Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Jessica hesitated, unsure if she should hand her phone to Herbert.

But Herbert had already slipped it from her grasp.

He tapped away in the app store, quickly downloading a new app.

After a moment, he typed a line into the app: "Little Mute, how does this voice sound?"

A stranger's female voice came from somewhere nearby.

"Do you like it?"

He typed again, the same gentle voice repeating his words.

Jessica realized the sound was coming from the necklace.

Her eyes lit up with surprise. She had never seen a necklace like this-it was fascinating.

And the voice sounded eerily similar to her own, as if it carried echoes of her past.

Jessica hadn't been born mute.

Herbert handed her phone back to her.

"With this app, you just type what you want to say," he explained. "The software can mimic your tone, too. And the more you use it, the more natural it gets."

Jessica's heart skipped. The prospect was tempting.

Herbert only knew it because, after they'd reconnected, he'd begged her to teach him, finding

had to scribble notes or type messages on

had this necklace, she could just type, and it would speak for her-no more awkward moments or delays waiting for someone to read her

this size couldn't be

typed into her phone: "It's too valuable. I can't

words, but her own

just a

was it? Let me

each other in years, and you're quibbling over a little gift? Are you trying to make me

kindness stand and typed two

rest," Herbert said, gathering his things. "Just remember-don't get the necklace wet, and try

goodbye and watching as he

disappeared down the street, she turned and unlocked her

warm, strong hand caught

Jessica looked up.

met Timothy's, his gaze brooding and

tried to push him away, hand pressed against his

sliding the box with the necklace from

one hand trapped, she couldn't even

with his thumb, studying

ring he had once bought a matching