Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Sandra's face lit up with delight. "My granddaughter-in-law is coming? Oh, that's wonderful! You know what, maybe tomorrow I'll arrange for someone to pick her up. It's been seven years I haven't even met her yet!"

Back then, the whole Lawson family had been furious about what happened, and it caused a huge rift with the Howards. In a fit of anger, both families agreed to cut off contact altogether.

Still, Timothy and Sallie were their biological grandchildren, so they kept in touch.

As for Timothy's marriage to Jessica, he'd hidden it from them at first. The Lawsons had already stopped speaking to them, and he never mentioned it.

Even Sallie, that little scamp, helped him keep it secret.

It wasn't until word got out that Timothy had a son that they finally learned the truth.

Afterward, when they confronted Sallie about it, she just shrugged and said Timothy was being ridiculous, insisting on marrying a mute girl. She found it humiliating. Anyway, Timothy kept Jessica tucked away at home, never letting anyone meet her, so Sallie didn't bother telling anyone he was married.

Sandra and Abell figured that even if Jessica couldn't speak, Timothy had chosen her himself. They'd brought it up countless times, wanting to meet her, and each time Timothy promised to arrange something-but nothing ever happened.

Later, they planned to visit in person, but age caught up with Sandra and Abell. If it wasn't one of them in the hospital, it was the other. They just never managed to find the right time to travel.

They still hadn't had a chance to meet her.

to Riverside City last time, bringing Henry Lawson back with

me the silent treatment. She definitely won't come. I'll

her eyes. "But in your condition, you can't exactly go

to use a wheelchair in

just didn't work out the way

can't be helped. Get some

Abell left

however, didn't feel the least bit tired. He'd spent most of the flight lying down

house quiet and darkness settled in, his

but think back to that night-his temples throbbed as

lost

him, but in all seven years, no matter how much he wanted her, he'd never been so far gone that he'd forced

was wrong with

him, driving his frustration

it had been a long time-long enough to test anyone's patience. Plus, he'd been in a foul mood and had drunk more red wine than he should have. He vaguely

his eyes and let out a long