Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Timothy's face darkened instantly. "How is what's between me and her such a mess?"

"Seven years ago, you were ready to bring her into the family. If that's not a mess, I don't know what is."

Of all the things in his life, this was the one thing Phelps could never forgive in Timothy.

What was he thinking?

Timothy's lips pressed into a thin, tense line. Phelps knew that bringing this up always set off another round of friction between grandfather and grandson. His voice softened, tinged with a rare gravity. "I'm not blaming you, truly. She did save your life, after all, and paid a heavy price for it-nearly lost her ability to speak, suffered more hardship than most would ever know. You felt guilty, wanted to give her a future—I understood that. I never objected. But in the end, she's still, in name, your mother's..."

The word "sister" caught in Phelps's throat, and he paused.

After everything exploded between Timothy and Sheila, it seemed like only a blink before he brought Jessica-the girl who couldn't speak-back home, insisting he would marry her.

Back then, the doctors had all but confirmed Sheila would never talk again.

Could it be...?

Suddenly, Phelps's expression grew even more severe.

All these years, he'd never considered this possibility. He'd always assumed Timothy, furious at both families' disapproval of Sheila, had dragged home a mute girl to spite them, to make them uncomfortable.

it hadn't been that

Was this

Something like that couldn't be allowed to happen

on as a student. That's a good idea—I support you. Repaying kindness doesn't mean

on Timothy's face faded, and he

tell which situation Timothy

picked up the handmade ceramic mug in front of him, his movements graceful as he drank the tea in three

glanced up at Phelps. "If you're so worried,

that, Timothy stood, turned, and

seemed to resonate with the force

his thoughts swirling in

formidable by the day. After a lifetime of navigating people, he realized

estate, climbed into his car, and lit

pulled out his phone, checking for missed calls

Nothing.

a deeper

come back. She always

years of marriage, he'd never seen a single