Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Sheila stepped into the room.

She walked over to the bedside, her expression etched with worry as she glanced at Henry. "Jessica, is Henry alright?"

Jessica knew Sheila could read sign language, so she skipped typing on her phone and signed directly.

"It's appendicitis, but he's okay now. The surgery's done."

"How did he get appendicitis all of a sudden?"

Jessica shook her head.

Sheila's face softened with sympathy. "Poor thing, must have been so painful for him."

Sheila pulled up a chair and sat down next to Jessica.

Jessica frowned, her mind drifting.

Timothy had suddenly started doting on her, buying her cake, acting unusually close, and upending one of her long-held suspicions.

Because she loved him so much, she was utterly defenseless against his gentleness.

heart was

like aunt and nephew. That strange

all, both Phelps and Sallie had dropped hints about Sheila and

up uninvited, Jessica's emotions

presence felt like a constant reminder of everything Jessica

gave in to the urge to ask Sheila outright—just to get the truth out. But she stopped herself; it felt too abrupt,

her, in both words and actions, she'd

would Sheila ever admit it? And if word got back to Timothy, it would only make things

on being above

so conflicted inside, desperate to know the truth,

it down and sat

broke

up all night-why don't you go home and get some rest? I'll

moved swiftly. "It's fine, I'm not tired. You, on the other hand, just got off a long

then said, "Actually, Jessica, there's something you should know. Last time Henry had a fever, the nurse who gave him the injection was his classmate's mother. He asked me to pretend to be you-he

but her