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.

dreamed of that fire from seven years

grabbed her phone. It was already

an old town near

each night at eight, crowds would gather along the shore for a half-hour

in Riverside City-where fireworks burst over the water

The Silverthread Eatery was less than thirty minutes from The Gilded Whisper Estates, but in seven years, Timothy had never taken her. Not even

moments with the man she loved. If Timothy wouldn't go, she felt there was no point in going

the wish was

days numbered, she owed herself this one

her face, threw on a coat,

the lakeside, crowds drifted

walked hand-in-hand, whispering, some stealing kisses beneath the

through the throng, offering roses to every

country came from here so many

In truth, it

tore her gaze away

fireworks show was about

the first firework soared into the

lit up the dusk, scattering color across the