Paul arrived at the bus station early and sat patiently waiting for Emma to
arrive. When her bus pulled in, he stood to greet her and was stunned to
see how radiant she looked. She wore a skimpy white top and black jacket,
with tight black pants and carrying a little bag. she came over, giving
Paul a kiss on the cheek before opening her bag and pulling out an unopened
packet of Marlboro.
“Had a good day?” Paul asked,
“Not to bad,” she replied, unwrapping the cellophane from her packet,
“pretty busy in the shop though, I’m worn out. The packet unwrapped, she
opened it, pulled out the foil and then a cigarette which she placed in the
centre of her mouth before flicking the lighter and lighting up. As she put
her fastened up her bag, she pulled on the cigarette and exhaled a large
cloud of smoke, before pulling again; this time exhaling a tight stream of
smoke as she looked won at the ground. “So what do you fancy?” Paul asked,
“What about the pictures?” Emma answered, “the new Bond movie opened
yesterday.”
“Yeah, sounds OK….lead the way.”
Emma smiled at Paul, taking his hand in hers while she dangled the
cigarette in the other. As they walked, they talked about themselves, Paul
telling Emma about their move and his dads new job. Emma listened, puffing
happily on her Marlboro as she did, taking care to blow the smoke away from
Paul following her shallow inhales, before telling Paul about her life.
“your family sounds a lot more exciting than mine!” Emma commented, smoke
bellowing from her mouth as she spoke, “my dad left us a couple of years
ago, just before my sister was born, so it’s been a difficult time for
us…especially mum. She was only sixteen when she had me, so to bring
another baby up on her own now is a struggle….but we manage.” They
continued the conversation as they walked up to the cinema where Emma
finished off the cigarette as Paul went to purchase the tickets.
The rest of the evening was pleasant; following the movie, which they both
enjoyed, they walked across the road to McDonalds where Paul treated Emma
to a burger and chips, washed down by Diet Coke and a Marlboro. Finally,
they jumped in a taxi together, driving first to Emmas where they stopped
outside where Emma turned to Paul,
“Thanks Paul, I really enjoyed tonight,”
“Yeah,” Paul replied, “fancy doing it again soon?”
“Sure….what are you doing tomorrow?”
Over the next month, the two saw an awful lot of each other as the romance
blossomed and Paul settled in nicely at his new school. The time soon came
for Emma to meet Pauls family; she was extremely nervous as she walked up
the path to the door, which was opened by Paul before she had to knock.
Dinner was served almost immediately and everybody seemed to get on well.
After the meal as they retired to the lounge in the big house, the phone
rang. Shortly after, Pauls dad entered the room, “Sorry honey,” he
apologised to his wife, “I have to go, there’s been a serious road
accident, they need everybody in…sorry Emma, hope you’ll come again
soon.”
“Oh, how awful,” his wife answered, “you take care of yourself,”
“See you later Mr Farnham,” Emma shouted as picked up the car keys and left
the house. As the door closed, Tracy, Pauls mum, picked up her packet of
cigarettes of her chair arm and lit up, relaxing back in her chair as she
took a long, deep inhale of the thick smoke. Julie then stood and walked
over, taking one of the cigs for herself; since she had turned sixteen
recently, her mum allowed her to smoke when her dad wasn’t in, knowing he
would disapprove of his young daughter choosing to damage and pollute her
lungs, as her mum did, rather than take a moer sporting lifestyle.
“You smoke don’t you Emma? Julie asked,
“Er, mmm, yes….sometimes” Emma answered sheepishly,
“Want a cig?” Julie offered her,
“Yeah, thanks” she answered, feeling uneasy at this,
“Don’t worry,” Julie assured her, handing her a Marlboro and lighter, “mum
doesn’t mind, you are sixteen aren’t you?”
“Yeah” Emma answered, lighting up the cig, and taking her usualy shallow
drag.
“Does your mum know you smoke?” Tracy asked Emma,
“Yeah, she knew when I was 14, but didn’t really bother….she smokes
heavily herself so……but I didn’t really smoke in front of her until I
was 16”. Julie and Tracy listened intently, while Paul appeared bored by
the conversation.
“Yeah,” Tracy continued, “I knew Julie was smoking when she was about 14,
but I let it go. Both my parent smoked, and I started when I was 10…and
up to a pack a day when I was 12…so I’m hardly a good role model am I!”
Paul stared at the television, beginning to get irritated as the room began
to cloud over with the smoke from the three ladies as they puffed happily
on their Marlboro. Emma was beginning to feel more relaxed as she smoked
with the others, noticing how deep the mother and daughter inhaled.
“My mum was the same,” Emma continued, “she was up to a pack a day by the
time she turned 8!…….now, she rarely smokes less than 60 a day. She
says she was on 40 a day when she was pregnant with me!”
“Yeah, I smoked when I was pregnant with Julie,” Tracy nodded, “much to
Brians annoyance, he didn’t half give me grief…I only smoked a few each
day though, for the sake of argument.”
The women finished off their cigarettes as they continued the conversation,
a layer of smoke floating around the room from the three cigarettes.And so
the evening continued; the women continued to smoke with the conversation
while Pauls boredom increased.
“You study sciences don’t you?” Julie asked Emma, throwing her another
cigarette,
“Yeah,” she answered before pausing to light up, “biology, chemistry,
physics,”
“Same as me…we must have the same work!” Julie exclaimed as she exhaled
the smoke from her nostrils, “we’ll have to get together sometime, do the
work together!”
“No problem, I’d like that.” Emma replied, happy tht was getting on well
with Julie.
“Good, we’ll sort something out soon.”
The night continued in the same way until Emma announced that it was time
for her to go home. Paul volunteered to ring for a taxi, before Tracy,
who’d had only a glass of wine, offered to drive her home. Emma kissed the
quiet Paul goodnight, sensing his displeasure at the way the night had
gone. Tracy climbed behind the wheel of the Land Rover Discovery,
immediately lighting up two Benson & Hedges, and handing one to Emma who
was now comfortable in the presence of Pauls family. The two ladies smoked
as they drove home, the rain outside preventing them from opening the
windows with the result that the car began to fill with the damaging smoke.
Emma began to fell uncomfortable with it, such was its density, but she
noticed that Tracy was unnaffected by it.
Emma thanked Tracy as she was dropped off at her door and walked up the
path fumbling for her keys, as her boyfriends mum drove off.
Emma began to visit the Farnham house more often, her friendship with Julie
becoming more involved that that with Paul, who seemed to disaprove of the
girls friendship. After she had been to the house a few times, Emma invited
Julie round to her own house for a revision session, an offer which Julie
accepted with pleasure……………..