Abril Moya, as she loved to do, was smoking a Chouaib cigar. The brand her father had introduced to her after he had died when he had suggested in a letter that she should smoke. She had loved it, and recently, she had made a friend, Marisol Lazano, whom she shared the habit with.
Marisol Lazano had been Marisol Fontane and was a newlywed who was looking to rent one of Abril’s apartments. However, after talking to Abril, Marisol and her husband, Peyton, had found little issues between the pair of them and their marriage quickly fell apart.
Abril felt no guilt over this however, she had gained a friend in Marisol, and if Peyton was actually worth keeping around, then he would not have driven his wife off.
Abril finished off her cigar, put it out in an ashtray that was about half full and stretched before getting back to work. She was going to need to go over some papers the city had sent her about some new stadium that could change some zoning areas in the city. She didn’t think it would impact her area, a poorer section of town, but she still wanted to read it.
After looking for it for a moment she realized she had misplaced the letter. She cursed to herself and pounded her desk. She then had to shake her hand, which now hurt and looked around the office. She had two filing cabinets full of information, and while she knew she could eventually find anything she needed, it would take a bit of time.
“I need a secretary…” she muttered to herself and sat back down. While trying to remember where she had put that letter from the city, she decided she didn’t want to waste the time, and was feeling annoyed so she opened the top drawer of her desk and pulled out a cigar. She had only just completed her last one, but she felt like she wanted another already. While pulling it out something caught her hand.
She looked inside the drawer and moved aside a few cigars (there were less than 20 left in the drawer) and found a letter addressed to her in the same handwriting as the one her father had written her before he died. She pulled it out, lit a cigar, and opened the letter ready to read what this one said.
Four Weeks Later
Abril Moya’s office was a nice building in a nice part of town that Abril could get to in under ten minutes from her house with her Mercedes. She would park her car in a garage connected to the office and go in every day. She had not known about the garage when she had arrived right after her father died, it was only when she decided to stay that she discovered it.
She had already arrived this day and was well into her work. She was currently in talks with a duplex owner who was looking to sell when a woman, a nun in fact, walked into her office.
“I’m going to have to call you back Mr. Sam, I’m sorry.” Abril said to the other person on the phone and ended her call. She looked at the nun and took her in. It was hard to tell in her habit, but Abril could feel that she was a hot, young woman, one that Abril wanted to get to know a little better.
“May I help you?” Abril asked, a little hint of nervousness in her voice, suddenly realizing this might be an insane woman.
“Hello”, the woman began, “I am Sister Tiziana, and I am here to try to help out a fellow member of the church I am a part of.”
Abril nodded, feeling a little less worried, and tried to think about what to do in this situation. Her eyes darted around the room and settled on a mantle that was on top of a decorative fireplace in the office. Abril grinned and stood up. She walked over and shook the nun’s hand.
“Hello sister, I am Abril Moya. I would guess that you have heard of me, by your entrance.”
“Honestly, no”, Tiziana told Abril, which took Abril a bit by surprise, she was certain that her reputation would proceed her In this case. “I am not here for any slight you have done to my friend. Instead, I am here for something that is going to happen to her in the future.”
Abril was confused but allowed the nun to continue.
“My friend, Karin, is going through a bit of a rough patch and she is worried that she will not be able to pay rent next month.” Tiziana stopped and thought for a moment before continuing. “Being that next month is December, she is horrified that she will freeze to death if she does not have a place to call home. So, I am asking you to allow her to have a month rent-free. I will vouch for her character, that she is good on paying you back.”
Abril was annoyed, annoyed that one of her tenants was trying to get out of paying rent and going to a religious figure to do it. Abril turned her head away from Tiziana and sighed. She then calmed down and asked for Karin’s last name so she could look up her information.
“Her last name is Weston, ” Tiziana answered.
Abril nodded, then walked over to her pair of filing cabinets. With the last name Weston she was certain that the information would be near the bottom of the filing cabinet on her right, so she pulled bottom drawer of it and looked.
“Weston, Weston”, she muttered to herself, before realizing that the drawer she was looking in was for land deeds.
“I really need a secretary.” She muttered softer to herself, then went back to the cabinet on her left and found the file on Karin Weston that she had.
She read through the file and found everything was in order. Karin had never missed a payment, she had never called in an issue, she had never complained to the city, there was nothing here that made her seem like a bad tenant at all.
Abril closed the folder, put it back in the cabinet and sighed. She looked over at Tiziana.
“Karin has been a wonderful tenant, I have never had any issues with her.” Abril began, causing a smile to form on Tiziana’s face. “However, I can’t do it. If I allow one of my tenants to live rent-free for a month, more tenants might find out and ask me to do the same, soon I will just be giving out free room and board without getting anything in return.”
“I do not see what is wrong with that.” Tiziana answered.
That answer really angered Abril, she looked over at Tiziana and looked her over once more. She was hot, that was not to be denied, but her attitude, it could use adjusting. Abril’s eyes once again went to the mantle, and she smiled.
“Sister Tiziana, do you smoke?” Abril asked the nun.
Tiziana was shocked at this brazen question, she choked on some air and looked shocked at Abril. “No!” she screamed at Abril, anger in her voice.
“Oh”, Abril answered back, calm. “Well,” Abril said, walking back to her chair, “can you hand me the cigar on top of the mantle over there” Abril said as she pointed to the mantle. “Please”.
Tiziana was angry at Abril even considering that she smoked, but she was a nice woman, so she grabbed the cigar off the mantle. She felt a shock as soon as she did though, almost making her drop the cigar. She then started to approach Abril who had gone to sit at the chair behind her desk.
Tiziana was about to hand Abril the cigar when Abril started to speak to her again. “You know sister, that cigar looks good in your hands.” Abril said to Tiziana.
Tiziana looked down at the cigar, just a brown cylinder in her hands and was confused by how it could look good in anyone’s hands.
“No one looks good smoking.” Tiziana answered, dismissing Abril.
“That’s not true at all”, Abril said back, then pointed towards a body length mirror in the office. “If you don’t believe me, look at yourself right now.” Abril continued to point at the mirror. “I promise, you look hot.”
In spite of feeling like she should not do it, Tiziana did take a look at herself in the mirror. She was the prototypical nun in her black and white habit, with a rosary hanging from her neck and the Italian blood that ran through her veins supplying her with a beautiful face and hot body.
She was shocked that she had thought of her face and body in such a vain way and looked away, her eyes barely catching the cigar in her hand, that made her look, she paused to think of the word, mature.
Abril put the cigar down on the desk, wanting to get it out of her hands. She turned around to sit in the chair on the other side of the desk from Abril. While doing so she heard a lighter click and suddenly smelled a stinky smell enter the room.
She turned around but did not notice that Abril had left the cigar Tiziana had brought over on the desk; Abril had grabbed a different cigar from her desk and removed the plastic around it before lighting it.
Tiziana coughed, which Abril ignored. Tiziana was about to ask if she could leave but, Abril started to talk again. “Tell me more about Karin then, maybe you can convince me to change my mind.”
“I have known Karin since we were both young.” Tiziana started to explain. “She had a hard life, her mother died when she was very young, and she did not, let us say, get along well with her father. When she turned eighteen she moved out and went to college where she lived in dorms for 3 years. The apartment she is renting from you, this is the first place she has lived where she doesn’t have a parent or a school safety net to help her, and I really want her to succeed.” Tiziana had told Abril more than she had meant to but was hopeful that it would help her friend keep a roof over her head next month.
Abril took a puff of her cigar, then blew it up towards the ceiling. She then looked at Tiziana and pondered what next to say. Almost everything Tiziana had said was in the file Abril had on Karin, being a student, first time renter, not having a parent as a contact, Abril was not stupid, she could figure things out.
“You know, I didn’t really get along well with my father either, and my mother, she left us when I was only ten. It was hard on me too, but guess what. That made me stronger, that made the fact that I made up with my father after he died even better.”
“After?” Tiziana asked, but Abril ignored.
“It is the type of thing that makes people strong. Let me ask you something sister”, Abril paused and took a puff of her cigar, then blew it lightly towards Tiziana. “How was your life growing up?”
Tiziana found herself answering, much to her surprise. “I had a good childhood, my parents, unlike Karin’s or yours, stayed together. We would go to church every Sunday and lived happily. The only real issue is as my older brother grew older, he became disenchanted with the church, but we still see him on his birthday, or Christmas, or Thanksgiving.” She spilled all that out and did not really understand why. Before she could consider how strange that was Abril started to talk again.
“That is what I mean sister, I had a rough childhood and now I own a small real estate empire. Karin, she is going to college, trying to better herself. Meanwhile you,” Abril paused and took a puff of her cigar. “You had an easy life, without having the worries of me or Karin. I am surprised Karin even considers you a friend, you seem to be the type to poke their nose in someone else’s business.”
Abril took one more puff of the cigar then put it in her ashtray before standing up. She walked around her desk and looked down at Tiziana, sitting down in the chair. “You grew up with a family that loved you, one that loved you no matter what. I mean what type of family has an atheist and a nun in it? It makes me sick in a way.”
Tiziana was about to say something, but before she could Abril took the cigar that she had left on the desk and handed it to Tiziana, which Tiziana grabbed because what else would she do. Tiziana felt another shock as the cigar was passed to her and looked up at Abril who was smiling.
“You know sister, your life was easy. You grew up without fear of a father, something that me, or it seems Karin had to deal with. You had a perfect life and it made you weak. Weak enough that people like me could take advantage of you.” Abril said, the conversation turning more sinister. “People like me, I learned that I didn’t need a mother or father growing up, I didn’t need a church as my support; I supported myself. I’m going to let you in on a secret Tiziana,” Abril paused and leaned into Tiziana’s personal space, “you don’t need them either.”
Tiziana shuddered and pushed Abril slightly away, she put the cigar she had been handed down back on the desk and looked up at Abril, who was smiling again.
Tiziana was about to argue with her, but a small voice in the back of her head started to nag at her. “What if she is right?” Her inner voice asked Tiziana.
“Don’t even get me started on church too.” Abril said, staring at Tiziana. “I mean, tons of people do well without ever going to church, Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison, Immanuel Kant, and me are all atheists and we all did outstanding for ourselves.” Abril kept the smile on her face and continues.
“Even if you stay religious, who is to say a church is even a good thing? How many wars were started because of religious differences? How many evil men hid behind religion to try to make a point? Hell, England’s main religion was founded because the king couldn’t help but fuck every woman within his reach.” Tiziana gasped when Abril said that, but Abril continued on.
“What has your church ever done that is so great? Did they hold a bake sale for the homeless? Ask for ten percent of the congregation’s money so they can help the community? They do nothing, and I can prove it.” Abril stared deep into Tiziana’s eyes and made her last point. “If the church was so great, you wouldn’t need to come to me to help Karin, the church could help her itself.”
While Tiziana was cowering from Abril’s point and trying to find issues with it, Abril’s face took on a softer tone. “Once again, may I just say, you would look hot smoking a cigar.” Tiziana heard what Abril had said but did not pay attention, instead letting it sink into her psyche. She was at a lost for words, having her being attacked and not being able to fight back. It made her feel weak and helpless.
Tiziana’s eyes left Abril’s gaze and settled on the cigar on the table, her hand started to motion towards it, making Abril thrilled, but Tiziana was able to stop her hand and started to stand up. She needed to leave.
Right as she was starting to stand Abril suddenly shouted. “Wait”, she ordered Tiziana, who stopped. Abril put her hand up and repeated herself, “wait,” she ordered again, this time not as loud.
Abril walked back behind the desk and grabbed the cigar she had left in the ashtray and took a puff. She then blew it in the direction of Tiziana who just stayed there, unable to move. Abril sat back down and looked over Tiziana again, admiring the woman.
“You seem to take orders quite well Tiziana”, she said, looking her over. “You can sit back down now.” She told Tiziana, who decided to sit back down. “I imagine it comes from being such a weak woman.” Abril paused and thought for a moment and smiled. “Well, maybe you are not that weak, you did have the cajones to come and ask me directly. On second thought, you are not weak, you just understand that I am your better.” Abril smiled and looked away, remembering her father’s letter, how she was promised that there were people lesser than her, and here was one in front of her right now. “You just understand that as my lesser you should listen to me, it is okay.”
Abril took another small puff and blew it in the direction of Tiziana who did not have the ability even to cough right now. “There is one way for you to become a better person, stop being one of the lessers and being one of the betters. Leave the church and come work for me.” Abril laughed after giving this order and stared at Tiziana who didn’t really give away what she was thinking on her face. Abril was annoyed by this and gave another order.
“Take the cigar, I can promise you will look hot smoking it.” Abril ordered. This time Tiziana’s hand reached out and grabbed the cigar, her hand feeling a small shock.
Four Weeks Ago
Abril decided to open the letter that her father had left her and looked inside. She put her cigar up to her mouth and started to read.
Dear Abril,
Oh good, you are reading this letter. I have to admit I was a little worried you would not ever see it. If you are reading this, and you are in my office, then I know my plan has worked. If you are not in the office and were given this by someone else, well can I ask you to dispose of this letter and not give it to the authorities, as one last unearned favor to your father?
Since you are still reading, this time I will assume my plan worked. If I am right, I welcome you to being one of the betters. However long it has taken to get to this letter must feel like the best time of your life so far, and I can promise you, it will just keep getting better.
Now, for the reason of this letter. I have a confession to make, I was not entirely honest with you. You see the brand of cigars I smoke, Chouaib, well they have a secret. There is a normal Chouaib which is the most wonderful cigar I, and by extension you, will ever have. It tastes wonderful, and I am glad to know that you have taken up my habit. It makes me feel proud.
There is a second type of Chouaib however, one that is a little more, hypnotic. This is known as Chouaib-X and they are a secret that must be kept that way. Chouaib-X makes the person holding it, or smoking it, more susceptible to suggestions, so if you were smoking one and I told you to jump off a bridge, you would not do it, well not at first. If I told you bridges are nice, that jumping is fun, then tell you that jumping off a bridge was fun, you may do it.
My previous letter was written with the assumption that you would check the drawer of my desk and see what was in there and really look in it…
I just realized you might have found this letter while doing that, god I hope you didn’t.
Anyway, hopefully I am talking to a later version of you who played with the Chouaib-X while reading my initial letter. In the letter I explained my worldview to you and if you were as malleable as I have found people to be after playing around with the cigar, you were convinced it was the right way to do things.
Abril looked up from the letter and took the cigar she had been smoking out of her mouth. She wanted to throw it on the ground and crush it, but she could not find the push to do it. The letter was right, Abril did agree with the way her father thought now, and because of that, she really could not find the ability to hate him for what he had done. If Abril was faced with the same situation today, she was certain she would do what he did.
Abril took another puff of the cigar, blew out the smoke, then brought it back to her mouth and continued the letter.
I imagine since you are reading this the supply of cigars I left you is starting to run low. Well, worry not because I have the information you need to get more. On the back of this letter are two links, the top link will take
you to Chouaib’s public site, on there you will be able to order as many Chouaibs as you want. I have to admit, a part of me is sad I never got to see you smoke though, I imagine you look like a mature, sexy woman, just like your mother did once.
The second link is to be kept from everyone, it is a link to Chouaib’s secret online shop, the only place you can get Chouaib-X cigars. I do have to warn you though, while Chouaib cigars are expensive cigars, Chouaib-X are even more so, one goes for about eight hundred dollars.
I don’t know what you will do with this information, but I have no doubt you will make me proud.
With love, Daddy
P.S. I forgot to mention, a Chouaib-X will only work on someone once, after that the body builds some sort of defense mechanism against it. The website will have all the information you will need.
P.P.S. Smoke another one for me.
Abril flipped over the letter and found the two links that were promised to be there. She put the letter down and looked at the cigar in her hand.
Suddenly, she was hit with a feeling in her stomach, she didn’t know which type of cigar she had given Marisol when she had offered one to her. She didn’t know what type of cigar she had given her any of the times she had offered her one. Was that why she left her husband, because of a cigar Abril had given her? It made her worry.
Slowly, that worry went away though. If anything, Abril had said was not true, then Peyton could have fought and brought his wife back, hell, there was no guarantee that the cigar that Abril had given Marisol was a Chouaib-X, it was just going to have to stay a mystery.
Abril took one last look at the cigar in her hand, then the letter on the table and made a decision. She was going to have to buy more cigars.
Four Weeks Later
Slowly the cigar made its way towards Tiziana’s mouth, the whole time all Tiziana could do was stare at it, like her soul was not in her body. She wondered if Abril was right, that she would look hot with it in her mouth, the smoke pouring off the cigar, coming out of her mouth, and slowly it came to her mouth, and she bit down on it.
Abril walked back around the desk and took out a silver lighter, her favorite one, and lit it, bringing it to the cigar in Tiziana’s mouth. The flame took on the cigar and slowly Tiziana’s mouth filled with smoke. She took the cigar out of her mouth and coughed. She looked up at Abril, hoping for some sort of direction on how to feel.
Abril pointed towards the mirror from earlier and offered Tiziana a hand to help her up. Tiziana took the hand and then walked towards the mirror. She looked at herself and had to admit, Abril was right, she did look hot. The use of the word hot in her mind did not bother Tiziana at all.
Behind her Abril looked at the reflection with her and started to make suggestions. “While a nun smoking a cigar is hot in a good girl gone bad type of way, I can’t say it does you justice Tiziana.” Tiziana upon hearing this decided to take off her hat and put it down, allowing her hair to come into view. The blonde hair was a sight
Abril had not expected to see but loved. “Oh, your hair is lovely.” Abril mentioned, which caused Tiziana to giggle.
“You know what would make you more lovely though?” Abril asked, and Tiziana shook her head no, because she did not know. “Better clothes”.
Tiziana looked sad for a moment. “I really don’t have any other clothes; I just have a few habits. Tiziana then took a puff of the cigar and coughed again, not sure what to do.
“Its okay,” Abril answered back. “I can get you all the clothes you could want, but…” she stopped.
“But?” Tiziana asked back, wondering what she would need to do for nice clothes to make herself look hot.
“I need a secretary. My workload is too much, I could really use a lackey, I mean assistant.” She said, leaving it up to Tiziana.
Tiziana suddenly came up with a wonderful idea, “I could be your assistant.”
“Hmm, are you sure Tiziana?” Abril asked. “Do you really want to be a blonde haired, stooge, who will do whatever I say, just for some clothes and for me to make sure you are hot?”
“Yes, I really want that”, Tiziana answered back, her original reason for being at Abril’s office long since forgotten.
“Well, I guess I can do it.” Abril answered back before smiling.
“Thank you.” Tiziana cried out, then hugged Abril, which caused Abril to smile a bit more than she wanted to let on.
“Thank you what?” Abril asked back, trying to make sure Tiziana understood what type of relationship they had.
“Thank you ma’am.” Tiziana answered back.
Abril shook her head no, “Think stronger than ma’am.”
Tiziana thought and came up with something, “Thank you Donna.”
“I like that, welcome aboard Tiziana.” Abril answered then stuck her hand out. Tiziana went to shake it, but Abril pulled it away.
“No Tiziana, kiss it.” Abril ordered.
Tiziana had no issue with this and kissed her Donna’s hand. Abril smiled then went back and sat at her seat behind the desk.
“Before we go out,” Abril showed Tiziana her still burning cigar, “we should finish these.”
The pair then sat and smoked their cigars.