Smoking

They left the shop and walked to the park, one of those really green and really manicured ones that was too clean.

Grafton reached into his jacket pocket. He pulled out a silver case.

-Do you mind? he asked, waving the case

Yuki stopped. She looked at the metal case.

Grafton popped the latch and offered the open case of Gauloises to her.

She bit her lip again

-I... I don't usually, she said.

She took one.

He flicked his lighter and held it out for her.

She leaned in. The tobacco caught. She inhaled.

She coughed. Once, then twice. Delicate sounds she tried to swallow.

She exhaled a thin stream of smoke.

Then Grafton lit his own. He took a drag. He watched the smoke curl from her lips.

-Have you ever had tobacco before? he asked. I suppose your generation sticks to vaping.

She shook her head.

-Vaping, yes, she said. -This is different.

-Vaping is a horrid business, Grafton said.

He looked at the trees.

-You know, Yuki, he said. I'm likely older than your father.

She took another drag. She held the smoke in her lungs this time. She didn't cough. She got a little bit of a nicotine buzz.

She looked at him.

-I had a professor at your age, Grafton said. -She taught me a lot.

Yuki dropped the cigarette. She crushed it under her heel.

She met his gaze.

-That sounds intriguing, she said.

-Intriguing?

-And rather exciting, she whispered.