Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Timothy arched an eyebrow, staring irritably at the razor in his hand.

"Whatever. I'll just make do."

After Henry got up, father and son sat down together for breakfast.

Henry had barely tasted his chicken noodle soup before he grimaced and called out, "Mom, did you put too much salt in this?"

No answer.

He tried again, a little louder. "Mom?"

Timothy replied calmly, "Stop calling, your mom isn't home."

Immediately, Henry tapped at his smartwatch, trying to call Jessica, but her phone was switched off.

Lowering his voice, Henry said, "Dad, do you think Mom's upset and ran away?"

"She didn't."

With both him and their son at home, Timothy was certain Jessica wouldn't just leave.

"Good. I still think Mom's breakfasts taste better, though."

Neither of them really enjoyed the meal that morning; it just didn't compare to what they were used to.

"Dad, last night Mom made Miss Sheila so mad she left. Is she coming to see me today?"

"She twisted her ankle and is in the hospital. She probably won't be able to visit today."

"Oh no, Miss Sheila hurt her foot? That must really hurt. Dad, can you call school for me? I

was firm. "No. School

daring to push further, and mumbled, "Can

"That's fine."

his arms around Timothy, standing on tiptoe to plant

you're the best! After school, come pick me up early,

Henry's hair and stood up, personally taking him

of the room herself, so it was already spotless. Mabel couldn't understand why

opened the window to let

was immaculate, she still methodically wiped down every

the wind was

a cancer diagnosis letter was

before, Jessica had returned to

the time she'd tidied up the house,

finally turned off her phone, wanting nothing more than a quiet, uninterrupted

it was the liver cancer, or maybe it was just the relief of having nothing to worry about for once, but she slept deeply didn't

her phone

it chimed nonstop with text and

missed calls, some from Timothy, some

Mabel was probably calling about

have called back instantly to check

just let

bank notifications-Timothy had transferred her two million

needed her out of the way again. She

had sent her two messages-one from the morning, one from a couple