"Thanks mom," she thanked.

As difficult as it had been to accept, watching the nicotine ease her daughter into a more favorable mood had made smoking an ally of sorts. She kind of envied her daughter in that she had a tool to deal with her anxiety and constant unease instead of just sitting with it like Danielle had for the last 7 months.

"What's it do for you?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

At first Emily did not know what her mother was asking, but when Danielle looked at her cigarette and then back at her she understood her meaning.

"Um, calms me down, makes my stomach stop twisting,...