Vanquished.

Caroline let out a little giggle. Three years, seven months, nine days, twelve hours and twenty-something minutes ago she'd eaten her last piece of chocolate.

"I never thought I'd manage it," she said to Paul as she stirred her coffee. "I'd been addicted for...ooh...I'm twenty-seven now so....twenty-one years?" She sipped her coffee, her tongue shocked by the burning liquid as she took her first caffeine hit of the day.

"So how's your New Year's give-up-smoking kick going?"

Paul shrugged. "S'okay. I had my last ciggie with breakfast on Monday."

"But that's two whole days into the new year!" said Caroline, stirring her coffee so forcefully the spoon rang out against the porcelain. "That's against the rules."

"What rules," asked Paul. "I just gave up when it seemed right to me."

"But Doctor Shwartz's twenty three stage programme states..."

Paul stood up. "That self-help stuff might have helped you with kicking junk food but it isn't what I need. Let me do this in my own way and in my own time, yes?"

Caroline sniffed. "No wonder our marriage didn't last.