she took the box of
Marlboro Menthol Lights 100's and put it on the table.

   "Oh God, Larilyn," Brianna exclaimed.  "I'm so excited to actually see you
smoke.  This'll be so much fun!"  She herself took out a pack of Virginia
Slims Menthols.

   Larilyn blushed at her petite, dark-haired companion.  "Actually, this is
embarrassing," she admitted.  But eagerness overcame her reticence.  She put
a cigarette in her mouth with a self-conscious smile and clicked her lighter.
Her cheeks hollowed.  She pulled hard on the freshly lit cigarette, filling
her mouth with mentholated smoke and sucking it into her lungs.

   Brianna simultaneously lit up a Virginia Slim.  "Wow," she sighed after
her initial drag.  "That's good!"  She stared at her boss.  "Larilyn, you
surprise me."  She had a bemused look.

   "Why?"

   "It's how you smoke," Brianna noted, her dark Italian eyes twinkling.
"You're really attacking that cigarette!"

   It was true.  Though trying to appear nonchalant, she'd taken two
rapid-fire, hard hits and both times inhaled deeply.  She grinned
self-consciously.  "I've come to appreciate the pleasures of smoking," she
admitted through exhaled bursts of smoke.  "That's all."

   "Yeah, I'd say," Brianna beamed back.  She took another puff of her own.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were almost desperate to smoke.  Like
me," she added with a laugh.

   Larilyn lowered her voice.  "Actually, that concerns me.  I felt edgy by
late morning.  I couldn't concentrate."  She raised her cigarette to her lips
for another puff.  She inhaled and went on.  "I've been smoking a lot the
last few days, especially this weekend.  I wonder if I could be becoming
dependent?"  Once more smoke mixed with her words.

   Brianna just smiled.  "How much have you been smoking?"

   She shrugged.  "I had fifteen cigarettes Saturday, and sixteen yesterday."

   Her tiny dark-haired assistant chuckled.  "My God, Larilyn!  That's a hell
of a lot!  At that level you probably _do_ need to smoke.  Your body gets
used to nicotine.  If you cut back, your system reacts.  You get jumpy and
feel cravings.  Your brain needs the endorphins nicotine releases.  Given how
you're inhaling, your body's undoubtedly telling you it needs the nicotine."
She smiled ruefully.  "Welcome to the world of addiction!"

   The blond woman shuddered.  "You think I'm addicted?  So soon?  I've only
been smoking a week!"

   Brianna nodded.  "It doesn't take long.  If you can't concentrate after a
few hours, that's a sure sign."  She took a drag from her Slim.  "But what
the hell did you expect?  Don't tell me you're surprised by your body's
reaction that it wants more nicotine?"

   "I guess not.  I suppose it's what Susan wanted," she mused, manicuring
her cigarette.

   Brianna nodded.  "She knew she'd get you one way or the other.  Either
she'd get you hooked, or you'd suffer the agony of quitting.  Either way,
she'd get revenge."

   "I can beat this thing," Larilyn vowed.  "Even if quitting is tough, I'll
win in the end."

   "The question is, will you _want_ to win?"  Brianna smiled.  "I decided I
didn't want to."

   "What do you mean?"

   Brianna put her cigarette between her lips.  "I started smoking at
seventeen.  I was going to smoke only in social situations, like at parties.
I had a boyfriend who smoked.  I planned to quit when I got to college."  She
tipped her head to release a long stream of smoke.  "Summer between high
school and college, I started smoking a lot more.  I smoked on breaks with
the girls I worked with.  I liked that, but I was only smoking half a pack a
day.  I thought I could still quit.  By the time I left for college, though,
I didn't want to.  I wanted to keep smoking.  I never consciously made a
decision to stay with it.  It crept up on me.  Before I knew it, my desire to
quit evaporated."  She laughed.  "I suppose you could say it went up in
smoke!"

   Larilyn took a final drag and crushed her cigarette in the ashtray.  "So
you're saying I may not want to stop after I finish my carton?"

   "That's a possibility," her pretty assistant replied.  "But the important
thing is, follow your heart.  If you're comfortable quitting then, great!  If
not, don't sweat it.  Do what your heart tells you is the right thing for
you; not the right thing for someone else, the right thing for you!"

   Larilyn nodded.  "I understand.  God, I can't believe I'm thinking about
continuing to smoke."  She flashed a wry smile.  "But that's not today's
problem.  The thing to do today is stay on schedule."  She looked at her
watch.  "Speaking of staying on schedule, do you mind if I have another one?
I was thinking of having three over the lunch hour today."

   Brianna laughed.  "Actually, I'd love another one, too."  In a flash she
had a second Slim in her mouth.  "I usually have two on my morning break, but
I couldn't today.  You kept me too damn busy."  She lit up and took a long,
initial drag, pulling the smoke deep inside her tiny body.

   Larilyn frowned.  "What break?  You never go outside with those other
smokers."

   "Can I tell you a secret?" Brianna said, spewing smoke.  "You can't tell a
soul."

   "Sure," Larilyn replied, lighting up her second one.  "You can trust me."

   "I know I can," Brianna smiled.  "I have the power to make your life
miserable if you screw me."  She pointed at the cigarette in Larilyn's right
hand.  "Right?"

   "Right," Larilyn sighed.  "So, what's your secret?"

   "I have a friend in housekeeping named Annie.  In the basement is an
unused office where the housekeepers smoke.  The building manager looks the
other way, 'cause he smokes.  Instead of going outside, I go downstairs to
smoke with Annie each morning and afternoon."

   Larilyn laughed.  "God, there is an underground support network among
smokers, isn't there?"

   "Yes, there sure is," Brianna confirmed.  "We look out for each other.
But that's why you never see me outside smoking."

   A plan was developing in Larilyn's brain.  Pondering it, she took an
extended drag.  "If I need to smoke at work, to meet my cigarette quota for
the day, could I join you sometime?"

   Brianna nodded.  "If I weren't willing to include you, I wouldn't have
mentioned it."  She smiled.  "And I hate to say it, boss, but you'll fit
right in.  You look like a real smoker already."

   "Why?" Larilyn wanted to know.

   "It's how you handle the cigarette.  You seem completely at ease.  You
take long, confident drags, and lots of 'em, too.  You inhale deep.  You
exhale while you talk.  It's a combination of all those little things.  You
look like someone who's very comfortable smoking."

   "That's good," Larilyn acknowledged.  "Because eventually Susan will grade
me.  If I look like a poser, I flunk.  I'm trying to smoke like you guys;
like real smokers."

   "You're succeeding," Brianna confirmed.  "I hope you will join me on my
cigarette breaks," she said sincerely.  She giggled.  "I love being part of
your nasty little secret!"

   The waitress came to take their order.  They had a pleasant lunch, and
afterwards both Larilyn and Brianna had a third cigarette before heading back
to the office.

   Larilyn felt good that afternoon.  At three Brianna stuck her pretty
black-haired head in her office.  "Want to come with?" she asked cryptically.

   "I don't know," she answered, rubbing the back of her head.  "Maybe it's a
bad idea."

   "I told Annie I might bring down a new smoker today.  She's curious who.
I told her she'll never guess," she giggled.  "So, do you want to join me or
not?  It's up to you."

   Larilyn hesitated.  She'd only had five so far today.  It'd be great to
knock off another one.  But 'coming out' for someone else, especially someone
she didn't know, was scary.  On the other hand, smoking another cigarette at
that instant _did_ seem appealing.  The promise of secrecy made it more
attractive.  "Okay," she resolved with a grin.  "Let's go."

   Brianna closed her office door.  "Okay.  Get a couple cigarettes and slip
'em in your pocket with a lighter.  Don't bring the whole pack.  Bring papers
or something so it looks like you're on your way to deliver something to
someone in the basement."

   "You've got this down to a science, don't you?"

   "Damn straight!"  She watched Larilyn slide a cigarette into her pocket.
"Only one?" Brianna teased.  "I always have two when I go down."

   Larilyn nodded knowingly and got a second cigarette.  "Okay," she giggled.
"Let's have two, then."  She gathered some papers from her desk and headed to
the door.  "Let's go."

   They took the elevator to the basement.  Brianna directed her to a
corridor at the end of the hall.  There were vending machines in the
basement.  Except to buy candy or pop, Larilyn never visited it.  She hoped
no one would ask why she was there.

   At the end of the hall Brianna opened a door marked 'Service Personnel
Only.'  Inside they passed several doors till they saw one marked 'Private.'
"This is it," Brianna announced.

   She opened it.  A young lady was at a table with a cigarette.  Larilyn
smelled the familiar odor of fresh tobacco smoke.  "How many people know
about this place?"

   "Only a handful, other than building service staff," Brianna replied.  She
turned to the girl at the table.  "Annie, I'd like you to meet, Larilyn
Dahlberg, my boss."

   Annie was a pretty young black girl in her twenties with a blue smock
indicating her status on the building service staff.  At a small table with
four chairs, she was smoking a cork-tipped cigarette.  She stuck out her
hand.  "Hi," she smiled.  Then she stopped.  "Hey, aren't you that
anti-smoking lady?  The one with the lung association?"

   Larilyn nodded.  "Yeah, that's me," she sighed with an embarrassed smile.
She got out a cigarette and lighter to demonstrate she belonged.  "I'm the
same one."

   "Don't worry, Annie," Brianna interrupted.  "Larilyn's one of us now.  But
like I said, it's a secret.  You can't tell a soul she was down here.  Okay?"

   "Cool," Annie answered.  "Sit down, Larilyn, have a seat, and light up."

   That was it.  Annie accepted Larilyn without question.  They sat down and
each of them smoked two cigarettes.  Annie explained that building services
set up the secret smoking room for themselves and a few select, trustworthy
others.  Brianna was her friend, so Annie let her in.  Now Larilyn was
welcome, too, as long as she kept the secret safe.

   Larilyn's two mid-afternoon cigarettes tasted surprisingly great.  Her
body relaxed with each successive puff.  She returned to her desk marvelously
refreshed.  Brianna could tell.  "You might want to do this again, boss," she
winked as they returned to their area.  "It suits you."

   "You know, I might join you again," Larilyn laughed.  "Thanks, Brianna."

   "No problem," her assistant replied.

   The rest of the afternoon Larilyn was unusually productive.  She banged
out scads of work.  She wondered if her productivity had anything to do with
her 'break.'  As she left that night, Brianna stuck her head in her office
one last time.

   "I'm going home," she smiled wickedly.  "Have fun smoking tonight,
Larilyn."

   She smiled.  "Goodnight, Brianna.  I will.  Thanks for everything today.
I mean it."

   "You're more than welcome," her attractive assistant replied.  "Will you
join Annie and me again tomorrow morning?  I always go a little after ten."

   "I might," Larilyn answered.  "It's a way to keep my consumption on
target, you know."

   "And the fact that you enjoy it has nothing to do with it, right?"

   Larilyn smiled.  Brianna understood.  "Nothing at all," she nodded.  "See
you tomorrow."

   Larilyn worked till six and then left for home.  Her edginess was
returning, and she knew why, too.  Dependence on nicotine was developing,
beyond a shadow of a doubt.  Her half hour drive home seemed interminable.
She even thought about smoking in her car, but she couldn't bring herself to
do it.  No one had ever smoked in her Lexus.  In the end, she didn't.

   She pulled into the garage and went inside her house.  Andrea wasn't home.
Larilyn hung up her coat in the closet and immediately took her cigarettes
from her purse.  Thrusting one between her lips, she smiled with anticipation
as she readied her lighter.

   "Larilyn, you're such a fuckin' hypocrite," she admonished herself.
"You're starting to enjoy this smoking stuff way too much, you know!"  It was
supremely ironic she was cautioning herself with an unlit cigarette in her
mouth.  She laughed.  "Oh, well," she sighed.  "Fuck it!"

   Clicking the lighter she touched the flame to the tip and drew hard as the
cigarette ignited.  Her cheeks caved in as it came to life.  Inhaling
quickly, she drew hard a second time.  The smoke felt divine pouring into her
hungry lungs!  She took several rapid-fire, hard drags, pulling each one
inside and releasing the smoke through her nose.  This wasn't the methodology
of a casual smoker. No, iIt was the smoking pattern of a woman who _had_ to
smoke.  But she didn't think about that.  At that moment she just wanted
smoke in her lungs.  She wanted to feel the nicotine rushing into her system.
She wanted her cigarette.  It was simple.

   Smoking furiously, she had two cigarettes back to back before fixing
supper.  Andrea still hadn't come home, so she ate alone.  Following dinner
she lit up again, this time smoking in a more relaxed fashion.  It was her
tenth cigarette of the day.  She'd have no difficulty reaching sixteen.
After Andrea got home at eight thirty, they smoked and talked for a couple
hours.  That day Larilyn hit a new record:  Seventeen cigarettes in a one
day!

   The rest of the week she maintained consumption at that level.  She
justified it by assuring herself that she was only trying to finish her
carton ahead of schedule.  But that was mere rationalization.  The truth was,
she wanted to smoke.  Each morning and afternoon she joined Brianna and Annie
for two cigarettes.  Every day at lunch she had three.  By week's end her
morning routine had evolved into three cigarettes before work instead of two.
On Friday night, she and Mitch went out again.  She especially liked smoking
with him.  By the time she got home at one in the morning, she'd smoked
twenty cigarettes, a full pack, in one day.

   As she went to bed that Friday night, she did a quick count.  She'd just
opened a new pack and smoked one in it.  Only three packs were left in her
carton.  She'd had 141 cigarettes in ten days.  Suddenly it dawned on her.
If she worked hard she could finish the last three packs by Sunday evening.
Then she could call Susan and take her 'test' Sunday night.  By God, it meant
she'd see her granddaughter that weekend!

   It'd mean smoking a pack and a half a day for the next two days.  But
smoking thirty a day for two days wasn't impossible.  She knew that.  Shit,
she'd smoked seventeen to twenty a day every day all week.  Being at home on
Saturday and Sunday would make it even easier to increase her consumption.
As she rested her head on her pillow, she counted.  If she had two an hour
all day Saturday and Sunday, she'd be done by dinner on Sunday.  Then she'd
go to Susan's and show her what she'd done.  She smiled as fell into a happy
slumber, her body still tingling from having fucked Mitch earlier that night.
But just as important, the end of her smoking experiment was now within
range.

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