Goodbye, Mr. Regret

All they could do was wait-wait for Timothy to come out.

Herbert, worried Jessica might collapse, scooped her up and carried her over to the lounge, gently settling her on a chair.

Sallie didn't like seeing Jessica so close to someone else, but she gritted her teeth and said nothing.

Half an hour crept by. Once Phelps and Naylor had finally recovered a bit, Naylor helped Phelps to the waiting area outside the operating room as well.

No one spoke.

Everyone's thoughts were fixed on Timothy's injuries.

Time stretched endlessly.

To the Lawson family, Timothy was their hope.

And for Jessica, the thought of Timothy in danger was unbearable.

Divorce was divorce, but she'd never wished pain or suffering on him-let alone death.

Especially not now, when he'd gotten hurt saving her and Herbert.

initial reaction had been anger-she thought he

wouldn't stop

the hospital that day, too,

around lifted a patient's spirits, and this was a chance for him

son.

to visit

a few times before; to him, the boy had always

was his blood-his sister's

his way out, Vince overheard a pair of nurses talking. "Poor kid-so father's in surgery. Two of the relatives@ven

and now

with Naylor and Phelps moments earlier, told him Timothy had been rushed into surgery

stairs two at a time to the third-floor operating

he immediately saw Herbert beside Jessica in the lounge. Jessica was pale, her body shivering now and

over and crouched in front of her, his voice

Vince, the tears she'd

of everyone else, but never with Vince.

"Big brother..."

why Jessica