Goodbye, Mr. Regret

"I just wanted to check on him. As for anything I needed to say, I already said it when he came out of surgery."

Sallie stared at Jessica, barely able to fathom how the woman who used to have eyes only for Timothy could now seem so indifferent.

"Are you really giving up on him?"

"I'm giving up on the marriage, not his life. Of course I don't want anything to happen to him. But at this point, only the doctors can bring him back-not me."

Sallie's voice trembled with desperation. "Jessy, he doesn't want a divorce. Please don't say things like this. If he hears you, it'll break his heart. Can't you give him a bit of hope, just for now?"

Jessica went quiet for a long moment before finally replying, "If he dies, then I suppose I'll truly be free."

"You-!"

The ICU was eerily silent.

Sallie fumed, but didn't dare raise her voice.

How could Jessica say such a thing-almost wishing for Timothy's death?

Her heart aching, Sallie glanced over at Timothy, only to suddenly notice the fingers of his right hand twitch.

Her eyes widened. She gasped, "He moved! He moved! Doctor, he moved—!"

Without another thought, Sallie rushed out to find help.

his ring finger began to twitch even

that the ring finger

it really

own chest tightened

on purpose, hoping to provoke a

tears glistening at the corner

He'd heard her.

He was aware.

why couldn't

Timothy's attending physician

doctor said, "The prognosis matches what our specialists predicted. There's a real chance he could

it. I agree, just...

hours ended, and a nurse came to tell Sallie and

out, Thurston

and Grandpa both want to go ahead with

surgery. It's his

signed the surgical consent form, handing it to the nurse

was wheeled from the ICU

two nurses.

group followed close

times, Jessica wanted to ask Herbert if she could go into the operating

simply impossible. Family members in the OR could easily

in, Sallie stopped the nurse, wanting