The Beginning Of All Sins

Tyler picked up his glass of wine again, not paying attention to Dylan. They touched their glasses, making a light clinking sound. Tyler took a small sip of the wine and really enjoyed it.

He looked down at the see–through red wine in his glass. He didn’t want to deny it anymore, and after a bit, he said, “This wine’s really good.”

Olivia wanted her old phone number back, but she had to give up when she realized she had forgotten her ID.

She didn’t feel like going home yet, so she asked her driver to just drive around without a set destination.

While she was looking out of the car window, not really focusing on anything, Tyler called her. She answered right away.

He was at the club’s balcony, having a cigarette and leaning against the wall. He asked, ” Are you still out?”

“I’d like to go home now,” she replied.

Tyler was focused, looking straight ahead. His hand was near the ashtray, and he slowly moved the cigarette in his fingers. “Don’t you want to go somewhere else?”

“I’m quite sleepy, Tyler.” Her voice was slow; she sounded very tired.

His eyes filled with gentleness and patience. “Alright, go home and get some rest.

“Okay,” she said.

Then Tyler added, “Call me when you get home.”

Lately, Olivia had been trying to keep her distance from him, so she didn’t say anything after hearing that.

He asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I won’t call you when I get home. I’m sleepy.”

She had mentioned she was sleepy twice. Tyler wondered just how tired she could be.

Still, he went along with what she wanted; he was being nice about it. “Mm–hmm, okay.

Try to take a little nap on the way home.”

“Okay, Tyler.”

Olivia hung up first. Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

Tyler put out his cigarette only after the call was over. He pushed himself away from the wall and left the balcony.

When he got back, Dylan saw him. “Did you call your wife?”

Tyler glanced at him. “You know, not talking won’t make people think you’re mute.”

Dylan laughed. “Are you embarrassed? Looks like she’s quite clingy.”

Tyler sat on the couch, crossing his legs in a relaxed manner. “She’s pregnant, so I took her out to relax. She said she’s tired, so I had the driver take her home.”

“So, you’ve got yourself a sweet little thing,” Dylan teased again.

As Tyler took another sip of his wine, thinking of Olivia, he felt the wine was especially

sweet.

As soon as Olivia got home, she went straight to bed. While she was deeply asleep, she thought she could smell alcohol and felt a hand on her cheek.

It took her some effort to open her eyes, and when she did, she saw Tyler’s face. “Tyler,” she called out softly.