Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Time had never crawled like this before.

It dragged on, stretching out like eleven endless years.

Vince stood up and walked over.

He let out a weary sigh.

Timothy had always been ruthless, capable of doing the most unthinkable things to Jessy-but Vince could never bring himself to be that heartless. No matter how

hard he tried, he simply couldn't stop caring about Timothy.

They'd grown up together. Thirty years of friendship.

At last, the doors to the operating room swung open.

The Lawsons immediately crowded around, bombarding the doctors with anxious questions.

Their voices overlapped in a surge of panic and desperation, making the doctors' heads spin.

"Enough! Quiet down!" one of the doctors barked, exasperated. "All this noise isn't helping the patient's recovery!"

Instantly, silence fell. The waiting room felt still, heavy with fear and hope.

At least, no one had said the worst. No one had announced a death.

A doctor stepped forward. "The internal bleeding wasn't fatal. We've managed to take care of it. The real danger was the brain hemorrhage. We performed a craniotomy, and the surgery was a success. But the next seventy-two hours are critical. If there's no further bleeding and the patient regains consciousness after three days, then he'll be out of danger."

They'd managed to snatch him back from the brink.

days still hung over them like

asked, "And if he doesn't

of brain death. He could end up in a permanent vegetative state. For now, he'll be in intensive care, monitored by our best team. When he's brought out, please keep quiet. Go home and prepare anything he'll need for his stay-clothes, toiletries. Only one

collapsed again, overcome

was dangerous-he was too old for this kind of

son had been a disappointment, never living up to expectations. And now,

hurried over

felt like everyone's blood pressure had been through

nurses wheeled Timothy

pale. Dried, dark blood clung to his lips. His head had been shaved

covered her mouth,

tears twisted in a

down her fanguish,

but

make

Naylor nearly fainted again.

this really his

Tim..." Nola's voice trembled, barely more than a whisper, choked

clenched his jaw,

tried to stand, but Herbert caught her by the

only the outline of Timothy's

nurses holding

steady beeping of

asked,

echoed