Sterling's picture pops up as an incoming call beeps on my phone. I answer it.

"Yellow," I say.

"Are you drunk?" he asks.

"I might be. I don't know. I've had a few glasses of wine."

"Why didn't you take me?" I ask.

There is a brief silence. "What?"

"Why didn't you take me with you to France? You left without even telling me. Do I really mean so little to you?"

There's another pause and I can hear Sterling breathing through the phone. "I thought about it," he says. "But you were asleep, and...well, I guess I could have woken you. Would you like me to come back?"

"No,...