Gina had immersed herself in her new lifestyle in a matter of a few months. For the first time in a long time, she felt free. It was as if she had transformed into a whole new person. She had continued to smoke a large amount, not quite like her daughter, but she was steady at a pack a day, if not more. Gina had also taken to late-night trists with some of the young men that thought she was only in her mid-30s.
Perhaps her biggest change came on her left arm. She had stunned Nikki in November with a large half sleeve tattoo. Gina enjoyed it so much that she went back a month later to finish the entire sleeve, much to the surprise of Nikki.
Gina enjoyed her new lifestyle, but there was a part of her that yearned for friendship from women her age and not her daughter’s. So when her old group of friends stated they would be getting together one weekend in the middle of December, Gina decided she wanted to go.
Nikki wasn’t so thrilled with idea, solely because she feared her mother could be a revenge target from Mark or even from her father. She only relented when Gina agreed to allow Jasmine to come along just for security purposes.
When they landed in Niagara Falls, the two women proceeded to the hotel at the casino, the same place they had stayed for the divorce hearings. While the events for Saturday night would take place closer to her old home, Friday’s fun was scheduled for dinner at the casino, since her friends rarely frequented the place.
Gina wore a tight white shirt, tucked into a pair of dark blue bootcut jeans, along with a thick brown leather belt adorned with rhinestones and a western buckle. She also wore a brown blazer and a pair of brown Ariat cowboy boots. Meanwhile, Jasmine wore a white tank top, tucked into a pair of black slacks, with her signature black leather belt with the buckle. She also wore a pair black leather boots with a four-inch heel and a black leather blazer.
When the got to the casino floor, Jasmine instructed Gina that she would remain in the area, but at a distance in case anything nefarious happened. With that, Gina entered the restaurant to greet her three friends, Mary, Kathleen and Bonnie. Since they worked together as teachers, it had been several months since she had seen them, so it was exciting for her to rekindle the friendship.
“Gina!” Bonnie exclaimed. “You look fantastic! How have you been?”
“Thanks!” Gina squealed. “I’ve been great. I have honestly never been happier in my life.”
Dinner breezed by as the four women chatted away about all of the new things in their lives since the last time they all got together. Of course Gina had a few secrets she chose not to divulge. Her tattoos were hidden and she chose to omit what she did for Nikki, simply choosing to say she was a bookkeeper. A third secret, however, was itching to be revealed.
Shortly after dinner, Gina felt the urge for a cigarette. Normally she didn’t have to wait for one, but she didn’t know how to break it to her staunch non-smoking friends. Perhaps a bit naively, she thought she could go a night or two without smoking, at least in their presence.
When they walked out of the restaurant and back into the casino, a waft of smoke hit Gina like a tidal wave. She needed a cigarette immediately and there was no way she could make it through the night with people smoking around her.
Kathleen said, “Boy, it’s so smoky in here. I don’t know how people can do that to themselves.”
Just as Kathleen finished her sentence, Gina had dug into her purse and pulled out a Marlboro Light 100 and popped the long white cylinder into her mouth, lighting up and unleashing a massive exhale that hit the spot. The three women simply stood there, stunned by what they were watching.
“So what are we going to do first?” Gina said, smoke trickling from her lips as she spoke.
“Gina!” Mary exclaimed. “When did you start smoking?”
“After the divorce,” Gina said casually before taking a drag on her cigarette.
“Why?” Bonnie asked in disbelief.
“At first probably because of depression,” Gina admitted. “But I think also out of curiosity. Nicole was always so defiant about it when she started, so I suppose I wanted to see for myself. You know we all did when we were younger.”
“You aren’t 17 anymore, though,” Mary said. “You’re 50. Aren’t you a little old to be experimenting?”
“I know that I’m a little too old for lectures, ladies,” Gina said sternly. “Can we just get on with our night and have some fun?”
With that, the subject was dropped. Gina had a blast with her friends, puffing away all night. It didn’t hurt that she was the only one who would end the night as a winner either.
The following night they would be going to a bar back in town. The girls repeatedly asked if Gina was OK with those plans as they felt she may feel awkward seeing so many familiar faces for the first time since the divorce. Gina, however, was comfortable with who she was now. For the first time since she could remember, she felt confident in every aspect of her life.
Gina arrived the following night wearing a tight red tank top, tucked into a pair of black slacks, with a black leather belt with rhinestones and a western buckle. She also wore a pair of black leather boots with a chunky heel and her leather coat.
It didn’t take long for Gina to settle in. She decided she was going to have fun, regardless of who saw her or what they thought of her. Jasmine dropped her off at the bar, and as soon as she got out -- cigarette dangling from her lips -- her friends met her at the door.
“Go ahead,” Gina waved to them. “I’m going to finish my smoke.”
When Gina went inside, she found her friends at their table and sat down, immediately some more questions were lobbed her way.
“Who was the woman that dropped you off?” Bonnie asked.
“That was just one of my daughter’s employees,” Gina said matter-of-factly.
“Nicole has employees?” Kathleen asked in amazement. “What does she do?”
“She owns a couple of restaurants,” Gina answered.
“Already? She’s so young,” Bonnie said.
“You know, I’ve heard some rumors about Nicole,” Mary said. “We all know she had fallen in with that biker gang before she left.”
“What about it?” Gina asked.
“Well, I’ve heard she was involved in some illegal things,” Mary said.
“From who? Rick?” Gina demanded. “You can’t believe everything that prick says. He gave up on Nicole, and more recently, me. Just in case you’ve forgotten.”
Uncomfortable with the tension building, Bonnie suggested they go dance. Gina obliged. She was ready to cut loose. With that, she slipped off her leather coat, revealing the tattoos covering her entire left arm, causing her friends to gawk uncontrollably. None said a word, however.
Gina spent the rest of the night having a blast. She drank, smoked and danced provocatively with several young men, clearly drawing the ire of her friends. Needing a break, she put her leather coat back on and retreated to the patio out back. She sat down and lit one of her long all-white cigarettes. It didn’t take long for her to draw a crowd of men.
After a while, her friends came outside to see what she was up to. The walked over as the last of the men dispersed. Gina simply sat at the table, legs crossed, puffing on a cigarette with slight smile of satisfaction on her face.
“Gina, you sure have changed,” Bonnie said.
“I know, right?!” Gina said with glee. “I am happier than I’ve ever been.”
“Well, I’m worried about you,” Mary piped up. “You are smoking like a chimney and covered in tattoos. You also don’t seem concerned with your daughter’s well being.”
“You don’t need to be worried,” Gina said as she checked her large silver Michael Kors watch in boredom. “I’m great and so is Nicole. Let’s go have some fun.”
While she didn’t show it, something was brewing inside Gina. She was fuming over Mary’s comments about her new life decisions and about Nikki’s. Now she finally understood how Nikki felt about the judgement she received from her parents and friends. Gina fired off a text to Jasmine, expressing her frustration, but she kept up her upbeat nature for the remainder of the night.
As the night began to come to an end, Kathleen and Bonnie opted to go home, leaving just Mary and Gina left. When Jasmine arrived, Gina said her goodbyes, still upset with her over comments from earlier in the night. Gina got into the car and instructed Jasmine to pull into a spot close to Mary’s car and wait for her to come out.
Roughly 20 minutes later, Mary came out to a seemingly empty parking lot. As she got to her car, Gina and Jasmine approached, both with lit cigarettes in hand. When she tried to open her car door, Jasmine reached over and pushed it shut.
“What’s going on here?” Mary asked.
Without a word, Jasmine delivered a stiff punch to the gut, causing Mary to double over in pain. Gina watched and took a drag on her cigarette. Once again, Jasmine punched her again, this time in the side and Mary slumped to the ground, leaning against her car. Gina bent down and looked her in the eyes, smoke still filtering from her nose from her last exhale.
“Who do you think you are questioning my life decisions?” Gina demanded. “I don’t owe you or anyone else an explanation for how my daughter and I live our lives. You’re supposed to be my friend and you question my parenting in front of everyone?”
Mary didn’t say a word.
“You’re a coward,” Gina spat. “You’re absolutely pathetic and this is why I left.”
With that, Gina flicked her cigarette at Mary and walked away with Jasmine. As she left, Gina left Mary with one last word.
“You’re lucky Nicole wasn’t here,” Gina said in disgust.
Gina was set to move on completely from her old life. She still wasn’t as ruthless as Nikki and likely would never be. Mary got off lightly in comparison, but she was growing more bold.
____________________________________________________________________________
When she returned to New Jersey, Gina began to spend more time with Jasmine. The trip allowed the two women to grow close, considering they were closest in age to one another within the group.
While Nikki liked to flaunt her looks and status, Jasmine was much more reserved and preferred to be casual, which was right down Gina’s alley. While Gina didn’t mind dressing up, she was more comfortable in jeans and a pair of cowboy boots.
Shortly after returning, Jasmine learned of a biker bar and invited Gina to come along. She was a bit hesitant considering Nikki’s history with the club, but decided to give it a chance. Gina chose a tight navy blue t-shirt, tucked into a pair of dark blue bootcut jeans with her brown leather belt with rhinestones and a western buckle, along with her brown cowboy boots and black leather coat.
At the start of the evening, Gina was a bit uncomfortable being in the bar. After all, she spent nearly 25 years as a teacher and living conservatively. After going out for a cigarette an hour after arriving, things began to pick up, however. While outside, a man in his 40s, full sleeve tattoos on both arms and a leather motorcycle jacket with a club logo on the back, started to chat with her.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you here before,” The man started.
“Nope, this is my first time,” Gina said before pulling on her all-white cigarette.
“Are you from the area?” He asked.
“Originally from Buffalo, but moved to Princeton a couple months ago to be closer to my daughter,” Gina responded. “How about yourself?”
“Born and raised,” He responded. “How do you like it so far?”
“I like it,” Gina said as she discarded her cigarette. “I love being around my daughter. I’m going inside though. It was nice meeting you.”
“I’m Jack, by the way,” He said quickly, extending his hand and hoping to buy some time. “Would you mind if I bought you a drink?”
“Sure, why not,” Gina said with a smile. “Gina, by the way.”
Gina began to take a liking to Jack. He was much different than any man she had ever dated before and he was surprised that a former teacher got a full sleeve of tattoos and started smoking at 50. As the night wore on, they traded shots, danced and began to make out in the corner of the bar. When it came time to close, Gina made an offer.
“My daughter is with her fiance tonight,” Gina said. “Why don’t you come over.”
Jack obliged without hesitation, Gina said goodbye to Jasmine and hopped into his truck. It didn’t take long for the two to resume kissing once they got in the door, nor did it take much time for their clothes to end up on her bedroom floor.
After an intense round of sex, Gina got out of bed to find her purse and cigarettes. Jack wandered into the living room after her and saw a large picture of Nikki and Esposito over the fireplace.
“Is your daughter’s fiance Angelo Esposito?” Jack asked.
“He is,” Gina said as a freshly lit cigarette bounced between her lips.
“He has his hands in everything in this state,” Jack marveled.
“You’ve heard of him?” Gina asked.
“Our club loses a lot of business to him,” Jack said.
“Well, if you keep business out of this then we’ll be OK,” Gina smiled.
Over the next few weeks, Jack learned that Gina worked for Nikki, but it didn’t become a problem between the two. They were smitten and neither wanted to make a move that would ruin their budding relationship.
____________________________________________________________________________
Part of the reason Gina’s budding new relationship had gotten off to a good start was due to Nikki have a few words with Jack after meeting him at dinner one night at her club.
Gina wanted Nikki to meet the new man in her life, so she decided they would meet for dinner, along with Esposito and Stefania. Nikki had seen her mother hook up with other men during nights out, but this was the first man she was serious about since her father, so it would take some adjustments.
Nikki decided on a pair of black slacks, with a tight black shirt tucked in and a thick black leather belt to tie the two together. She put on her black leather high-heeled boots with a stiletto heel and her usual gold necklaces, bracelets and Rolex. She then went to the bathroom to straighten her curly brown hair, cigarette dangling from her lips the entire time.
When she finally came downstairs, Esposito -- in a tailor-made suit -- and Stefania were waiting for her, which was a change of pace from the norm. Esposito greeted her kindly when she entered the kitchen, but Nikki wasn’t having any of it.
“You look beautiful,” Esposito smiled.
“Yeah, yeah. Let’s just get this over with,” Nikki grumbled as she picked her black leather blazer off the back of a kitchen chair and put it on.
“Aren’t you excited to get to know Jack?” Stefania asked.
“About as much as you were excited to get to know me when you found out I was fucking your Daddy,” Nikki said.
“Nicole,” Esposito said shockingly. “Young ears.”
“Oh please, she hears worse at school,” Nikki said without a care.
With that, Nikki scooped her purse off the counter and followed the others to the car. Since it was winter break, Nikki was staying with Esposito, so the drive back to Princeton took about 45 minutes, most of which she spent with a cigarette burning between her fingers.
Once dinner got started, things went smoothly. Nikki had to admit Jack seemed like a nice enough guy and her mother was clearly happy. Although, he was clearly uncomfortable around Esposito.
After dinner was finished, Nikki sat back in her chair in its usual spot at the head of the table and lit a large Cuban cigar. When her mother left to use the bathroom, Nikki leaned forward and gave Jack a few words of advice.
“Look here. My mother seems to like you. So far, I like you,” Nikki began, pausing to puff her cigar. “But if you do anything to hurt my business, I’ll cut your head off. If you do anything to hurt my mother, I’ll cut your balls off and then I’ll cut your head off. Cool?”
“Noted,” Jack smiled.
“Other than that, we’re good,” Nikki said.
Once Gina came back from the restroom, they decided to stay at the club for the rest of the night, so Nikki had Jasmine take Stefania to her house for the night and they would drive home in the morning.
Nikki walked Stefania to the back door where Jasmine was waiting with the car, and of course, the teen was full of questions.
“Why would Jack ruin your business?” Stefania asked. “Doesn’t he have his own job?”
“Wouldn’t you want a place like this?” Nikki responded with a smile.
“I suppose so,” Stefania said.
Nikki had a feeling Stefania wasn’t completely convinced with her answer. Stefania was beginning to question what her father and Nikki really did for a living, but until she came out and asked, they weren’t going to dwell on it.
“Have fun with Jas,” Nikki said to Stefania, ushering her into the car before returning to the party upstairs in her office.
When Nikki came back inside, she plopped down on the couch next to Esposito and lit a cigarette. Esposito put his arm around her and whispered in her ear.
“You didn’t have to do that in front of Stefania,” Esposito said.
“She had no idea what I meant,” Nikki said. “We talked about it on the way to the car.”
“What did she say?” Esposito asked.
“Just what I said,” Nikki said curtly before blowing out a massive plume of smoke. “She’s a good kid. Once we get married, you’re not going to be involved in the life anymore anyway.”
“Fair enough,” Esposito said. “Just be careful around her.”
“Just shut up,” Nikki smiled seductively and gave him a massive kiss on the lips.
Al walked over and handed Nikki a plate with a familiar white powder on it. She took a rolled dollar bill and snorted a line, passing it to Esposito, who did the same. Nikki then walked over and handed the plate to her mother, who also took a snort, a bit to the surprise of Jack.
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