Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Timothy gazed at her, his eyes growing even darker. Only now did he realize just how deep the rift between them truly was.

"Who told you that?"

"The truth told me," Jessica shot back without hesitation.

"That's not it, Jessy. It's never been like that. There's a huge misunderstanding between us. You never once asked me, and I swear, there's nothing inappropriate between Sheila and me. Please, don't let your mind run wild. If we let these misunderstandings tear us apart, don't you think that's just too much to lose for nothing?"

She met his eyes, unwavering. "If that's really all there is, then you're right—it's not worth it. But I gave you a chance. I gave myself a chance too."

She remembered that night. He and Sheila had taken Henry upstairs, and Jessica had stayed behind in the master bedroom. She'd soaked in the tub, exhausted, and drifted off to sleep. When she woke up, it was already late. He still hadn't come back down.

She'd assumed he'd spent the night upstairs with Sheila. What she hadn't expected was that he'd actually come back down-he'd been busy in the kitchen, making her a birthday cake.

She'd guessed wrong. She'd misjudged him.

Maybe she'd misjudged him before, too. Maybe that box of mementos, those notes scribbled with Sheila's name—they were all ancient history.

She'd been so close to giving up, so close to letting disappointment swallow her whole. It had taken everything she had to find the courage to give them both one last chance, to try to talk things through.

But-

She let out a soft, bitter laugh.

louder

no idea

sat down and talked this through. Please,

her with

her gaze away. "I don't

do it anymore. Worse, she was afraid-afraid that if she kept listening, her heart would soften, that

No. Enough.

Timothy's voice trembled with urgency. "Are you afraid it's all been a misunderstanding? That deep down, you still care about

tightly in his own. "You just don't want

away your family for outsiders. Don't be

struggled, trying to pull her hand free. Her voice was low, her movements restrained;

I have to tell you-on that stormy night

you,

just outside the city, took a cab to the outskirts, ran into the police blockade-I was

streets were flooded, everything was shut down. I had to go on foot.

manhole covers were missingnet

knocked myself out. I nearly drowned in