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.

everyone could read sign language. Herbert only knew it because, after they'd reconnected, he'd begged her to teach him, finding

to scribble notes or type messages

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

this size

phone: "It's too valuable. I can't accept

just her words, but her own cadence and inflection—exactly the way she imagined

the diamond's just a replica. I was

was it? Let

other in years, and you're quibbling over a

kindness stand and typed

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

goodbye and

his car disappeared down the street, she turned

barely stepped inside when a warm, strong hand caught

Jessica looked up.

dark eyes met Timothy's, his gaze

his solid chest, but he was unmovable—tall, powerful, impossible

sliding the box with the necklace from her

speak, and with one hand trapped, she

with his thumb, studying the

design matched the ring he had once