Goodbye, Mr. Regret

The walls she'd built around her heart-so solid for so long-collapsed in an instant.

She just couldn't bring herself to be ruthless, to turn her back on him, no matter what.

The nurse hadn't been especially attentive and hadn't bothered to wipe the dried blood from the corner of his mouth. It had caked into dark patches.

Jessica pulled a pack of wet wipes from her purse and gently dabbed at Timothy's lips, moving slowly and carefully. She had to let the blood soften before she could clean it away.

Maybe it was just who she was-her calm, steady presence seemed to quiet the entire room, settling the restless energy in the air and bringing a strange sense of peace.

No one else could have cared for Timothy this way. Anyone else would have fallen short.

Once she'd cleaned away every trace of blood, Jessica's voice was low and

hoarse. "You have to live. You have to wake up. If you don't, I'll never forgive you. When I left home, my son was healthy don't you dare try to leave me with a sick child while you run away from everything."

Timothy's right ring finger, hidden under the blanket, trembled ever so slightly. The doctors had already let the family come in to see him, and now a nurse began to wheel Timothy away.

Lawsons all

kept an arm around Jessica, helping

The way Jessica and Timothy interacted-it was unmistakable. There was something between them, a connection that ran bone-deep. It left Herbert standing there, unable to

go," he

take you to the movie premiere tonight. And I've

plenty of colleagues in the field. I'll talk to his attending physician,

Herbert," Jessica whispered, her

It's what I should do. You two go home-I'll go find the doctor. If anything comes up, I'll call

down and

is testing me?" she asked, her

makes you

this happens to Timothy. We were

a divorce, Vince.

But right now, you need to rest and stop worrying. You're sick