Disciplining Little Abby by Serafine Laveaux Read Free Book Online Page B

could last past the first twenty-four hours without a cigarette.
    “I give her until noon.”
    “I say five. She’ll last the day and grab one in the parking lot.”
    Ignoring her coworkers’ gleeful predictions of failure, she dug the card out of the basket and scanned the note Chris had sent.
     
    Good morning babygirl! Just a little something to help you be good. I’ll call you at lunch to see how you’re doing.
    Chris
     
    Abby quickly popped two strips of gum in her mouth, but they did little to ease her growing cravings. An hour later she tried a grape flavored sucker, then a lemon one, but the gnawing desire for a smoke was becoming overwhelming. She longed to try one of the electronic cigarettes, but they’d been banned from office areas ever since someone complained about the smell.
    Unable to concentrate on her work, she wandered into the break room and stood in front of the vending machine, staring without seeing at the snacks within. She was about to get a bag of Cheetos when she remembered one of the HR employees who had given up smoking the year before and promptly put on sixty pounds from all the snacking that took its place. The thought of even her fat pants no longer zipping convinced her to return to her desk, but nothing seemed able to divert her attention from the urge to light up. Her work was done for the day. She played a few games of Candy Crush, but even that failed to keep her mind occupied.
    “Try the patches. Seriously, before you have no pens left. Or before you give up and I lose twenty bucks.”
    Abby looked up to see a woman in her early twenties standing next to her, then looked down to the well-gnawed pen clutched in her hand. She didn’t even remember picking it up.
    “I know what you’re going through,” the woman continued. “I quit last year, and I never could have done it without the patches. I swear they really work. Just peel and stick it anywhere that doesn’t bend a lot. Like your chest, or your back. And just one !” she added, wagging a finger at Abby. “I’ve seen people stick like, five on themselves at a time, but that’s not healthy. I’m Amanda, by the way. I just started in layout last week. Oh my God, are you cold? This place is like a furnace! I’m always begging for them to turn the heat down.”
    Abby looked down to see she’d been pulling her blankee out of the bottom drawer during Amanda’s rapid fire chatter. “Um, yeah, I guess I’m cold natured,” she lied, draping the reassuring throw over her lap. Just being able to touch it seemed to ease the cravings. “I’m Abby.”
    “I know. They told me you’re the one with the NCIS obsession.”
    Abby’s brow furrowed as she wondered what else they’d said. For the most part, her coworkers ignored her beyond the occasional hello when passing in the hall or break room. They were never rude or did anything to make her think they disliked her, but she knew they considered her something of an oddity. She studied Amanda’s expression but sensed no ridicule or meanness in her attitude.
    Amanda’s rapidly shifting attention zoomed to the goodie basket on the desk. Peering at the contents, she gave an appreciative whistle. “I don’t know who sent you this, but they’re all kinds of awesome in my book. Seriously, when I decided to quit everyone was like, ‘Aw, that’s great Manda. Hey, hope you don’t mind if we smoke right in front of you!’ Or else they were placing bets on how long I’d last. Much like the ones that are getting placed on you now.” Laughing, she waved a hand towards the far end of the room. “I put twenty on you succeeding and I intend to collect, so don’t let me down!”
    Abby looked where Amanda had waved and saw three people watching her. Two quickly pantomimed holding cigarettes and smoking while the third grinned and gave her a thumbs up. She scowled back and flipped them her middle finger, which sent them all into gales of laughter.
    “I hadn’t planned to