This is the first part of a new series, the next parts will be released soon, stay tuned !
Gwen Thompson stood in the company parking lot beside her silver sedan, the late morning sun already warm on her skin. At 45, she carried herself with the polished elegance of a woman who had spent twenty years in sales, tailored navy blouse, knee-length skirt, and subtle makeup that accentuated her refined features. Her shoulder-length auburn hair was neatly styled, and she held her posture straight despite the knot of anxiety twisting in her stomach.
This three-month sales road trip across the United States was the last thing she wanted. Leaving her two teenage daughters with her ex-husband for so long felt wrong. The divorce had only been finalized six months ago, and the thought of endless motel rooms, repetitive store visits, and long hours in the car with someone she barely knew made her chest tight.
Megan Harper approached with a rolling suitcase and a bright, confident smile. At 25, the recent business school graduate was everything Gwen was not in that moment, youthful, outgoing, and seemingly unfazed. Megan’s dark blonde hair fell in loose waves past her shoulders, and she wore a fitted white blouse and black slacks that showed off her athletic figure.
“Ready for the great American road trip?” Megan asked, trying to sound cheerful as she loaded her bag into the trunk.
Gwen forced a polite smile. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
The first two hours of driving were painfully awkward. They made small talk about the sales targets, the grocery chains they’d be visiting, and the company’s new product line. The large age gap felt obvious. Gwen was professional and reserved; Megan was energetic and direct. Silence would stretch between topics, filled only by the hum of the tires on the highway.
Megan shifted in the passenger seat around the two-hour mark. She glanced at Gwen, biting her lip.
“Gwen… would it be okay if I smoked a cigarette? I’ve been holding off, but I’m dying here.”
Gwen’s hands tightened slightly on the steering wheel. She hadn’t known Megan smoked. The idea of someone smoking in her clean company car made her stomach turn.
“I… I didn’t realize you smoked,” Gwen said carefully.
Megan gave a small, sheepish laugh. “Yeah. Two packs a day of Marlboro Reds. I know it’s a lot. I can wait until we stop if you’d rather.”
Gwen hesitated. She was tempted to say no, but something in Megan’s voice, the genuine discomfort, made her feel a pang of pity. It was going to be a long three months. She couldn’t start it by being difficult.
“…Alright,” Gwen sighed. “Just one. And keep the window open. Blow the smoke outside.”
Megan’s face lit up with visible relief. “Thank you. You’re a lifesaver.”
She reached into her purse and pulled out a pack of Marlboro Reds. Gwen watched from the corner of her eye as Megan expertly tapped one out, placed the filter between her lips, and lit it with a silver Zippo. The flame illuminated her face for a moment.
Megan took her first drag.
It was deep, hungry, and luxurious. Her cheeks hollowed as she pulled the smoke hard into her lungs. She held it there for a long, blissful ten seconds, eyes half-closed in pure satisfaction. When she finally exhaled, a thick, rich cloud of smoke poured from her mouth and was quickly sucked out the open window. A second, softer stream followed from her nostrils.
“God… I needed that,” Megan sighed, her voice thick with pleasure. She took another long drag immediately, even deeper this time, holding it for nearly twelve seconds before releasing a heavy, creamy plume into the rushing air outside.
Gwen’s mixed feelings churned inside her. Part of her was repulsed by the smell — the sharp, acrid tobacco that filled the car despite the open window. But another part, smaller and quieter, noticed how much obvious relief and enjoyment Megan took from it. The way her shoulders relaxed, the soft moan of satisfaction after each exhale… it was strangely compelling.
Megan chain-smoked for the next forty minutes. She lit a second cigarette from the glowing butt of the first, then a third not long after. Each drag was long and indulgent. She would tilt her head back slightly, inhale deeply, and hold the smoke like she was savoring a fine wine. Her exhales were thick and visible before being pulled out the window. The car still carried a lingering haze and the distinct smell of Marlboro Reds.
“You really smoke that much?” Gwen asked quietly after Megan lit her fourth.
Megan smiled, cigarette dangling from her lips as she spoke. “Yeah. Two packs a day minimum. It’s been my best friend through high school, then even more in business school and now this job. Helps with the stress.” She took another deep drag and held it, then exhaled slowly. “I hope it’s not too bad for you.”
Gwen didn’t answer right away. The smell was strong, but she found herself strangely aware of how Megan’s body seemed to relax with every cigarette. The tension Gwen herself carried felt a little lighter just watching it.
They reached their first motel just after sunset, a modest roadside place in Ohio with two floors and a flickering neon sign. They had only one room booked. One bed.
Megan carried the bags while Gwen checked them in. When they entered the small room, Gwen’s stomach tightened again. A single queen bed. One bathroom. Forced proximity for the next three months.
As Megan set her suitcase down, Gwen caught the smell again, stronger now. Megan reeked of stale cigarette smoke. Her clothes, her hair, even her skin carried the distinct, heavy scent of Marlboro Reds. When Megan flopped onto the bed with a tired sigh, the sheets already seemed to hold a faint trace of tobacco.
Gwen stood by the window, conflicted. She hated the smell… or at least she told herself she did. But there was something strangely intimate and almost comforting about it now. It was the scent of her new traveling companion. The woman she would be spending every day and night with for the next three months.
Megan stretched out on the bed, still in her travel clothes.
“Mind if I have one more before we crash?” she asked, already reaching for her pack.
Gwen hesitated, then nodded “Sure but could you please open the window ?”.
“Of course”. Megan replied and reached for the window right above the bed, opened it and lit up right there on the bed, taking one of the longest, most satisfied drags Gwen had seen yet. She held the smoke deep, then exhaled a thick cloud towards the window. The smoke drifted lazily through the room as Megan sighed in pure contentment.
Gwen watched silently, the faint but distinct smell of smoke wrapping around them both.
This was only the first day, but Gwen was afraid it was going to be a long ride.
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