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.

her heart was

same age, they never acted like aunt and nephew. That strange

both Phelps and Sallie had dropped hints about Sheila

up uninvited, Jessica's emotions

presence felt like a constant reminder of everything Jessica had seen and heard

gave in to the urge to ask Sheila outright—just to get the truth out. But she stopped

Sheila had first appeared before her, in both words and actions, she'd seemed

admit it? And if word got back to Timothy, it would only make things worse-he hated that

on being

desperate to know the truth, that she

it down and sat quietly, not saying a

however, broke

You've been up all night-why don't

just got off

considered this for a moment, 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 didn't

but her meaning