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.

snapped to Timothy, just as his ring finger

the ring

really his

own chest tightened

words on purpose, hoping to provoke

tears

He'd heard her.

He was aware.

couldn't he wake

physician came in with

specialists predicted. There's a real chance he could

it. I agree, just... please, save

and a nurse came to tell Sallie and Jessica

out, Thurston was

Grandpa both want to

"Yes, surgery. It's his best

consent form, handing it to the nurse for the

Timothy was wheeled from the ICU toward

two nurses.

whole group followed close

wanted to ask Herbert if she could go into the operating room too, to be by Timothy's

impossible. Family members in

as Timothy was about to be taken in, Sallie stopped the nurse, wanting one last look at