Turkish Delight, Part 3

This fictional account contains adult language and themes.  If such language
and themes offend you, please do not read further.  Copyright 1999 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 support,
ideas and encouragement.

TURKISH DELIGHT

3.	Partners in Crime.

   Krissy stopped reading and set the Narnia book on the coffee table.  "Do
you like to smoke, Leah?" she asked inquisitively.

   "God, where'd _that_ come from?"  Leah had just fired up her second
cigarette.  As Linda thought, her main motivation for visiting was that she
could smoke at the Evans' home.

   "I dunno," Krissy lied.  "I'm just curious.  Do you really enjoy it?"

   "Du-uh!  Like, yes!"  She gave a sarcastic look before enjoying a long
drag.  "But I'll tell you something.  You'd better not be getting any ideas
about trying it, Little Miss Krissy."

   Krissy pouted.  "Why not?  My mom's cool about you smoking.  And your
mom's okay with it, too.  So why shouldn't I become a smoker, like you and
like our moms?"

   "Oh, God," Leah muttered.  Her tone displayed complete disbelief.  "I
thought you were smarter, girl.  Don't you get it?  My mom doesn't know I
smoke."

   "But I thought …."

   "Well, you thought wrong.  That story was completely made-up.  I just
wanted to be able to smoke here.  Since your mom smokes, I figured she'd buy
my story, which she did, hook, line and sinker."  Leah gave a satisfied smile
and manicured her cigarette in the ashtray.  "To be honest, I don't know what
my mom would say if she knew I smoked.  I don't think she'd be happy.  She's
always talking about trying to quit.  God, I hope she doesn't, though,
because I get my cigarettes from her carton."

   The revelation surprised Krissy.  She gasped.  "But, wait.  Aren't you
worried my mom will say something to yours?  I mean, she's over at your house
right now.  What if my mom mentions you're smoking?  Doesn't that scare you?"

   "I don't think she will," Leah grinned.  "Because I think she knows I'm
lying.  I saw it on her face as soon as I told her my mom lets me smoke.
Linda, I mean, your mom, knew it was pure bullshit.  It was a real lame story
and your mom's not stupid.  She admitted she started smoking as a teenager,
too, and I'll betcha anything she tried the same kind of scams on her folks
when she was my age.  But even though I was lying, she went along with it.
Even if she doesn't approve of me smoking, I'm guessing she won't want to
screw up the baby-sitting arrangement.  If she blows the whistle, I might get
grounded and she'd lose me as a sitter.  And she doesn't want _that_ to
happen.  So I don't think she'll risk it by spilling the beans."

   Krissy frowned.  "I don't think so, either.  Gosh, I had no idea.  But
wasn't it still risky to tell her you smoke?  You'd be sunk if she said
anything to your mom."  She smiled.  "But I think you're right about Mom.
She obviously likes you, Leah.  She wouldn't mess you over without a good
reason.  But you didn't know that when first you told her.  It was risky."

   "Yeah, you're right," Leah acknowledged.  Putting the cigarette in her
mouth, she took a pleasantly luxuriant drag.  "But I figured, what the hell?
Sooner or later Mom will find out I smoke.  It's better to hear it from
someone other than me."  She spurted smoke as she talked.  "I decided even if
Linda told my mom, it might not be so bad.  I'm damn tired of sneaking around
all the time, and not being able to smoke when I want."

   Krissy's face fell.  "So, the only reason you came over tonight is because
you can smoke at my house?"

   Leah leaned over and pinched Krissy on the ass.  "No, stupid.  It wasn't
the only reason.  You're a cool kid.  I like you, and I like your book, too.
I like having you read to me.  It's fun.  But yeah, I wanted to smoke, too.
It's great coming over here.  I can smoke all I want."  She narrowed her eyes
into two slits and stared at her young friend.  "But wait.  Why are you
asking me this?  You're not thinking of trying it, are you?  That'd be a
stupid-ass thing to do!"

   "How can you say that?" Krissy demanded.  "You like to smoke."

   "I sure do," Leah agreed.  "But you're too young.  Plus you'd never get
away with it.  Look, I've only been smoking for six months, and I'm already
totally stressed out because I can't smoke when I want to.  It makes me
miserable.  Don't make that mistake.  At least, don't make it so young," she
added with a whimsical smile.

   "But what if Mom let me smoke?  I think she would.  She's okay with you
smoking.  Why should she treat me any different?"

   "Because you're her daughter, stupid, and I'm not.  It's not her problem
if I smoke.  If you smoke, it _is_ her problem."  She paused and smiled.  "Of
course, you might be right.  Your mom is pretty cool.  She might let you."
She gazed into her eyes.  "Do you want to try it?"

   "I already have," Krissy announced proudly.  "I smoke every day after
school."

   "No way," Leah exclaimed.  She smiled.  "I don't believe it.  You're
shitting me."

   "I am not shitting you," Krissy said defiantly.  She stared back.  "Let me
have your cigarette, stupid, and I'll show you."

   Leah said nothing but checked out the room.  There was no sound signifying
Linda's return.  She slowly handed the cigarette to Krissy.  "Show me,
twerp," she commanded defiantly.

   Krissy took Leah's half-smoked cigarette and confidently raised it to her
lips.  She wasn't worried.  She'd hear the front door open if her mom came
home.  But she was nervous about smoking in front of Leah.  It wasn't the
same as practicing in front of a mirror.  But she couldn't back down.  She
sealed her lips around the cork-tipped filter and took a moderate drag.  She
breathed in hard, pulled the smoke into her lungs, and smiled broadly as she
handed it back.  She tilted her head and exhaled a long stream of smoke
toward the ceiling.  Leah was speechless.

   Krissy grinned.  "Wow.  Yours tastes different than Mom's.  Why is that?"

   "Because mine are menthol," she laughed incredulously.  "God, you did it,
kid!  Damn, you inhale and everything.  I don't fuckin' believe it."

   "I like to smoke," Krissy replied intently.  "I want to start smoking all
the time.  My mom loves to smoke.  She's told me so.  I'm going to ask for
permission."

   Leah took a hit on her cigarette.  "Let's think about this," she said
nervously.  "Do you know what you're getting yourself into?  Do you know what
happens when you start smoking?"

   "Sure.  It tastes good," Krissy replied naively.  "What else do I need to
know?"

   Leah thought for a moment.  "Remember in your book, The Lion, the Witch
and the Wardrobe, when Lucy and Edmund arrive in the land of Narnia?  Edmund
meets the white witch and she gives him candy.  What's it called?  Oh, yeah,
Turkish Delight.  Well, remember what happens to Edmund after he eats the
Turkish Delight?"

   Krissy nodded.  "Sure.  He wants more.  What's the point?"

   "That's what smoking is like, silly.  The white witch gave Edmund Turkish
Delight.  He loved it.  She gave him more.  It was delicious.  Pretty soon
the only thing Edmund wanted was Turkish Delight.  He became obsessed.  Like
he can't live without it.  In the book Edmund will do _anything_ for Turkish
Delight."  She paused.  "Smoking cigarettes is like that.  Yeah, you like it
all right.  Everyone does.  It's great.  But pretty soon you need to have
more."

   Krissy thought.  "In my book, the great lion Aslan eventually cures Edmund
by touching him with some of the deep magic."

   Leah smiled wryly.  "Well, baby, in real life, there is no deep magic.
Your mom and my mom, they can't quit.  They have to keep smoking." She gave
Krissy a serious look as she crushed her cigarette in the ashtray.  "Look,
already I can't stop smoking, either.  I'm hooked.  Shit, it gets under your
skin like real fast.  Are you ready for that?"

   Krissy nodded confidently.  "I already love smoking.  I like the way I
look with a cigarette in my hand.  It's so sophisticated.  And I like how it
feels when I smoke.  I even like how it smells now."  She smiled.  "I guess
that's the way it goes; one bite of that Turkish Delight, and you're a goner!
And why would I want to quit?  It's yummy!"

   "Hey, you're asking the wrong girl," Leah answered.  "I _don't_ want to.
I love it, too.  Hell, if I could, I'd smoke all the time."

   Krissy eyed Leah's pack.  She wished Leah would either offer her one of
her own or light up a second cigarette for herself.  Either way she could
steal at least another few puffs.  She'd have loved another drag right then.
But Leah did neither.  She took a deep breath.

   "Excuse me, Leah," she mischievously asked in a squeaky voice.  "But could
I please have some more Turkish Delight?"

   Leah gave her a perplexed look.  "What?" she asked, confused.  Then she
smiled as the light came on.  "Oh, I see," she said with a satisfied smile.
"Well, I don't know about that.  I'm not sure I should let you have any more
Turkish Delight right now."

   "Oh, please," she pleaded in mock desperation.  "Please let me have just
_one_ more piece of that marvelous Turkish Delight.  I love it so much.  It's
_so_ delicious."  She burst into gales of laughter.

   "You think you're pretty funny, don’t you?" Leah said, rolling her eyes.
"But trust me.  It won't seem so funny when you really _need_ a cigarette.
If you're not careful, before long you'll be just like Edmund in your book.
You'll be hooked, Miss Krissy.  You'll be addicted to cigarettes and you
won't be able to stop smoking.  What will you think of that?"

   Krissy smiled.  "To be perfectly honest, I'm looking forward to that day,"
she admitted.  "I want to be a smoker, Leah.  Just like my mom.  Can't I have
another cigarette with you?"

   Leah hesitated.  "I'm afraid your mom will come back.  Let's cool it for
now.  Okay?"

   "Okay," Krissy reluctantly agreed.  She did have more questions, however.
"If your mom wasn't involved, Leah, how did you start smoking?"

   "It was because of my boyfriend, Richie," she sighed.  "He smokes.  He
encouraged me to try it when we started going out.  I wanted him to like me,
to think I was cool.  It's funny.  I used to hate the way my mom smoked all
the time.  I didn't like the smell of it or anything.  I thought I'd never be
a smoker.  I wasn't interested.  But I couldn't tell Richie that.  He'd have
thought I was dumb.  So I said, sure, I'd smoke with him.  He really liked me
doing it.  He wanted me to smoke with him all the time.  At first I did it to
make him happy.  But pretty soon I started to like it.  Pow!  I was hooked."
She threw back her head and laughed.  "After awhile I started stealing my
folk's packs.  I knew they'd never notice; Mom and Dad always have a million
of 'em sitting around.  I've been smoking ever since."

   "Wow," Krissy smiled.  "So you did it for love!"

   "Sort of, I guess," Leah replied with a gentle smirk.  "But even after
Richie and I break up, I'll have my cigarette habit to remind me of him."

   "You're sad about that?"

   "No, actually, I'm not.  I'm glad Richie talked me into it.  You know how
it is; you've tried it.  Smoking is the absolute best!  Without Richie's
nagging, I probably wouldn't have tried it.  The thing is, my mom is paranoid
about the possibility I might start smoking.  I keep her at bay by
complaining about her second-hand smoke.  That way, she never gets close
enough to smell the stink on my clothes and in my hair.  But now she's
talking about trying to quit again.  If she does, and if she gets my dad to
go along, I'm fucked.  I won't have any way to get cigarettes."

   "Gosh, I hope that never happens.  But I could get you some," Krissy
offered helpfully.  "I don't mind taking 'em from my mom for you.  Maybe
she'd even help, you know, keep you getting some packs of your own."

   "No, grasshopper, you don't understand parents when it comes to the
subject of smoking.  Your mom may be nice to me and look the other way, but
she doesn't want to be accused of actually encouraging me.  It's like a
violation of the grown-up code of honor, or something.  Trust me on that
one."

   "So do you think I shouldn't tell my mom that I smoke?"

   Leah sighed.  "I wouldn't if I were you.  Parents are too unpredictable.
Especially since you're only thirteen.  Your mom might kill you."  

   "Oh," Krissy frowned.  "Maybe you're right."  She heard the front door
open.  "Oh, God," she gasped.  "It's my mom."

   "Relax," Leah said smugly.  "There's nothing unusual going on."  She
smiled an evil smile.  "I'm just going to light up another cigarette."  She
put it in her mouth, lit up, and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke right into
Krissy's face as Linda walked in.

   "Hi, girls," she said pleasantly.  "Having a good time?"

   "A great time, Mrs. Evans," Leah confidently announced.  She looked at
Krissy as she continued to expel smoke while she talked.  "We're having a lot
of fun."  

   Linda busied herself in the kitchen.  She didn't see Leah give Krissy a
subtle wink.  "Hey, Krissy, you said you wanted to show me your room again.
Why don't we go up there to read for awhile?"  Then she gave Linda a guilty
look.  "Oh, Mrs. Evans, I'm sorry.  I just lit a cigarette.  Do you mind if I
smoke in Krissy's room?"

   Linda gestured toward her daughter.  "It's her room.  I don't care if it's
okay with her.  Is that okay with you, dear, if Leah smokes up there?"

   Krissy shrugged, trying her best to seem indifferent.  "I don't mind if
she smokes in my room.  Anyway, it'll just be for a little while, until she
finishes that cigarette.  Yeah, I'd really like to read in my room, Leah,
just like we did the other night."

   "Okay, then," Leah said happily, picking up an ashtray.  "We'll read
upstairs for awhile, Krissy."  As soon as Linda wasn't looking, she poked the
younger girl in the ribs.  Heading toward the stairs, she suggestively
wiggled the fingers holding her cigarette.  "Krissy, aren't you glad I came
over to see you tonight?"  She asked coyly, taking a demonstrative drag and
sucking the smoke into her lungs.

   Krissy understood her meaning.  "Oh, yeah, I'm real glad," she said
loudly, with a mischievous grin directed at her baby-sitter.  Her little
mouth was already watering, waiting for another delicious puff from Leah's
cigarette.  "It's really fun having you come over, Leah," she added as they
ascended the stairs.

   As soon as they were out of sight, Leah handed Krissy the cigarette.
"Here you go, kiddo," she whispered.  "Go ahead and have some of this
delicious Turkish Delight!  It's what you wanted, isn't it?"

   The thirteen year old greedily put the cigarette in her mouth, sucked hard
and inhaled.  God, it felt good to have more of that sweet tasting menthol
smoke in her body!  She talked in a loud voice as she held the smoke inside.
"Leah, it's really nice of you to come over tonight."  She then lowered her
voice and whispered, "I fuckin' _love_ Turkish Delight.  Thank you."

   At the top of the stairs Leah watched her young charge exhale a long plume
of smoke through her lips and nostrils.  "Think nothing of it, my dear," she
said with a mock British accent.  "Think nothing of it at all." They walked
into Krissy's room and closed the door.

   From then on, Leah and Krissy were inseparable.  Leah often invited
herself over to the Evans'.  She was with Krissy for hours on the days she
didn't life-guard at the pool.  She came at night, too.  Linda thought
nothing of it.  It never occurred to her Krissy was smoking, too.  She merely
assumed Leah wanted to smoke without her mother's knowledge.  If something
similar had happened to her when she was sixteen, she'd have taken full
advantage of the opportunity to smoke without her parents knowing.  As a
teenager Linda did just that, working at the restaurant as much as possible
and socializing with the older smokers she worked with.  The fact that
sixteen year old Leah spent so much time with her daughter didn't concern
her.  She just thought Leah really liked Krissy.  But she knew Leah also
liked the opportunity to smoke freely.

   Surprisingly, Linda felt no guilt about helping the Martin girl fortify
her habit.  In an odd way she considered it community service.  After all,
she reasoned, Leah would smoke whether she or anyone else approved.  She was
better off doing it somewhere safe, like her house, where the good-looking
young blond couldn't get herself in trouble.  So Linda didn't mind fostering
Leah's development as a smoker.  In reality, it pleased her to do so.  But
she never guessed Leah's companionship was reinforcing her thirteen year
old's growing nicotine addiction.

   Krissy was happy as could be.  Under Leah's tutelage she smoked every day
and in ever-increasing amounts.  School ended in early June.  Krissy was home
alone all day from Monday through Friday.  Leah didn't visit every day
because she worked at the pool.  Those days Krissy smoked alone.  Her first
after-school smoking experiment lit a spark, and smoking with Leah fanned it
into a blazing fire.  In the first few weeks of summer Krissy's cigarette
consumption escalated rapidly.  She had no reason not to smoke as much as she
wanted.  Either she was reading or watching TV alone, or she was with her new
smoking friend.  The temptation to light up was always there, and Krissy gave
in to it more and more often as the days passed.

   Meanwhile, Linda was still stressed.  Whenever she felt tense, she smoked
too much.  She was preoccupied with her new job, her new house and life in a
new city.  She never noticed packs disappearing from her carton at an
escalating rate.  By the middle of June her daughter was smoking almost half
a pack a day.  Linda was clueless.  She just thought she was smoking more
herself, which she was.  She never did the math.  When the carton in her
kitchen drawer became half empty, she bought another one.  For Krissy, it was
too good to be true.  Her supply always replenished itself.  She never
worried about having enough cigarettes to feed her growing habit.

   Susceptibility to nicotine addiction seems to be inherited.  In this case,
it was like mother, like daughter.  At sixteen Linda became a helpless
addict.  From the first moment she smoked she developed a deep-seated
dependence on nicotine.  From the start she was utterly dependent on infusing
nicotine into her insatiable lungs.  The firm grip nicotine addiction
established in her life was irresistible.  The same thing was happening to
her daughter.  Within days of her initial experiment, Krissy felt edgy unless
she smoked several times a day.  She anticipated her mom's departure each
morning and smoked eagerly as soon as Linda left the house.  Repeated
exposure to smoking's pleasure moved Krissy into addiction.  Like her mom
before her, there was no hope the little girl could escape the inevitable.
Once she started smoking, dependence was certain.  By the end of the first
week, there was no turning back, and she knew it.  But she didn't care.

   Each Tuesday night Leah spent the entire evening with her smoking
disciple.  On those days Krissy's smoking hit record levels.  It wasn't
unusual for her to have nine or ten cigarettes during the day, and then smoke
another five or six with Leah at night.

   As Leah and Krissy got together, the term "Turkish Delight" became a
code-word for having another cigarette.  Leah routinely asked Krissy if she
wanted some Turkish Delight.  "I'd love some Turkish Delight," Krissy would
always respond with a twinkle in her eye.  "You know what?" she'd add.  "I
just can't seem to get enough of it!" 

   It was true.  The more Krissy smoked, the more she wanted to.  She was
taking more drags off each cigarette, inhaling deeper, and smoking more
often.  She now thought of herself as a smoker, like her mom.  Being a smoker
was what she wanted to be, and she worked hard at it.  Her new view of
herself proved prophetic.  She was quickly turning into someone dependent on
nicotine to get through each day.  She was well aware what her frequent use
of "Turkish Delight" was doing to her.  But her only desire was to deepen her
dependence on its repeated infusion.

   Saturdays and Sundays Leah worked all day at the pool.  On weekends Krissy
hung out there, too.  She met other teenagers from the neighborhood.  That
was fun, but it wasn't why she went.  Her mom was home, and Krissy felt
uncomfortable being unable to smoke all day long.  The pool provided a needed
outlet.  But Krissy still didn't feel comfortable talking to Linda about it.
Leah convinced her it'd be a disaster.  The pool was in a hilly area,
adjacent to a woods.  It gave Krissy an excellent cover.  She found it easy
to wander into the woods and have an unobserved cigarette away from the pool.
It got her through the weekends without being completely deprived of the
nicotine she increasingly needed.

   The Evans household was Leah's safe-haven, where she could smoke in a
pinch.  But things were changing at her house.  She noticed her mom seemed
happier than she'd been in a long time.  Kelli Martin had taken to heart
Linda's advice.  At long last she discarded any hope or intention of quitting
smoking.  She stopped worrying about her daughter, too.  Leah sensed a new
peace in the house, though she didn't know what caused it.  Kelli gave up the
ultra lights and returned to Merit Menthol 100's.  She was smoking more
often, too.  None of it bothered Leah.  It meant more ambient smoke in the
house, which Leah liked.  Occasionally Leah began sneaking cigarettes in her
bedroom at night, knowing open windows would dissipate the smoke before her
mom or dad could notice the next morning.

   Leah's dad saw the change in Kelli, too.  He was delighted.  Sam Martin
was a life-long smoker.  He'd grown weary of his wife's endless complaining
about her habit.  He was tired of hearing her say she wished she could quit.
So he was pleased with the transformation.  When Kelli told him her new
attitude was the result of Linda Evans' advice, that she should simply accept
that being a smoker was her lot in life, Sam was on cloud nine.  He liked the
new unconcerned, emancipated Kelli.  It was a throw-back to the easygoing
smoker he married.  Sam liked Linda's influence, and wanted to do something
nice for the new neighbors, to thank Linda for her (in his view) positive
influence.

   When it was clear Kelli's change in attitude would stick, Sam urged his
wife to invite Linda and Krissy over for dinner.  Kelli agreed.  She liked
Linda.  She was glad Sam wanted to get to know her, too.  She suggested Leah
invite them on Tuesday night when she babysat.  Sam wouldn't hear of it.  He
wanted to make it much more of an event.  He insisted Kelli prepare a written
invitation and personally take it over to Linda to deliver in person.

   That discussion happened on a Sunday.  Kelli was busy Monday night, so she
decided to deliver the invitation during the day on Monday.  She knew Linda
would be at work.  But she figured she didn't really need to deliver it in
person.  Giving it to Krissy would be fine.  So on Monday Kelli went to the
Evans' and rang the front doorbell, waiting for little Krissy to answer.

   Hearing the doorbell, Krissy assumed it was Leah coming to visit.  "Come
on in," she called from the family room.  Opening the screen door, Kelli
sauntered inside without identifying herself.  What she saw in the family
room made her drop the invitation to the floor in horror.

   There was little thirteen-year old Krissy on the couch smoking a
cigarette!  The older woman was flabbergasted.  She just stood there,
speechless and motionless.  Krissy was in the midst of a long drag when Kelli
walked in.  She turned her head after inhaling the smoke before she realized
it wasn't Leah.

   "What the hell are you doing?" Kelli asked, incredulous.

   Krissy didn't know what to say or do.  So she froze, staring blankly.  But
her lungs were full of smoke, and eventually she had to exhale.  Finally she
did, releasing a long stream of smoke through her pretty pursed lips.

   "Uh, smoking a cigarette," she said simply.  She nonchalantly pushed her
dark hair back from her angelic face.

   "I can see that," Kelli answered, still not believing her eyes.  "God, I
can't believe this," she went on.  "I'm ashamed of you.  Tell me, Krissy.
Does your mother know you smoke?"

   The jig was up.  Krissy decided honesty was the best policy under the
circumstances.  But she wasn't about to back down, despite Mrs. Martin's
challenge.

   "No," she admitted without a hint of apology.  "She doesn't."

   "My God, girl!  You're only thirteen!  Why on earth are you doing this?
And how long has this been going on?"

   Krissy shrugged and tapped some ashes into the ashtray.  "About three
weeks," she said.  "I don't think my mom would care, though.  She smokes,
too, you know."

   "Yes, I know," Kelli replied, still disbelieving.  "But damn it, Krissy,
you're only in middle school.  You can't smoke!  How did this ever get
started?"

   The youngster considered telling her that she and Leah smoked together.
But she decided not to.  After all, she didn't want to draw Leah into her
mess.  Leah never ratted on her, so she wasn't about to squeal to her mother.

   "I was just curious," she admitted honestly.  "I knew my mom likes to
smoke.  She loves it, in fact.  She smokes all the time.  I started
experimenting last month when we moved into this house.  I really like to
smoke, Mrs. Martin.  Please don't tell my mom just now.  I bet you were in my
shoes once.  Have a heart.  Don't tell.  I really like it.  I do it all the
time during the day now.  And I'm not going to quit, either.  But have some
mercy.  I'll tell my mom sometime.  I promise.  But please don't do it for
me."

   The girl's plea hit a soft spot.  Kelli _was_ in the same situation twenty
years earlier when she was a teenager.  She was not much older than Krissy.
She was sixteen when her mother's sister saw her at a restaurant with some
friends.  That night Kelli had a cigarette in her hand.  Her parents didn't
know she was smoking.  Aunt Veronica came over, and Kelli begged her not to
tell her folks.  Luckily Aunt Veronica was a smoker, too, unlike Kelli's mom.
She appealed to Veronica's sympathy and sense of compassion for a fellow
smoker.  Veronica was merciful that night and never said a thing to her mom.
In fact, she sat down with Kelli and her friends and smoked a couple
cigarettes with them.  They talked and laughed as they smoked together.
Kelli never forgot her aunt's kindness.  Now the shoe was on the other foot,
so to speak.

   "Well, okay," she muttered reluctantly with a wry smile.  "But suppose I
don't tell on you this time.  Will you promise to give up smoking until
you're older?"

   Krissy shook her head defiantly.  She sensed she now the upper hand.  She
wasn't about to compromise.  "Nope," she succinctly replied.  "I told you.  I
like to smoke.  I can't promise you anything, Mrs. Martin."  With great
aplomb, she raised her cigarette to her lips and took another long drag.  She
wanted to demonstrate that she'd become a confirmed smoker.  "It's more
honest to say I _love_ to smoke," she went on, releasing bursts of smoke
while speaking.  "You smoke, Mrs. Martin.  Mom and Leah told me.  I'm sure
you realize no true smoker ever _wants_ to quit.  That's what Mom says.  She
says she'll never quit.  Why should I be any different?"

   Kelli Martin sat down, dumbstruck.  The girl had a point.  Even if she
told Linda, she guessed Linda probably wouldn't make a big deal out of it.
After all, Linda was the one who told her she shouldn't worry if Leah wanted
to smoke.  She softly smiled at Krissy.  "Maybe you're right.  Maybe you
shouldn't be any different than your mom," she said candidly.  "All things
considered, you're probably right that eventually you'd start smoking anyway.
I mean, your mom smokes.  It's only natural you'd be curious."  She shook her
head and smiled.  "God, you already have the look of an expert smoker,
Krissy.  I guess what I'm saying is, I _do_ understand where you're coming
from.  And you're right about another thing.  I was a teenage smoker once,
too.  I know how it is to want to smoke so bad that you can't stand it.  In
fact, I still love to smoke."

   It was Krissy's turn to grin.  She'd won and she knew it.  "Gee, thanks,
Mrs. Martin.  Leah's a lucky girl.  You're the greatest."  She tapped some
more ashes in the ashtray and decided to go for broke.  "Would you like to
have a cigarette with me right now?  It's really lonely always smoking
alone."

   Kelli was amazed at the girl's audacity.  She was brave beyond her years.
But the truth was, she was right.  Kelli _did_ want a cigarette at that
moment.  The thought of joining the fledging female smoker seemed strangely
inviting.

   She smiled.  "Okay," she said quietly.  "I should probably have my head
examined, but I'd like to join you.  I know what you mean.  I like smoking
with friends of mine who smoke, like your mom, for instance."  She reached
inside the pocket of her windbreaker and got out her pack of Merit Menthol
100's.

   "Great," the little girl giggled with delight.  "This'll be fun."

   Indeed it was, for both of them.  Kelli lit up and had a cigarette with
Krissy.  As she watched the youngster smoke, she realized she'd copied her
mother's mannerisms.  It was like smoking with a miniature Linda.  Not unlike
her mom, Krissy was a talker, and unusually mature.  One thing led to
another.  Before long Kelli reached for a second cigarette.  Taking the cue,
Krissy smoked another one, too.  Kelli told her the story of her Aunt
Veronica.  "So you see," she concluded.  "Sometimes adults _can_ be cool when
it comes to letting kids make up their own minds about things like smoking.
But you should tell your mom about your decision.  Based on what she's told
me, even though you're a little young, I'll be surprised if she doesn't
understand your desire to smoke."

   "Yeah, I know," Krissy agreed.  "I'm sure eventually Mom will be okay with
it.  But I want to make sure I'm a real smoker before I tell her.  I want to
be able to tell her there's no way I'll change my mind.  I want her to know
I've become just like her, that I'll never quit smoking.  She doesn't want to
quit, and neither do I."

   Kelli shook her head and grinned.  "You're a real young lady, Krissy
Evans.  No wonder Leah likes you so much.  You're quite mature for thirteen."

   "Thanks," blushed the youngster.  "I really like Leah, too."

   "I suppose Leah doesn't know about your little habit," she went on.  "I
hope she won't be upset when she finds out."

   "I think she'll be pretty cool with it," she said graciously.  "Her
boyfriend Richie smokes.  So do some of her friends.  I think Leah's pretty
open-minded when it comes to smoking."

   "I guess so," Kelli nodded.  She _had_ noticed Leah no longer complained
about second-hand smoke in the house.  She crushed out her second cigarette
in the ashtray.  "I should go.  I have to admit it was fun smoking with you.
A little weird, but nice.  My advice, though, is to be more careful in the
future, young lady.  Think about it.  What would you have done if someone
else, someone less sympathetic, entered your house and found you smoking in
here?"

   "You're right, Mrs. Martin," Krissy grinned.  "I'll be more careful.
Thanks for the tip."

   Before leaving Kelli explained why she came over.  She told Krissy they
wanted them over for dinner next Sunday night.  She flashed a devious smile
as her little friend finished her second cigarette.  "You're already quite a
smoker, Krissy Evans!  Gosh, it must be tough on you on weekends.  I mean,
you can't smoke when your mom's around, can you?  I know how hard that is.
Maybe when you come over Sunday night we can work something out.  I could
arrange for you to steal a few puffs from my cigarettes on the sly.  Would
you like that?"

   "Oh, God, would I ever," Krissy exclaimed.  She impulsively gave Mrs.
Martin a hug as they moved toward the front door.  "You are the best," she
repeated.  "I really appreciate you.  You're just like your Aunt Veronica.
Thanks!"

   "You're welcome, Krissy," Kelli smiled.  Her eyes teared up.  It was a
high complement indeed.  "You're very welcome."

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