The Beginning Of All Sins

Olivia felt like a coward in front of Tyler. She was so nervous that she couldn’t even speak. She just stood there, hoping to go unnoticed.

Tyler smiled warmly at her and let go of her wrists. “No more teasing, okay? We need to hurry, or we’ll miss our appointment,” he said, buttoning up his coat.

Outside, Nina was waiting for them.

Olivia, feeling a bit upset, didn’t move. Tyler noticed she wasn’t following, turned around, and came back to gently take her hand, trying to get her to walk with him.

Olivia was taken aback by this and tried to pull her hand away, but Tyler held on firmly and gently pulled her closer to him. She accidentally bumped into his arm and was a bit dazed.

Nina laughed softly at the scene. Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

Looking up, Olivia saw Nina smiling at them, which made her stop resisting and quietly follow Tyler, like a well–behaved child.

They headed to the hospital for a special pregnancy test called amniocentesis. Olivia had read that it involved a long needle, which made her very nervous.

Tyler covered her with a blanket and tried to reassure her. “The test won’t hurt much because there aren’t many nerves in the stomach area. The doctors are very good at this, so don’t worry.”

Olivia knew they were in good hands with the hospital’s staff but was still scared. She tried to act cool and asked, “Will it take long?”

“Just about ten minutes,” Tyler replied, understanding her fear but seeing through her act. He caressed her cheek with his thumb and said, “It’s okay to be scared. You don’t have to pretend with me.

Pregnancy can be tough, and Tyler wanted Olivia to know he was there for her. He was so kind and supportive, that even the driver was surprised to hear him speak so softly–he had never seen him being this gentle with anyone.

“I’ll stay with you the whole time,” Tyler promised.

Olivia relied on Tyler more than ever, especially with the baby, and she thought about him every time the baby came to mind.

She knew it wasn’t right to rely on him so much, but she couldn’t help herself. It almost felt like the baby was playing a trick on her, making her think of him more than she should.

Olivia closed her eyes when he gently touched her cheek and then slid his hand to her neck, pulling her in for a closer embrace.

She rested her head against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. The worry she felt began to melt away, and she felt more at peace.

With a shaky voice, she asked, “What if there’s an issue with the baby?”

“We’ll welcome the baby no matter what. Our family can afford to care for it.”