Smoke And Mirrors, Part 36

This fictional story contains adult themes and descriptions. If such offends
you, read no further.  All persons and situations depicted are fictional, any
similarities to real persons or events is purely coincidental. All rights
reserved. This story cannot be reproduced without the written prior approval
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Smoke & Mirrors
Part 36: Sunday Night: The Graduation Celebration

Early Sunday morning, Giselle went to the grocery store to pick up a few
things for the dinner party that she had planned for that night. She brought
her cigarettes with her and smoked continuously in her car with no regard for
the smell or the ashes. What difference would it make? After all, it was her
car. She enjoyed that she had something to do as she drove the usual boring
route to the grocery store. She smoked the two cigarettes in 15 minutes.
Unconsciously she started to quantify her various errands by the number of
cigarettes she could smoke. This was usually a two-cigarette trip. As she
walked up to the cigarette counter she was happy to see that Tammy was
working that morning.

"Hi Giselle, how's it going?" Tammy said cheerfully.

"Just great, Tammy. Could I please have two cartons of VS 100's menthol full
strength please?" Giselle said confidently.

"Two?" Tammy said curiously.

"One for me and one is a present for my daughter." She said smiling.

Tammy grinned. "I never knew you had a daughter who smoked, Giselle."

"Yes, I do. She went away to college and just started to smoke this
semester," she said rather proudly.

"Hmmm, it sounds a lot like: like mother like daughter. Does she enjoy
smoking as much as you do? You now what I mean. Is she a real smoker?" she
said smiling mischievously.

"Oh yes, she loves her cigarettes. And can you believe it; she smokes the
same brand as me." She said clutching the two cartons in her arms. "You sure
have good taste Tammy! I want to thank you again for helping out."

"Well that's great news. I hope some day that I will have a daughter, so that
I can teach her to smoke," she said sighing.

Giselle paused in shock. "You mean you would teach your daughter to smoke?"
Giselle said incredulously.

"Of course, why shouldn't she enjoy herself like her mother?" Tammy replied.
"Don't you enjoy smoking now? Aren't you closer to your daughter, now that
you both smoke? I want to have the same open and easy relationship. As soon
as she is the right age, I'll teach her how. She's not going to learn on a
street corner with some leather-jacketed thug. There may be a bit of
reluctance in the beginning, but she'll love it in no time just like you did.
We will become closer. We'll have something in common to share."

Giselle blushed, realizing there was some merit to what Tammy was saying. She
remembered the quiet times when she and Suzanne were alone smoking and
talking. "I never quite thought of it that way. I guess you are right."
Giselle paused. "Do you have any more lighters like the one that my husband
Serge bought me? I think I will need three," she said, raising her eyebrows.

"Yes I think so. Let me look in the back" Tammy replied as she turned to go
into the storage room.

As Tammy returned, she placed the three black boxes on the counter, opening
each one to ensure that they contained the proper contents. "Looks like some
people you know are going to be very grateful," she said smiling.

"Yes, I do have a lot of people to thank." She said, passing her credit card
over to Tammy.

"Do you know if there is an engraver or jewelry store in the mall?"

"Yes, just go to the right of the entrance to the store. Elite Jewelry is
located about six shops down the corridor." Tammy said, motioning.

Giselle thanked Tammy for her help, and headed towards the exit. As she
turned to leave, she heard Tammy say, "See you next week?"

"Thanks, yes, I'll see you then. Maybe we'll have lunch. Bye now." she said.

She started to think about what she might have engraved on the lighters.

For Suzanne, it would read. "Like mother, Like daughter. Love Mom"

For Danielle, "Thanks for being such a good friend."

For Jill: "It's a woman thing. With Thanks, Love Giselle"

For her own: "Light my fire. Love Serge"

Yes, she liked all of the chosen inscriptions. The words were appropriate .
She giggled to herself; Serge would blush when he saw the inscription on her
lighter. She had the presents wrapped at the courtesy booth in a department
store. She couldn't wait to get home. She had planned to have a big dinner on
Sunday night for Suzanne, Jill and Danielle. It would be her chance to thank
the people who had helped solidify her relationship with her daughter.

She got home, just as the girls were getting out of bed. When Giselle got
back, she could hear the girls showering. She saw Suzanne come down the
stairs with her robe on and a towel wrapped around her head.

"Could I have one of your cigarettes, Mom?" she said, sighing longingly.

"Be my guest, Suzanne," she said as she shook a couple loose from her pack.

Both mother and daughter lit up, using Giselle's lighter. Giselle admired
Suzanne's youthful look, and how deliberately and deeply she smoked. She
seemed to relish it as she lit up. She knew the feeling. The deep inhale
would soothe and relieve her aching need.

She had the need herself, she knew that Suzanne had it too.

Things were back to normal. Mother and daughter smoking together, enjoying
the peace that a cigarette always gave them. Giselle still could not believe
how things had changed. Gone were the quick judgments, the fights, and the
backbiting. They were happy to be together, enjoying each other's company and
the lovely custom of a cigarette together. They would always be friends now,
with the mutual respect that had developed between them. Giselle also no
longer felt subservient to Serge, and now knew that she would have more of a
say in the decisions in their daily lives.

It was true bliss. And all Giselle and Suzanne had had to do was to let go
and smoke with abandon. And they did.

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