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

were the same age, they never acted like aunt and nephew. That strange lack of boundaries made it awfully hard for

both Phelps and Sallie had dropped hints about Sheila

Sheila showing up uninvited, Jessica's emotions

constant reminder of everything Jessica had

outright—just to get the truth out. But she stopped herself; it felt too abrupt, too

both words

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

on

she was so conflicted inside, desperate to know the truth, that she even felt

tamped it down and sat quietly,

however, broke

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

tired. You, on the other hand, just got off

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 want his classmates to find out about your situation. It's almost morning, and once the day staff comes in, there'll be

didn't finish, but her