Paradise

8. A Bottle of Jack

As Andi and Grayson argued over who was right about who invented the camera, Ethan and Casey sat in their usual places on the counter smoking their Prime Times listening to the argument play out. "I bet you a dirty magazine that one of these days they're actually gonna have a full on fist to the face fight." Ethan laughed and a little smoke came out with every breath.

"Seriously? You're making a bet again?" Casey rested her body weight on her left arm, looking at Ethan questioningly. "And a dirty magazine, seriously? What interest would I have in that if you lost?"

"A dirty magazine and a pack of Prime Times?" Ethan tried to make the deal sound better but Casey just laughed at his attempts.

"Do you really think I avidly smoke these? They just sounded good at the time." Casey smiled.

"Oh, well I do." Ethan smiled and took another long drag.

"Guys, who the fuck do you think invented cameras?" Grayson walked into the kitchen, needing input to help back his case up. Andi and Grayson's ego's would fracture if they lost the argument.

"Susse Frères." Casey's favorite subject was history, so she was able to give a quick answer. See, I was right! Andi shouted from the living room. Gray looked from Casey to Ethan, hoping his brother had his back.

"Isaak Newton?" Ethan felt the pressure of his answer and panicked.

"No, he invented gravity!" Grayson rubbed at his neck in a predicament. "It was Nicéphore Niépce! He invented photography!"

"He did the first partially successful photograph of a camera, he didn't invent it." Casey replied. Their argument was easier to tune out if it didn't involve anyone else.

"We're probably all wrong. Just forget it, okay?" Ethan rolled his eyes. Grayson didn't bother arguing, probably exhausted from the past hour of bickering.

"I'm going to bed!" Andi called as she walked down the hallway. Casey yelled back a response and went back to her cigar. Grayson stood around the kitchen for a few more minutes as he grabbed a Prime Time and then headed upstairs. Casey wasn't sure what he was doing up there — it was just Andi's parents bedrooms, a bathroom, and her Dad's office.

"It's so quiet." Ethan commented as he ashed the rest of his Prime Time, breaking the comfortable silence.

"It's nice."

"A dirty magazine would be even nicer."

"Shut up."

"Do you want to see what I got from the minimart the other day?" Ethan piped up after a moment of silence. Casey glanced at him, waiting for him to continue. Once he got her attention he hopped off the counter and went down the hallway to the guest room. He came back with his hands behind his back and a huge smile on his face.

Casey ashed the rest of her cigar and glanced up at Ethan in the arch way. "What is it?" He walked back to his place at the counter before finally revealing what was in his hands. A bottle of whiskey. "You took a bottle from the minimart? — You can't just take anything you want!"

"Casey, do you honestly think the owners will be coming back?" His question felt like a stab in Casey's gut.

"Whatever."

"So, do you want to drink with me or not?"

"It's not a good idea. If something happened we probably wouldn't be able to defend ourselves."

"In all the time we've been here have we ever had a close call?" Ethan pointed out.

"It. Could. Happen."