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?"

signed quickly, her hands moving with practiced grace. "I'm not heading home. I need to buy some materials-could you drop me at the fabric

For paper cuttings?" Herbert

smiled and

used for cutting designs. Your house has a classic look-if I use ordinary paper, it

hands moved with effortless elegance, her fingers nimble and wrists poised, making her sign language

himself looking forward to seeing

learned the craft from her grandmother as a

Now, it seemed, she had blended

even surpassed

fabric market, but

wave him off, insisting she could

can't speak—it'll be hard to communicate with the sellers. Let me help with

letting

barely stepped inside when Jessica spotted

was carefully inspecting bolts of

wanting a confrontation, Jessica

twins, both twenty-nine this

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