Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Timothy's eyes were glued to the screen, unmoving.

Even as the credits rolled and disappeared, Jessica's name lingered before his mind's eye, floating there as if the darkness itself couldn't swallow it.

She'd married him just a few months after graduating college.

He'd never shortchanged her when it came to money, not once.

Still, she lived frugally, turning the Gilded Whisper Estates into a well-ordered, peaceful home. The household account always matched her meticulous budget down to the last cent.

He'd only discovered her ledgers by accident one day. He told her there was no need to keep such detailed records-it was all just for the house, after all.

She insisted, saying that even if money came easily to him, it shouldn't be wasted. Luck, she said, was fragile and easily squandered-the hardest thing in the world to regain.

Timothy never understood her thinking.

And he never wanted to argue about it.

So he let it go.

A few days ago, he'd opened the safe.

Everything was still there. Not a single thing missing.

So where had she gotten the money to invest in this film?

Timothy couldn't figure it out, no matter how many times he turned it over in his head.

And this animated film-he wasn't an expert, but even he could see it had all the makings of a hit.

Unlike the usual movies set in either contemporary or historical times, this one unfolded in the future—a unique blend of science fiction and tradition, with a style all its own.

He'd never known his wife had this kind of talent-not just animating, but writing scripts too.

Even he, a man not prone to sentimental displays, had immediately thought of his own mother. There were several scenes that stung his eyes, made him blink back a sudden rush of tears.

Her stories of family, of love-they hit home, sharp and true.

The film's production was first-rate, too.

theater seats around him

Timothy remained,

until the next group came in

He missed her.

missed her so much it felt

was, he'd been missing her for a

Henry's father-son event, they hadn't really spent much time together. In

the simple wish to hold her felt like

Estates, Timothy made his way to the

for their marriage registration

out of a

the frame, both of them wore crisp white shirts, the background a

always known how to

asking him to help pin it in her hair with a clip. Her

seen in Vince's social media posts a smile

felt the corners of his mouth

smiled at him like that, once-eyes

sat down, and took out a pack of wipes. He cleaned the glass until it gleamed,

stood before it, surveying

bedroom looked

something was still

the

sank onto the couch,

knew what

Love.

Jessica's love.

this

the haven he could retreat to at the end of a

He'd lost his wife.

his phone, his fingers flying over the screen as he drafted

the credits

her to watch Carliste and the others' promotional livestream. The siblings laughed and chatted, both of them

his phone, jotting down

the livestream ended, Vince called him to leave. Yates put away his

Vince

time, Yates didn't head to the passenger seat