Goodbye, Mr. Regret

She picked up her phone, surprised to see an incoming video call from Herbert Wheeler.

Ever since that day outside the amusement park, when Timothy had forcibly taken her away from the café, she'd been worried about dragging Herbert into her troubles and hadn't contacted him since. Herbert, for his part, hadn't reached out to her, either.

Jessica hesitated for a moment, then accepted the call and propped her phone up on its stand.

As soon as the video connected, Herbert's cheerful face appeared on the screen. He waved at her with a big, playful grin.

Jessica couldn't help but smile and wave back.

Herbert's expression softened into seriousness. "Little Mute," he said gently, "do you want to speak again?"

She paused, caught off guard.

this before tonight, she would have given a

sound, a feeling that speech was almost within reach. Hope filled her

question. He had a reason: his treatment plan had finally passed clinical trials. Every person who participated in the

earlier, afraid she'd get her hopes

the screen, "Why are you asking

aphasia, all because of Jessica. But now she was married, and he worried the truth would weigh on her, so he hedged, "I've got good news. A doctor friend of mine overseas has spent the past seven years researching a treatment for acquired aphasia. It just passed clinical trials. All fifty patients involved can speak again. Jessica,

did. She really did. But confronted with her biggest flaw, Jessica couldn't help feeling a pang

had passed. When she was younger, her grandmother had taken her all

his voice, trying to encourage her. "I know what happened with your grandmother hit you hard. But have you ever thought about what she wanted most? She wanted you to be healed. I know she's gone now, but