Goodbye, Mr. Regret

He'd always thought she looked delicate, but deep down, she was tough and relentlessly optimistic.

He never imagined she could fall apart like this-crying, helpless, her strength stripped away.

A memory flashed through his mind: a tear-stained little face.

"Timothy, you promised me back when Yates and I were playing house that you'd come and steal me away to be your bride. Why did you lie to me? Sob... Now Yates and I have had our pretend wedding, and I'm his wife. What am I supposed to do? I like you more, Timothy..."

Timothy frowned, closed his eyes, and only after a moment did he open them again.

This was only the second time he'd ever seen a girl break down and sob in front of him.

How did he comfort that little Zimmerman girl back then?

He told her he'd go with her to break off her "marriage" to Yates.

But there was no way he could use the same trick with Jessica. Promise her a divorce? That was impossible.

When Jessica looked up again, her tears were gone. Determined, she signed her words to him, her expression unwavering. "Timothy, no matter what you do, you can't stop me from divorcing you. Don't think freezing my accounts will make me back down. For seven years, I never once told you 'no,' but I have the right to now."

She finished speaking, turned, and reached for the door handle.

Timothy stepped forward and pressed his hand against the

there, his voice rough as he tried to soothe her. "I'll unfreeze your accounts. I'll make it public that you're Mrs. Lawson. As for the divorce, let's put that aside for

time when she couldn't bear

were

if she forced herself to hold on for another six months, she knew she'd end up

at twenty, and the seven best years of her life had slipped away,

she only had six

used to think time could warm Timothy's heart, that if their marriage slowly improved, she'd have time

could even squeeze in a weekend class, teaching kids how to make paper

never imagined life would suddenly

That

important dreams-she didn't even have enough time for

still, Timothy wouldn't give

expect from a

hard, but Timothy

with no way out, she rose up on her toes and bit down, hard, on

couldn't push him away;

frustration and regret into her teeth,