Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Jessica sat beside her on the antique wooden settee.

The two of them faced each other across a small coffee table, which was scattered with all sorts of delicate paper cuttings.

"Jessica, I'm just not satisfied with any of these decorations," Latonia sighed. "It's

a pity your grandmother passed away years ago. The neighbors told me you're quite talented too. Could I trouble you to make some for me?"

Jessica nodded silently.

She didn't speak a word.

Latonia had heard from Herbert that Jessica still hadn't regained her voice.

Latonia led Jessica around the villa, asking her to help spot the best places for the decorations. Jessica took her time, studying the rooms, and snapped photos on her phone of the spots that needed some color.

Communicating in gestures and notes on her phone, Jessica let Latonia know she could finish everything in about two days.

Latonia, who hadn't seen Jessica in so long, insisted she stay for dinner.

Afterwards, Latonia had Herbert drive Jessica home.

Once Jessica climbed into the car, Herbert glanced over. "Where do you live?"

"I'm not heading home. I need to buy some materials-could you drop

For paper cuttings?" Herbert was genuinely

smiled and

cutting designs. Your house has

elegance, her fingers nimble and wrists poised, making her

looking forward to seeing

craft from her

projects. Now, it seemed, she

even surpassed her

but instead of leaving, he

to wave him off, insisting

with the sellers. Let me help with the signing,"

relented, letting him

inside when Jessica spotted Timothy's older

was carefully inspecting bolts of

Jessica ducked down

were twins, both twenty-nine

single-a hard-charging career woman. After college, she'd used her degree to launch a boutique fashion label, now with stores all over the