Goodbye, Mr. Regret

It was Herbert.

Jessica had fainted, and Timothy had taken her away-though his attitude was anything but gentle. Worried, Herbert had followed them, never expecting that Timothy would simply abandon Jessica, taking their son and Sheila with him.

Herbert climbed out of his car.

"Little Mute."

Jessica forced a smile and signed, "What are you doing here?"

He took a deep breath, pressed his lips together, and arched an eyebrow. "If you don't want to smile, then don't do it. That smile of yours doesn't suit you at all."

He could see right through her. She was pretending, and he knew it.

Exposed, Jessica's expression faltered. She tried to explain, "It's not what you think, I... he..."

searching desperately for some excuse to defend Timothy. But the

through her muddled signs. "You don't have to explain. I know. He

jaw clenched hard. "You don't have to keep putting yourself through this. I

immediately raised a hand, signaling him

but he's really good to me. If you keep coming to see me, you'll only make things worse between us. I love him. I don't really want a divorce. When I asked you to help me find a lawyer, I just wanted to scare him a bit to get his attention. I'm sorry I dragged you into

Jessica hurried to finish: "Please, don't come looking for me again. He's already so angry because he's seen us together too many times. That's why he left me behind just now. I didn't think things

looking back, Jessica turned and

The words "Little Mute" almost escaped his lips, but he swallowed them, letting

were children. No one could fool him-least of all her. She was

reach. Jessica had no family, no one to rely on. And now, if she

pressed into a thin, determined line. No matter

she could go. But one thing was certain-she wasn't

planned to go to the courthouse