Goodbye, Mr. Regret

"Where's Henry?"

"He's in his room. I've called him down a few times, but he won't come. Says he doesn't want to eat."

Timothy pressed his lips together and headed for Henry's room.

Henry was still lying in bed.

As Timothy came closer, he saw his son's eyes were swollen from crying.

"Henry, come on. Dad's taking you to the movies."

"I don't want to go."

"Not even if it's your mom's movie?"

Henry sat up, staring at him in disbelief. "Mom made a movie? She can do that?"

Timothy nodded. "You'll see when we get there.”

He firmly believed Henry needed to see this film. He deserved to know everything

his mother had done for him—all the love she'd poured into him.

Father and son came downstairs together. Naylor stopped them, offering breakfast.

Timothy shook his head. "No thanks, you all eat. I'll take him out."

nodded and let

sides of the family-the Howard side and their own -cared deeply, so there

a mother, he barely had to lift a

recently, with Jessica pulling back, that Henry ended up at the old

looking after a kid was overwhelming. He was out of practice, didn't know what he was doing, and frankly, didn't want the job.

be there in a heartbeat. With her handling things, it wasn't just him—no one in the family

though? It

Headache after headache.

caring daughter-in-law made all the

would bring up what happened

all through breakfast, Timothy

bought him popcorn and a Coke- treats

still in limited release, so not

outside with Henry, just like

finally time, he took Henry's hand and led him

just as hard as the first.

understand why his father had insisted he memorize "A

scenes in the movie

familiar

him. The theater was

it to

he

and son walked out into the bright