Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Smoky Cinderella



   Cindy knelt on the floor and scrubbed the tiles with a big brush.  Now
and then she dipped the brush into the bucket with water and vinegar. 
"Mommy", fuck her, never bought a good detergent.  Although in Cindy's
opinion vinegar wasn't really cheaper than Mr.  Proper, Mommy insisted on
Cindy using only "natural" stuff in the household.  Of course, in their
bathroom they would use air freshener to cover the smell of vinegar,
ammonia or alcohol.  But poor Cindy had to breathe it all in while working.
Her own cubicle in the attic would have pertained the pungent smell, but at
least her single remaining pleasure took care of that.  As often as her
manifold duties would allow, she would sneak up and have a smoke.  It
wasn't half the fun it had been while her true mother had still been alive,
but it gave her the little comfort she craved for.  Till she would be of
age there was no escape from the prison that had once been a cozy home
filled with love.  She hadn't blamed her father for remarrying and she too,
like him, had been deceived by "Mum's" gentle manners.  While Cindy hadn't
expected to receive the love her true mother had given her, she couldn't
have imagined in what hell she would land.  Even now she didn't really
blame her father.  She was old enough to understand that "Mommy" "led him
by his dick".  She had enslaved Father and still fucked his brains out now
and then.  No wonder he didn't even realize how the three of them, Mommy
and her two adult daughters, Sally and Ollie, deceived him and made him
believe Cindy did all the work of her own free will.

   With determination she threw the brush into the bucket and stood up. 
Her back was killing her and her knees weren't any better.  The one thing
she needed now was a smoke.  To hell with Mommy!  She would complain
anyway. At least one of her duties was to clean up the ashtrays.  Her true
mum had smoked too, but as long as the weather allowed, only outside.  When
it was too cold, she would smoke only in the kitchen near the open window.
"Mommy" and the two bitches smoked wherever it pleased them, burdening
Cindy with the task to remove the butts and clean up the ashes they dropped
on the floor.  This was in a way lucky.  She didn't have to beg for
cigarettes, as she had tried in vain at the beginning.  She could "recycle"
what she found in the ashtrays.  The two bitches often stubbed out
half-smoked cigarettes, so Cindy recover enough tobacco to roll her own
cigarettes.  It was a bit hard to get the papers, but she had found a nice
guy in a tobacco shop on her way to school who had no objection to sell
roll-your-own papers to a minor.  As they contained no tobacco, there he
saw illegal in it.

   At first she hadn't like the rather strong and sharp taste of her
unfiltered cigarettes.  Her mum had bought Rothmans for Cindy, the brand
she had smoked herself.  Cindy had loved the spicy scent of them.  But now
she had no choice.  In fact after a while she had begun to like them. 
After all the buzz they gave her was much stronger and that was exactly
what she needed to relax after hours of hard labor.

   Like always the ashtrays were full.  Cindy had to empty them several
times a day, but the bitches could fill them up again in no time with their
half-smoked cigarettes.  Good for me, Cindy thought.  She could roll at
least twenty cigarettes each day and even save some tobacco for rough
times. With the stubs rolled up in a tissue, she mounted the stairs to the
attic.  In her "room" she could hardly stand straight, but at least she had
her own bathroom, even though she had to get down on her knees while
showering and when she sat on the john, her chin almost touched her knees,
but it was about the only place in the house "Mommy" wouldn't stick her
nose in.  Here she was safe and free to dream of a better life.  With four
more years to go till she was of age and free to leave, only dreams and
cigarettes saved her from despair.

   With a sigh she inhaled the smoke, leaning against the sill of the small
window.  Another sigh accompanied the exhale.  A stream of thick, creamy
white smoke drifted away slowly into the darkness.  The first drag after an
hour or two of cravings was always the best.  She just loved the sting in
her throat.  One day she might be able to afford better cigarettes.  Once
she had bummed a cigarette from a schoolmate, but used to the much stronger
self-made ones, she hadn't really enjoyed it.  She would stick to
unfiltered ones, but she would buy her own pack and not roll them from
waste.  They would taste fresh and sweet and she would get a wonderful buzz
from them.  Maybe, when she would be free, she would try a cigar some time.
But for now these would have to do.  Another soul-deep inhale and she
hunched down near her bed to work on the stubs she had collected from the
ashtrays.

   With I fine knife she cut off the burnt part and the filter.  Then she
carefully sliced the paper open and emptied it into the can in which she
stored it.  The can had once held coffee and Cindy found that the coffee
scent of the can improved the taste of the cigarettes.  After all the stubs
had been freed of their tobacco content, Cindy wrapped the waste up in the
newspaper she had used to protect her bed.  In the morning she would bring
it down to the trash can together with all the waste her step sisters and
her stepmother managed to drop all over the house, confident that dirty
little Cindy, as they called her, would tidy it all up.  How she hated
them!

   Maybe one day she would get her chance, but as long as her father was
under the spell of "Mommy" there was little Cindy could do without also
hurting her father.  True, her stepmother was quite a look-on.  She had a
magnificent body and a beautiful face.  Hadn't it been for her absolutely
mean character, a thing everybody except Cindy's father saw at first
glance, Cindy would have been more than happy for her father.  Alas she
knew well that her father was far from being happy, but so strong was the
hold of "Mommy" on her father that Cindy had lost all hope her father would
ever wake up and throw the bunch out.  "Mommy" on the other hand was much
too eager to live on dad's money, of which he had plenty, to give up such a
comfortable life.

   All that remained to do now was to roll her supply of cigarettes for the
next day.  With expert fingers she wrapped the paper around the tobacco,
licked the paper and rolled it into a roughly cylindrical shape.  In the
beginning it had been quite difficult for Cindy to put the right amount of
tobacco on the paper.  Either she took too much tobacco and then the
fragile cylinder would burst open before the glue had time to dry, or it
wasn't enough.  Then the cigarette would taste mainly of burnt paper and
the tobacco would fall out one end and fill her mouth with morsels of
tobacco.  She sighed, exhaling a huge cloud of smoke.  It had been so funny
when her mother had taught her to smoke.

   It had been her twelfth birthday and as shortly before she had the realm
of womanhood with her first period, mum had decided she was old enough to
smoke.  While Cindy had always admired her mother's alluring smoking style,
she hadn't been eager to pick up the habit herself.  She had always been
afraid to try it on her own.  Her parents had discouraged her and while
other children always did the opposite of what their parents told them,
Cindy loved both mum and dad dearly and trusted them fully.  Her mother's
offer had come as quite a surprise.  With trembling fingers Cindy had taken
the long white cylinder with the cork tip and the golden band the seemed to
hold cork and paper together and placed it between her lips.  Her mother
had immediately corrected the way Cindy held the cigarette.  She told her
not to take in too much of the filter.  It would get wet and taste bad. 
Cindy did as her mother told her.  Her father offered her a light and Cindy
was surprised to see that her father's hand trembled too.  As Cindy had
watched her mother smoke all her life, she knew what to do, at least in
theory.  The smoke tasted bitter and tickled in her throat.  She tried to
hold it down longer, like her mother did, but she couldn't and exhaled
immediately.  The buzz she felt from the first drag made her sway on her
chair, but she didn't give up so easy.  She breathed in and out a couple of
times and tried again.  This time she could stop herself from blowing the
smoke out at once.  The buzz intensified.  Both mum and dad looked worried
and she must have looked like a Martian, her face all green from nausea,
but she managed somehow to finish off most of the cigarette without
throwing up on the table or falling out of her chair.  After a quarter of
an hour she felt much better, just a little light-headed.  She had done it!
In the evening she had asked her mum for another one.  Next day her mum
gave her a pack and a lighter and soon enough she needed a pack every day.
Her school-mates envied her for her elegant smoking style and for her
parents that supplied the cigarettes.

   A tear found its way down Cindy's cheek.  If her mother would still be
alive...  But she wasn't!  Nothing could bring her back.  If only she could
go to a disco sometimes.  But even if "Mommy" would allow her to go out,
she hadn't a single dress or at least a pair of jeans good enough for a
night in town.  She would look like bum in her worn-out battered and
stained clothes.  Four more years to go without any fun at all!  The bunch
of them where out again at a masked-ball given by one of her father's
customers, a billionaire with a son of just the right age.  "Mommy" of
course hoped she could interest the young "prince", as he was secretly
called, in one of the bitches.  Cindy could only hope the young man had a
better taste than that.  Not that the bitches were ugly, but the man who'd
marry one of them would really have a hard time.  Both were arrogant,
self-sufficient and last but not least ignorant and stupid.  Although Cindy
hardly had a minute for herself to make home-works or learn for school, she
had always been just a B or two short of an all A student.  At seventeen
she could have gone to the best colleges, had "Mommy" allowed it.

   Maybe, now that the bunch had gone to party, she could sneak out on the
back porch and smoke another cigarette.  The weather was just perfect and
she didn't really feel tired.  The cigarette tasted much better out there
than in the stuffy air of her cubicle.  For a while Cindy let her mind
drift away into a daydream, inhaling the slightly putrid but relaxing smoke
of her cigarette.  She almost burnt her fingers as the stub had burnt down
to a mere nothing when she heard someone approaching from the back end of
the garden.  It was getting dark and at first she couldn't see much, except
what seemed to be the faint glow of a cigarette.  Slowly the figure of a
woman outlined against the dark red of the evening sky.  Cindy was a bit
scared by the sudden appearance of a stranger from the depth of their
garden, but as the woman approached she sprang to her feet and ran to greet
her.

   'Oh my God, Aunt Carrie!' she exclaimed, laughing and crying at the same
time.  'We all thought you were dead!'

   'Well, unless you think what squeeze to death is a zombie, I'm very well
alive, thank you.' the woman answered in a rather dry tone but not without
warmth.

   She was in her forties, tall and well built and her face was still
pretty although a bit lined, most likely a consequence of lifelong hard
smoking.  To prove it, her hand held a slim and long cigarillo, which she
smoked like a cigarette, with long drags and deep inhales.

   'Let me look at you, kitten!  My God, I really need to have a word with
Frank.  Your clothes aren't even fit for a beggar!  Hasn't your mother, God
rest her, taught you a little self-respect?' Aunt Carrie, her late mother's
sister said.

   'I'm sorry auntie, but it's my stepmother who...' Cindy tried to defend
herself.

   'Don't tell me that bum Frank has remarried!  Can't a woman go on a
plane wreck for two years without finding everything in shambles around
here?' Aunt Carrie said in mock anger.  'Oh my poor child!  I wish I hadn't
taken that flight.  I might even have gotten Frank around.  After all he
had dated me for a while before your mother wanted him all for herself. 
But let bygones be bygones, as I always say.  It's too late now.  I
shouldn't have gone on that stupid package holiday.  You have to tell me
everything now.'

   Aunt Carrie sat on the steps of the porch and made Cindy sit close to
her.  She kept dragging hard on her cigarillo making Cindy wonder how it
tasted.  Soon Cindy was deep into the story of the last two years, of how
her stepmother had charmed her father into this unlucky marriage, how she
was humiliated and tormented every day and how she craved for a little fun.
When she told her what she had to smoke, Aunt Carrie almost exploded with
rage.  Then, with determination she told Cindy:

   'Look my little jewel, I can't take care of everything on the spot, but
there's something we can do right away.  I well get you to that ball, if
it's the last thing I'll do.  And I'll see you get some proper cigarettes
and clothes and all that.  Hurry up, my dear.  We'll run to my old house. I
think we'll find everything we need to turn you into a princess.  I have
the car on the back street, so come on, hurry up.'

   'But what if the dragon returns early?  She will kill me if she sees
I've been out.' Cindy replied, unsure whether to give in to Aunt Carrie's
bustle or do the sensible thing and stay home.

   'We will have to get you back home early then.  Now c'mon, don't be
square!  No risk no fun, dear.' Aunt Carrie replied taking her by the hand.

   Half an hour later Cindy couldn't believe her eyes.  She was standing in
front of the mirror in Aunt Carrie's bathroom, admiring herself.  If half
an hour ago someone had shown her a picture of how she looked now, she
wouldn't he recognized herself.  At least she could be pretty sure "Mommy"
and the bitches wouldn't recognize her either.  Whirling around her like a
swirl, Aunt Carrie had almost done it all at once.  She had taken care of
her hair, her face, her nails and had found a pair of jeans and a top that
made Cindy look like a model.  Cindy began to realize she wasn't actually
ugly like the bunch had constantly told her.  True, her nose wasn't very
small and her lips where quite big, but together with her blue eyes and her
dark blonde hair it all added up to a very distinctive face of an exotic
beauty.  Well, these were futile thoughts, Cindy said to herself.  She
would have to let men be the judge of that.  Cindy was practically still a
virgin.  Before her mother's sudden departure she had hardly had the time
for more than a bit of clumsy smooching with the boys from school.  And now
Mommy kept her so busy, she simply lacked the occasion to see someone. 
Then, with the constant criticism and disregard from "Mommy" and her bitchy
daughters, even Cindy had begun to believe herself to be unattractive.

   'Don't stare into the mirror like that, my kitten.  Let's get you to the
ball.  Hurry up.' her aunt interrupted her thoughts.

   'But how do we get in there?  We aren't invited.' Cindy asked her,
suddenly aware of this seemingly insurmountable obstacle.

   'Well well, my dear.  Your old aunt here still has her connections. 
Watch!' by saying this, Aunt Carrie took a brand new cell-phone out of her
purse and dialed a number.

   'Hello, is this the McGates estate?  Fine, get me Mr.  McGates on the
phone please.' she said into the receiver.  Then after a pause: 'What do
you mean who I am?  Just tell Mr.  McGates it's Carrie....  Carrie who? 
That, buster, is none of your business.  Just Carrie.  He'll know.'

   Suddenly Aunt Carrie broke into laughter.

   'Paul, You son of gun.  Still playing your old tricks.  I should have
known it was you. ...  What do you mean where I'm calling from? ...  No I'm
not a ghost.  You know what a spoil-sports I can be.  I refused to drown
and survived on an island. ...  Robinson?  Me?  Haha.  It was more the
other way round.  I was sort of a Friday to them.  Thank God they grow
tobacco on those islands. ...  Yeah, sure, good idea.  I've just dropped in
from the airport.  Mind if I bring my niece with me? ...  Great, we'll be
there pronto.'

   'You know Paul McGates?  The billionaire?' Cindy asked

   'Know him?  We shared our first cigarette when we were ten.  He wasn't
always a billionaire, you know.  Your mother knew him too, but not as well.
She's always been the sensible one.  Not as crazy as I was.  She didn't
even smoke till she met your father.' Aunt Carrie replied in her dry tone.
'Now let's get going.  We don't want to waste time.  After all I need to
buy you some cigarettes first.  You can't possibly smoke those home brewed
ones at the ball.  We have to get some style into your smoking.  You wanna
stick to nonfilters honey?'

   They had reached the car while Aunt Carrie kept talking and now they
sped towards the nearest mall on the way to the McGates estate.  Cindy gave
it a thought and then remembered how she had recently found a cigarette one
of the bitches had carelessly dropped under the couch.  She had taken it to
her room and smoked it.  Instead of tasting as good as in the old days,
when she would smoke her beloved brand of Rothmans, it had tasted rather
stale.  Reluctantly she had to rip of the filter to savor it.  Obviously
she had gotten used to the much stronger ones she made herself.  So she
decided to stick to unfiltered ones and told her aunt so.

   Her aunt came back from the tobacconist with a funny looking carton.  It
was all blue and almost cubic, not like the usual ones.  When she opened
it, she found the packs to be flat with each side of roughly three inches.
The brand name was written in white.  It said "Gitanes".

   'I've never seen cigarettes like these, auntie.' Cindy said, looking
inquisitively at her aunt.

   'They're French my dear.  Rather strong but quite exquisite.  You will
get some looks if you produce a pack of these.  Oh, and before I forget,
you will need this here too.  It's a holder.  It will keep the crumbs away
from your lips and it'll make you look even more glamorous, like in the old
movies.  I hope you'll get used to it.' her aunt said, while handing her a
five inch holder.  It was made of some dark tinted translucent material.

   `Wow!' Cindy exclaimed.  `Is this plastic?'

   `No my dear.  It's made of glass.  It's specially treated glass, almost
unbreakable even though it's very thin and light.  Somebody brought it from
Europe.'

   'I'll try it now.' Cindy said.  'I was dying for a smoke anyway.'

   She took a cigarette and after a bit of fumbling pushed it into the
holder.  After lighting it she smoked with ease and obvious pleasure.  She
savored the strong blend of the French cigarette and it turned out she had
a natural talent for holders.  Through the translucent glass she could see
the smoke each time she dragged on it.

   'Can I keep the holder afterwards?' she asked.

   Aunt Carrie burst into laughter.

   'Of course my dear.  It's for you.  It's been a present from a dear
friend of mine years ago.  Pity is, nowadays I prefer cigarillos and they
don't fit into it.  Just put it to good use.  I can hardly wait to see some
eyes pop out of their sockets tonight.'

   ***

   It took Aunt Carrie a bit of talking to make the security guy to get Mr.
McGates on the phone, but after a few words with his master, the guy would
have pushed the car all the way up to the house, had he been asked to. 
Obviously Aunt Carrie hadn't exaggerated her friendship with Paul McGates.
Cindy however asked her to leave her out of it all.  She wanted to stay out
of the limelight.  The last thing she wanted was to attract attention. 
True, she wore a mask like everybody else, but it was only a half-mask. 
Her stepmother might recognize her and then what?  So she sneaked out of
the car and tried to melt into the crowd.  With the corner of her eye she
saw her Aunt getting crushed into the bear hug of big Mr.  McGates and then
disappear in the house.

   For a while Cindy wondered around.  Luck seemed to flee her when one of
the bitches almost bumped into her.  But to Cindy's utter surprise the
bitch apologized, almost bowed in front of Cindy.  Not only didn't she
recognize her, but she seemed to take Cindy for an important personality.
Obviously the clothes her aunt had dressed her in were pretty expensive, of
a make no ordinary person could afford.  Amused, Cindy gracefully dismissed
the bitch careful not to raise her voice.  She might look different, but
her voice was still the same after all.

   As Cindy had been working in the household all day, she felt a little
tired and directed her steps to a bench between the brushes that seamed the
lawn now used as a party ground.  A cigarette would come just right now,
she thought.  She took the holder and the pack out of the little purse her
aunt had given her.  This time she had no difficulties to fit the cigarette
into the holder.  She was about to grope for her disposable in the purse,
when she heard a click and a flame ignited in the right distance for her to
light her cigarette.  With a happy sigh she exhaled the first drag and then
she looked up to see who had been the gentleman to offer her a light.

   It was getting a dark and Cindy couldn't really see much of the man's
face.  Besides, just like Cindy he wore a mask.  He was young, not much
older than Cindy, that much she could make out.  His voice turned out to be
more than just pleasant.  It sent shivers down her spine and she felt a
sting between her loins.  She needed a few deep drags from her cigarette to
regain her composure.

   'Hi, I'm Paul, Paul Junior actually, but I hate it when people call me
Junior.' He said extending a hand.

   Cindy took his hand, although she feared she'd give away her sudden
emotion by trembling or sweating.  Yet, the urge to feel his hand was
overwhelming.  Even her nipples poked hard against the thin fabric of her
top.

   'Cindy.  Pleased to meet you.' She managed to reply in a tiny whisper.

   'Mind if I join you?  It's good to be away from the noise for a while.'

   Without awaiting her approval, he sat on the bench beside her.

   'Yes, of course.  It was getting kind of lonely here anyway.' Cindy said
a little embarrassed, as she realized she had shown her interest too early.
Although her experience with the other half of mankind was limited, she
wasn't stupid.  If a girl would show her interest too early, the man would
think of her as an easy pray and thus loose his respect for her.

   'Not interested in a bit of fun?' Paul replied.

   'I've had a busy day, you know.'

   'Damn, I've told daddy a thousand times parties are best held on
Saturdays.  Some people here have to work for a living and on Tuesday night
they're pretty tired.' Paul said.

   Cindy's heart leaped.  So that's what Junior was about.  He was Paul
McGates Junior, son and only heir the McGates fortune.  Then a thought
crossed her mind and made her giggle.  The Bitches would have killed for an
opportunity to spend five minutes alone with McGates junior!



   'Sorry, did I say something funny?' Paul asked, intrigued by her sudden
amusement.

   'Oh, no, it's not about you.' Cindy replied hastily.  Then, to save the
situation, she added: 'I was just thinking that for me there are no
weekends.'

   'How come?  I thought slavery has been abolished some time ago.'

   'Well maybe you should tell that to my stepmother.' Cindy replied dryly.

   'That bad?  I thought they've burnt the last of their kind at the stake
in the 19th century.'

   That made Cindy laugh.  So he wasn't only rich, he was funny too.

   'You know what they say.  Bad weeds grow tall.'

   Cindy had finished her cigarette.  I might as well have another one, she
thought.  She took out the blue pack and opened its lid to take out a
cigarette.

   'Wow, what kind of cigarettes are those?' Paul asked, intrigued by the
unusual shape of the pack.

   'Oh, my Aunt bought me these.  They are French.  Want one?' Cindy
replied and offered Paul the pack.

   'Who, me?  Gosh, no.  I don't smoke.  But go ahead, light up.  I don't
mind at all.' Paul said, his voice slightly unsteady.  Then he added
quickly, almost whispering: 'You look so sexy with that holder.'

   Cindy, who was about to light up from the lighter Paul had once more
flicked for her benefit, wasn't sure if she had understood his last words.
Then the harsh but refreshing smoke of the cigarette filled her lungs and
for a while she just savored the sensation.  Yes, these cigarettes were
truly remarkable.  If only she could buy them all the time!  But of course,
unless something dramatic happened, for the next few years it would be
"Mommy" who would control her destiny.

   Suddenly she became aware that Paul had said something.  She turned to
him and for no reason caressed his cheek slightly, saying:

   'I'm sorry Paul.  I didn't mean to be rude.  I was a bit lost in
thought.'

   Although it was a pleasantly warm night, Paul seemed to shiver.  When he
spoke, his words came out a little muffled.

   'Oh, never mind.  It wasn't important.  But tell me, why don't we go to
the dance floor?'

   Now Cindy was in a fix.  As much as she wanted to, as the prospect of
being held in by Paul's arms seemed very tempting, she feared to stumble
into one of the bitches again, or even into "Mommy".  She just couldn't
take that kind of chance.  Besides, her watch told her she would have to
hurry to meet her Aunt to drive her home.

   'I'm so sorry, Paul, I'd really love to, but I can't.  I have to go
now.'

   'But you can't, you just arrived.  The party won't be any fun without
you.' Paul stammered.  Disappointment was written all over his face.

   Cindy just shook her head and fled into the darkness.

   'You haven't even shown me your face...' He shouted after her, but she
was gone.

   For Cindy the next days passed in a mixture of elation and sadness.  She
was happy that Aunt Carrie had helped her break out of her prison, if only
for a few hours.  She was sad that it had been over so fast.  And then
there was Paul.  Even if she hadn't seen much of his face, still she felt a
very strong attraction for him.  Too bad there hadn't been enough time. 
Who knows were it would have ended.  But Aunt Carrie had disappeared after
brining her home.  She hadn't heard a word from her ever since.  Day by day
Cindy's depression grew.  She would never hear again from Aunt Carrie.  As
if the last memory of her would drift away together with the smoke of the
last cigarette from the carton of Gitanes.  Then she would have to collect
the stubs again.

   It was Saturday night and the Bitches had been fussy all day doing their
hair, trying on clothes and applying wax and all sorts of cosmetics to
their ugly bodies in the futile hope to look good enough to attract Paul
McGates attention.  Skinny Sally and Chubby Ollie looked almost like Stan
Laurel and Oliver Hardy.  While Sally had no breast to speak of, Ollie had
more than enough for both of them and enough fat for the two of them also.
Cindy often made fun in her mind of those two by thinking that their vitals
would be perfect if added up and divided by two.  But even then they would
need plastic surgery to look reasonably pretty.  In fact the two even bore
a remote resemblance to Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.  Sally had that
idiotic grin on her face just like Stan and Ollie had the same round face
Oliver Hardy had, up to the stubby nose.  Still both of them never failed
to point out how attractive they were and what a successful love-life they
led.  Except Cindy hadn't even once seen any of them in the company of a
man.

   Like a few days earlier Cindy went to the back yard as soon as the bunch
drove off.  At least she could savor a couple of her Gitanes and play
around with her holder.  The flavor of the superior French tobacco blend
comforted Cindy as she took her first drag.  She hadn't been able to smoke
for hours with all the cleaning up after the bitches, sorting out their
dresses and tidying up their bedrooms after they had finally settled on
their outfit, leaving the rest of their wardrobe scattered all over the
place.  Of course it had been poor Cindy's job to put them all back were
they belonged.  It had been an especially tedious task, as some of the
odors emerging their clothes and shoes were hardly endurable.  Those
bitches hardly ever showered and often when they undressed a sweaty blouse
or shirt, instead of throwing it into the laundry for Cindy to wash it,
they would put it back in the drawer or wardrobe where it also spread its
smell over the rest of the content.  When they took such a smelly thing on
again, they used a lot of perfume to cover the smell.  Their shoes were
also wonderfully "flavored".  Yuck!

   But now Cindy could relax till midnight, when they were due home again.
She had no idea where they had gone and in fact she didn't care either. 
With each drag Cindy felt the warmth and the tickle on her skin.  How she
loved that sensation, to saturate her body with good precious Nicotine!  It
helped her forget her miserable lot for a while.  Since she had met Paul,
smoking also bore a special meaning.  Obviously Paul found it sexy!  If
only...



   Cindy noticed to her own surprise that her hand rested between her legs,
caressing her pubic area with gentle strokes.  Thinking of Paul had made
her horny.  She sighed.  Then a squeak of the little gate in the fence at
the back end of the garden made her jump up.  Could it be?  Yes, there she
was, running up to her.  Within the second Aunt Carrie held her in her arms
and gave her a fat smooch.

   'Aunt Carrie!  I thought you were gone to a desert island again.  I'm so
glad you're here!' Cindy spurted out happily.

   'I'm so sorry, dear.  I've been a little busy, you know.  Had to take
care of a lot of things.  I forgot you can't just come over to my place any
time you want.  Don't they ever give you an hour or two off?' Aunt Carrie
replied.

   'Oh, well I don't want to ask them for anything.  Sometimes they're off
together and then I can leave for an hour or two, but that rarely happens.
Today is such a day, you know.' Cindy said.

   'Well then what are we waiting for?  If got a little surprise for you
waiting.  Come my, dear, let's go'

   'But I'm dirty and my shirt's all rags.' Cindy protested.

   'Rubbish, my dear!  We'll just drive to my place and we'll look for some
stuff for you and then it will be party-time again!' Aunt Carrie said
resolutely, already dragging Cindy with her.



   Half an hour later, Cindy was all scrubbed up and dressed for whatever
her aunt had in mind.  Aunt Carrie had been very secretive about that. 
Cindy wore a beautiful short red dress that exposed her marvelous legs and
most of her perfect shoulders, not to forget her superb cleavage.  Indeed,
she looked reasonably good.  As the first time, her Aunt bought her another
carton of Gitanes and to Cindy's utter surprise they went to Mr.  McGates's
estate again.  Obviously the billionaire had decided to repeat the party,
this time on a Saturday.  But before she drove through the gate, Aunt
Carrie stopped and made Cindy follow her to the security guard.

   'Cindy, this is Daniel.  He's been so nice to promise he will hand you a
beeper and give you a beep as soon as your stepmother leaves.' Her aunt
explained.

   'But it'll be too late.  I won't make it home before them.' Cindy said
disappointed.

   'Oh yes my dear, you will.  I think I remember you used to drive around
on a moped when your mother was still alive.  Now behind Daniels booth
there's a moped waiting for you, one of those cute Italian ones.  It makes
over 50 and if you drive over Ant Hill, you'll be home long before they
will.'

   Cindy looked at her aunt with awe.  Aunt Carrie had indeed thought of
everything.  Yes, Cindy had been quite a good driver.  It would be no
problem for her to arrive home in time.  Besides she would park the bike on
the back-street and sneak in through the garden.  That way she could always
pretend she had just been out for fresh air.  Yes, that would do the trick.
She took the little gadget from Daniel and her aunt, who thought of every
detail, placed the bundle with her old rags from home on the moped's
carrier.  And what a moped it was!  Cindy wondered whom it may belong.  It
was new and shiny, all black and had a very elegant body with smooth lines.
Her Aunt had even thought of a helmet.  It wouldn't only protect her but
also disguise her, in case somebody saw her.

   'But how am I to bring it back?' Cindy asked

   'But you won't, my dear.  It's a sort of late birthday present from your
aunt.'

   As an answer, Cindy flung her hands around her aunt's neck and kissed
her on both cheeks.

   'Thank you so much, Auntie!'

   'Hush my dear, that's the least I can do for you!' and she stopped
talking as her tears were choking her.

   They stood there in a warm embrace, till Aunt Carrie pushed Cindy away
and said.

   'Now c'mon, let's not behave like sappy little girls.  The party is
waiting!'





   Cindy went to the same bench she had occupied days before and started to
smoke a Gitane from her holder.  She was a little melancholic.  Would Paul
be here?  Would he find her?  She didn't feel like wondering around.  Even
if she had her mask on again, she didn't want to risk an encounter with one
of the bitches or "Mommy".  Besides, she had hopes Paul would come there.
It was like a little game.  If Paul would look for her here, it meant he
felt something for her.  If not, she would have to forget him.

   'Hello Cindy.' A shy voice came from behind.

   'Hi Paul.  You're a little late.  I had to light my cigarette myself.'
Cindy answered playfully.  She felt so happy!  He had come to look for her!


   'Well I hope you won't quit after this cigarette.' He said, his voice a
little shaky.

   'No, I'll stay a little longer this time.' Cindy said.

   'Actually I meant quit smoking.'

   'Ah, no, don't worry.  I plan to use up quite a bit of the gas in your
lighter.'

   Paul, who had taken place on the bench close to Cindy, now placed his
arm behind Cindy's back.  He didn't touch her, not yet, but he planned to.
That much was clear to Cindy.  She was a little disappointed of Paul's
clumsy way of approaching her, but on the other hand he was really sweet.
His clumsiness was the proof he had little experience with girls.  That
surprised Cindy.  With his dad he would normally have a whole bunch of
groupies and free pick among the girls his age.  Yet he seemed to be quite
innocent.

   'Would you, err, do you, I mean, how about a dance?' Paul stammered.

   Cindy hoped Paul was stammering only of emotion.  She did realize it was
unfair to discriminate boys who had a slight problem that in fact didn't
affect neither their intellectual nor their physical abilities, yet to her
stammering was a turn off.  Then she remembered that at their first
encounter Paul had spoken quite fluently.  So it meant he was really
nervous, she thought.  Aloud she just said:

   'I'd love to.  Give me a minute to finish the cigarette.'

   'Don't bother, Cindy.  At my father's parties smoking is welcome and
nobody will complain if you smoke while dancing.'

   So Cindy took his arm and they strolled to the dancing ring on a
platform that covered part of the lawn in front of the huge palace-like
house of Paul's father.  The band had just started into a popular love
song. Paul's arms were strong and felt so pleasant against her back.  Cindy
cuddled into him and they danced away, cheek by cheek and pressing into
each other almost as if they were making love.  With satisfaction Cindy
felt Paul's organ pressing hard against her loin.  It felt so good to know
she could do this to a boy.  She felt Paul wanted to withdraw a little,
embarrassed of his erection.

   'Don't.  Please!  I love to feel it.' Cindy whispered into his ear. 
Paul shivered with pleasure and pressed her hard against his chest.  His
left hand wondered down her back till his palm covered one cheek.  For a
while neither of them spoke.  They just enjoyed the music and the pleasure
of holding each other.  Each time Cindy inhaled, she felt Paul shiver and
her suspicion that Paul actually got something out of watching her smoke
turned into certitude.  Cindy liked the idea.  Before "Mommy" had entered
her life, she had been out with boys on a few occasions and most of them
had pestered her because of her smoking.  She hated that.  She loved to
smoke.  Period!

   The song ended and reluctantly they had to give up the embrace.  Cindy,
still fearing to be recognized by one of the bitches, took Paul's hand and
they strolled back to the bench, their bench, as Cindy now thought of it.
Neither of them dared to talk as not to break the spell.  They sat down and
started to kiss immediately.  It had happened so naturally as if the had
been together for years.  For a while they forgot the world around them.

   The beeper went off with a nerve-raking beep.  Cindy pushed Paul aside
and ran to the gate, leaving a bewildered Paul behind.  She arrived at the
gate totally out of breath, gave Daniel the beeper and jumped on the moped.
It took her only seconds to accommodate and then she started the tiny
engine and revved it up.  It felt good to be on the road again.  As
suggested by her aunt she took the road over the hill and within minutes
she reached the street behind their house.  She jacked up the moped and
raced into the house.  When finally the bitches arrived, she was already in
her room, dressed in an old t-shirt she used for a shortie and smoked a
cigarette leaning out of the skylight of her cubicle under the roof.

   ***

   Again Aunt Carrie stayed away but this time Cindy was confident she
would pop up on the right occasion.  Cindy attended to her "duties" with a
remoteness that called upon herself the suspicions of "Mommy" and the
bitches.  They began to make fun of Cindy worse than ever.  Yet Cindy
didn't mind at all.  Her thoughts were occupied by Paul and the wonderful
time they had spent together.  She could still feel his hands all over her
body, his wonderful lips on hers and often now she would sit on her cot in
the attic and would caress her intimate parts, smoking cigarette after
cigarette till she felt that wonderful hot wave wash over her.

   It was Friday and Cindy grew restless.  Aunt Carrie hadn't shown up at
all and Cindy had only two more packs of the wonderful Gitanes left.  So it
meant back to collecting stubs again.  Would she ever get a chance to meet
Paul again?  Now that her initial elation had paled a little, her daily
ordeal lasted heavier than ever on her shoulders.  The bitches, seeing that
Cindy constantly overheard their bad jokes about her being in love, had
lost interest in their little games and now behaved nastier than ever.

   Saturday morning brought new hope.  Obviously the bitches prepared for
yet another ball at Mr.  McGates.  Then Cindy, who had to help them wash
their hair and carry heaps of clothes back and forth, heard something that
puzzled her.  Sally bragged she had spent half the evening with Paul
Junior, while Ollie claimed she had spent the other half with him.  They
began to fight over who had better chances to "win the prize" and get Paul.
Like he was a kind of trophy, Cindy thought.  But then, if they had
engrossed Paul, who was the man she had kissed and danced with?  Who had
been the real Paul McGates Junior?  Somebody played a trick on somebody,
but who?  But then, did it really matter?  Whoever the young man at her
side had been, the only thing that mattered was that she loved him and he
returned her feelings.  Of course for the bitches it would be a complete
catastrophe if "their" Paul would turn out to be an impostor.  All they
were after was his money.

   In the afternoon the bitches had hardly left the house and Aunt Carrie
unfailingly turned up.  This time she had brought a big shopping bag of the
more expensive kind with her.

   'Her, honey, try this on.' she told Cindy, handing her out the bag.

   When Cindy opened it, her eyes almost popped out.  It was a terribly
elegant and no doubt expensive cocktail dress, worthy of a prom night.

   'But, auntie, I can't take this on.  It's way too expensive.  You got to
return it on the spot.' Cindy protested.

   'Hush my dear, I can afford it.  The insurance of the Airline had been
very generous.  Besides, how many nieces do I have?  To me you're almost
like a daughter.' Aunt Carrie soothed her and then added rather
cryptically: 'One day I might want to do something about that.'

   Cindy hadn't paid much attention to her aunt's last remark.  She was too
busy putting the new dress on.  When she looked into the mirror, she
thought she saw a stranger at first, an elegant and sexy young woman,
almost like a movie star from one of the old black and white movies.  On a
whim she took her holder and fitted a cigarette into it.  One hand against
her waist, the other one up in the air, with the holder tilted to
forty-five degree, she did indeed look like a Hollywood diva of the
forties.

   'God, I wish your mother could see you now!' Aunt Carrie exclaimed, her
voice hoarse and her eyes watery.

   Cindy worried a bit about ruining the dress on her moped, but she had to
use the moped to get to the ball.  Daniel, who was on duty again, helped
her park the moped and gave her the beeper.  Cindy wasted no time and went
directly to "their" bench.  And there he was, waiting for her!  He even had
a pack of Gitanes for the sole purpose to offer her a cigarette!  Cindy
felt her knees give in and slumped on the bench.  She accepted the
cigarette and began to smoke forcefully.  Paul gently laid an arm around
her shoulder.  She cuddled into his side and enjoyed the cigarette now and
a second one two.  Both were reluctant to break the silence, as if the
spell of the week before was still holding into them.

   Paul, all shaky with arousal, finally dared to kiss Cindy.  Again they
went under, forgetting the surroundings.  It was Cindy who took matters in
her hands.  She asked Paul if they could find a more private place.  Paul
took her hand and almost dragged her to a little guesthouse hidden by the
trees and bushes of the park.

   When the beeper sounded, Paul had proven to be a real stallion.  In the
good old days before her mother's sudden death, Cindy had been with a guy
she was madly in love with at that time, but it had turned out to be just
the usual puppy love and after she had slept with him, her feelings for the
boy dwindled away.  The boy had turned out to be pompous ass, so sure of
his virility he had done next to nothing to arouse Cindy.  She felt only
the pain when her hymen gave way and afterwards it was just unpleasant and
nothing else.

   With Paul it was completely different.  The moment she had freed herself
of the dress, Paul had taken her into his arms and under his hot kisses and
his patient hands, Cindy simply melted away.  When she finally recovered
from her first real orgasm, she needed two cigarettes to find her inner
balance again.  But then Paul didn't give her a chance.  He wouldn't even
let her smoke the cigarette up before he started to kiss and fondle her
again.  For the second time she felt the explosion between her loins.  This
time it lasted much longer.  To Cindy it seemed an eternity.  She resorted
to her cigarettes once more, only to be overrun by Paul's never-ending
caresses.



   The beeper went off much too soon.  Reluctantly Cindy slipped into the
now crumpled dress and ran off, leaving a bewildered Paul behind.

   ***

   The days dragged on endlessly.  Cindy's stock of Gitanes, although
replenished by her aunt at her last visit, once more melted away much too
fast.  She craved for a repetition of those ravishing hours with Paul, but
as day after day passed without a trace of Aunt Carrie her despair grew. 
When the weekend came and passed, Cindy's hope of another meeting with Paul
collapsed.  It was of little comfort for Cindy that the bitches seemed to
suffer too.  Indeed instead of tormenting Cindy, they would sit around and
sulk the whole day.  Cindy managed to overhear a conversation that brought
a little light into the mystery.  Obviously they had found out that they
had been deceived by a man who had posed as Paul McGates, up to the point
both had been laid by him on the same evening.  However, judging by what
Cindy heard, neither of the bitches had been very satisfied.  Apparently
the guy had made fun of them.  Suites them well, Cindy thought, but she
didn't rejoice on the bitch's misery.  It wasn't in Cindy's nature.  She
even felt sorry for them.

   Things went on like that for quite a while, till one day Cindy heard
some noise late at night.  It seemed like her daddy had finally returned
from the business trip that had kept him away for so long and now there was
a fight going on.  Poor daddy, Cindy thought.  He hadn't deserved this. 
The fight went on for a while and even up in the attic the noise was quite
loud.  After a while Cindy drifted off to a troubled sleep.  In the morning
she had to clean up the living room from a lot of shards.  Someone had
broken an ashtray and a lot of China as it seemed.  Nobody showed up while
she tidied up the room and so she sneaked up to her attic for a cigarette
or two.  Soon she would have to fix lunch, a task she didn't dread so much.
Actually she loved to cook and she was quite good at it too.  Her mother
had been a perfect cook and had taught Cindy a lot, but of course neither
"Mommy" nor the bitches were ever satisfied with Cindy's cooking.  One day
they would complain Cindy had used too much salt, another day it was pepper
and of course it was either too hot or too cold.  Nevertheless the three of
them wolfed down huge quantities, however bad they claimed it to be.

   It was past ten and Cindy found the house as deserted as it had been an
hour earlier.  Usually at this hour "Mommy" would be at her favorite
occupation, inspecting the house and raising hell for each speck of dust,
but the house was so quiet, Cindy wondered if she wasn't alone in the
house.

   By the time the stew "Mommy" had ordered the day before was ready to
simmer and the soup spread its delicious aroma all through the house, Cindy
heard a car stopping in the driveway and then the doors of the car opening
and shutting.  By the typical "swump" of the doors she recognized "Mommy's"
Audi, a car she had pressed daddy to buy for her, even though now she kept
complaining about the "German piece of scrap metal", as she called it,
although she had furiously refused dad's offer to swap it for a Chevy.

   "Mommy" stormed in, followed by the bitches.  The three of them were
dressed up like for a carnival, meaning they had tried to "look their
best".

   'That fucking bastard!' Mommy shouted at the top of her voice.  'To
laugh at us.  Just look at him, the skinny little turd!  Who does he think
he is?  And then trying to poison my beauties her with his filthy stinking
cigarettes!  The cheek of him, to make them smoke in front of him.  And
that grin on his face!  I have a mind to sue the bastard and his shitty
father too!' then, almost whispering: 'But he's got too much money.'

   `Ahand it wasn't even him.  The other Paul was much nicer.' The bitches
cried out in tears.

   Cindy looked at her stepmother and then at the two bitches.  "Stan and
Laurel" looked like they had been crying.  The tears had smeared their
heavy makeup all over their faces, making them look like Halloween masks.
Even "Mommy" looked scared and sick rather then angry.  But where had they
been so early?  At eight when Cindy had come down they must have been
already gone.  But then why hadn't they called her to help them dress? 
Normally they wouldn't miss the slightest chance to bully Cindy around. 
Well, whatever it was, they sure wouldn't tell her, Cindy thought.  She
turned to go to the kitchen, half expecting to be called back and receive
her share as a scapegoat, but nothing happened.  When later on she served
lunch, to her utter surprise neither of the three spoke a word.  What on
earth was going on?

   Half an hour later things cleared up when her father came home.  Instead
of kissing "Mommy" on the cheek, as was his custom on a normal day, he went
directly to the kitchen and kissed Cindy instead.  Cindy was in a pleasant
shock.  Her father had all but ignored her ever since he had remarried. 
His question cleared up a lot of things.

   'So, how did things go at the auditioning at McGates?'

   So that's where they had all been.  At some sort of auditioning and
Paul, her Paul, had made fun of them.  Served them well!

   'What kind of auditioning?' Cindy asked, still a little perplexed,
although she already had figured out that her father believed she had been
wherever was the bitches had been.

   'So you don't know?' was her father's turn to be astonished.' Why young
McGates has fallen in love with an unknown girl and now he wants to find
her.  He has summoned all girls from 16 to twenty-five to come to a sort of
auditioning.  I thought Martha has taken you there as I asked her to.'

   Now the pieces of the puzzle fell into place.  Cindy understood why her
stepmother had been in such a rage.  Pompous as they were, they had thought
to be attractive enough to attract Paul's attention, but of course he had
laughed at them.  Cindy hoped the girl he looked for would be no one else
but she, Cindy, but then how should she know?  They had met three times and
even made love, but a guy like Paul sure had lots of groupies and thousands
of opportunities.  For all she knew, he could get a girl in his bed
anytime. Money was a good substitute for virility, especially if it was big
money, like in Paul's case.  True, IF he was looking for her, he sure had a
hard time finding her.  He hadn't even seen her face and except for her
first name, he knew nothing about Cindy, so it sounded logical to arrange
this kind of quest, but maybe it was only a kind of game.

   'Why don't you get dressed, my dear, and we drive over to McGates so he
can see you?' her father asked.

   'Oh no daddy, I can't.  Not right now and by the time I'm through with
the house-work, Paul McGates will have given up the whole idea.' Cindy
replied.

   Not that she wouldn't have dumped the whole housework for a chance to
see Paul again, but suddenly she felt frozen with fear Paul wouldn't look
for her but for another girl far more glamorous and attractive than plain
ol' Cindy.  'I don't think that will be necessary.' A voice boomed from the
entrance.  'Make way woman!  You and your ugly brats have gotten on my
nerves more than enough for one day.'

   A shuffle of feet and some muffled cries followed the words of Paul
McGates senior who burst into the kitchen.

   'Hello young lady.' He greeted Cindy.  'Just as I thought.  Your stupid
stepmother didn't even care to take you with her this morning.  As if my
Paul could mistake one of those two hags for you.  But you must forgive us
for bursting in here like that.  Maybe we can go to the living room.  My
poor Paul Junior insists on making the test with you.  He's been
disappointed once too many and I hope you can forgive him.'

   Cindy stared at McGates senior with half opened lips.  A werewolf in her
own kitchen wouldn't have surprised her more.  Something seemed to explode
in her chest.  Paul was there in the living room!  But then she realized
she wasn't dressed properly, nor made up and she felt the blood rush to her
face.  How could she meet Paul face to face the way she looked?  Her
father's hand on her arm wouldn't allow her to turn and run away.  She had
to step into the living room.

   When she saw Aunt Carrie sitting there, Paul Junior at her side, she
felt a little more confidence.  Paul held a holder in his hand and Cindy
realized it was her own holder, the one she now remembered to have left
behind in the room she had last been together with Paul!  He had already
attached a cigarette to it and now he stood up and gave Cindy the holder.
She took it and accepted the light from Paul's lighter.  The state she was
in, the first drag went down like oil.  She held it down for a long time,
feeling the tickle all over her body.  With a loud sigh she exhaled and
immediately took another drag.  Suddenly Paul's lips were there, sealing
her own and she felt her knees melt away.

   'Guess there's no question as to who Paul's unknown lover is, isn't it?'
Paul McGates Senior said with his booming voice, letting a loud laughter
follow.

   'Told you so, pal.' Aunt Carrie replied, laughing too.  Frank, Cindy's
father looked around rather sheepishly but then he joined the general
laughter.

   'Hey Frank, who'd have thought our two kids will fall in love with each
other?' Paul Senior said.  'Man, you sure got a beautiful daughter.  You're
lucky I'm too old for such a young woman or else I'd fight with Junior here
over her.  But then I doubt Priscilla would be very happy about that.'

   'Priscilla?  Who's Priscilla?  I thought you and Carrie...' Frank said
with a very puzzled look on his face.  Then a happy shine spread over his
face.

   'Who?  Me and Paul?  You didn't think we...?  Oh Frank!  That's why you
were so...' Aunt Carrie spurted out, suddenly looking more like a
schoolgirl than the mature woman she was.

   She stood up and walked over to Frank till their noses almost touched.

   'Don't tell me you never dared because you thought me and Paul...  Oh my
dear, dear Frank.  Didn't you notice?  Paul has never been anything but a
good friend to me.  There's only one man who ever really meant something to
me.' She whispered, her voice suddenly soft and melancholic.

   'Oh God, Carrie, if I'd known that two years ago!  I have been so
stupid.' Frank answered in an equally low voice.  'But it's not too late.
If you still want me...'

   'Frank, your so dumb!  I never wanted anybody else!' Aunt Carrie said
affectionately.

   The inevitable happened and they fell into each other's arms.  Cindy,
who had just stopped kissing Paul Junior, looked in amazement at her father
and Aunt Carrie.  Her heart felt like bursting.  Not only had Paul popped
up, but now the two people that meant the most in her life after Paul, had
just discovered declared their love for each other.

   Paul Senior cleared his throat noisily a couple of times, till he had
the attention of all present.

   'Err, I'm sorry to interrupt the party, folks, but I think Frank here
still has some things to clear up.  I mean after all he's still married and
not to lovely Carrie here!' he said.

   'Oh, yeah well, that's true, but I've just returned from my lawyer and I
won't be married much longer.  I hope you will forgive me, Cindy, but I
came home with the intention to move us both out of here.  I don't think I
like this house any more.  Your Aunt Carrie has agreed to harbor us two
fugitives till we think of something.' Frank said grinning.  He knew well
that Cindy would be more than happy to move in with her Aunt.

   'And what about your wife and her brats?' asked Paul Senior.

   'Oh, I'll leave the house and the Audi to them.  That'll be alimony
enough.  I have sufficient proof that she has been cheating on me for quite
a while, so she'll be more than happy to get away like that.' Frank
answered.

   'Well then, Cindy go upstairs and pack and Frank you can do the same. 
If you Pauls don't have anything better to do, we can all go to my place
and celebrate.  And maybe you can bring that mysterious Priscilla with you,
Senior.'

   The End