FIFTY FIVE

"Great job," Lena told me over the speaker.

I pulled down the large headphone panting with a dry throat. "Thanks, Lena."

"Come have a drink, and we can continue next weekend."

I hung the headphones and went to the recording room's small lounge. Lena hands me room-temperature water. It quenched my thirst and almost had me finish the bottle.

"Although you aren't officially a trainee, it seems that you don't need the voice lessons." Lena pours a small liquid bottle into an electronic cigarette. She saw me stare at her and then at the pencil size device. "Oh? Chris wanted me to quit smoking and insisted I do water vapor."

"Your six-year-old son told you that?"

"He may be in elementary school, but that boy has an adult brain."

I laughed, taking another drink to moisten

my throat.

"He told me his teacher taught his class that smoking is bad and can cause cancer." She groaned, rolling her eyes while taking a inhale of the vape. "Chris is scared I might die soon if I don't stop."

"Well, they