Goodbye, Mr. Regret

"No need."

He had no intention of seeing Jessica again, at least not for a while.

Dragging his battered body, he'd gone looking for her before.

He'd even asked Vince to mediate, hoping she'd come to the Howard family estate.

Just before leaving, he'd clung tightly to her hand, unwilling to let go.

But all his concessions hadn't earned him any understanding from her instead, she'd only grown more brazen, pushing him further and further.

"But the way she's acting... it's really worrying Mom and Dad."

"This is none of your concern. I'll handle it myself.”

Once the test results came in, he would head back home.

He'd already wasted enough time on Jessica; he couldn't afford to let it drag on. "Aren't you the least bit worried she'll get the wrong idea about us?"

his mind. He still hadn't explained to Sheila what had happened. After a pause, he continued quietly, "About that night... I'm sorry. I'd had too much to

he trusted her. He'd never once suspected he'd

still stung to think Jessica had ultimately gotten what she wanted—and to top it off, she'd even flipped Sheila off as

intervened and ruined Jessica's plans, things might have turned

always showed her, Sheila was sure he would have taken responsibility for

could I blame you for that..." Sheila pressed her lips together. Now didn't seem like the time to bring up their feelings. She changed the subject. “I'm planning to head to

about that night. He'd asked Yates for help with his film project,

Mr. Smith had already chosen Jessica for the role, so Timothy felt he owed Sheila some

back too. Let's go together-should be in the next day

"Alright."

to stay another day or so, waiting for

got them, he'd

arrived at the Zimmerman house, they went to see Mrs. Zimmerman

frail and worn Mrs. Zimmerman looked You know, you can't just worry about your kids all the time. You have

Zimmerman offered a tired smile. "That's just what mothers do.