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?"

hands moving with practiced grace. "I'm not heading home. I need to buy some materials-could you drop me

paper cuttings?" Herbert was

and

designs. Your house has a classic look-if I use ordinary

effortless elegance, her fingers nimble and wrists poised, making

looking forward to

learned the craft from her grandmother as a child, often

Now, it seemed, she

she'd even surpassed her

at the fabric market, but instead

off, insisting she could manage

communicate with the

letting

barely stepped inside when

carefully inspecting

a confrontation, Jessica ducked

Timothy were twins, both

unlike her brother, Sallie was single-a hard-charging career woman. After college, she'd used her degree to launch a boutique fashion label,