Goodbye, Mr. Regret

"She's here for the comic convention. I actually made a whole book of paper-cut illustrations for her. I wonder if she'll like it?"

Jessica's throat tightened.

She watched as Timothy and Henry stepped into the elevator together.

She was the one who had taught Henry how to make those paper-cut illustrations.

Most kids loved cartoons, and since she couldn't speak, she'd worried Henry might get bored when she watched him. After each show, she'd sit with him and do crafts, cutting out his favorite cartoon characters, making up little stories, and pasting them into a scrapbook.

Henry used to praise her for how pretty her paper-cuts looked, and in time, he'd learned to do it alongside her.

They'd created so many of those illustrated scrapbooks together.

Henry once promised that when he could finish a whole book by himself, the very first one would be for his mom.

Jessica never expected that day would come so soon-that Henry could already make a whole scrapbook on his own.

Her face pale, Jessica stepped wordlessly into the elevator.

Back in her room, a dull ache burned in her stomach, and fatigue pressed down like a heavy blanket.

She poured herself a glass of water, took some medicine, and lay down to rest. Her sleep was restless, haunted by shadows. In the end, a nightmare jolted her awake.

that fire

grabbed her phone. It was already seven thirty in the

an old town near

crowds would gather

back in Riverside City-where fireworks burst over the water every

see the fireworks show. The Silverthread Eatery was less than thirty minutes from The Gilded Whisper Estates, but in seven years, Timothy had never taken her.

man she loved. If Timothy wouldn't go, she felt there was no point

was shelved

days numbered, she owed herself this one small

washed her face, threw

crowds

some stealing kisses beneath

throng, offering roses to every

country came from here so many varieties, in colors

never involved roses. In truth, it had always been

gaze away

fireworks show was

a sharp boom, the first firework soared into

the dusk, scattering color