Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Jessica let go of Vince and sent him the attending physician's phone number.

"Try to get some sleep tonight, okay? Don't stay up too late."

"I won't."

With a heavy heart, Vince left Jessica's room and walked to the bathroom to splash cold water on his face. He couldn't let his parents see anything was wrong. When he came out, he heard voices from the sitting room. He made his way over.

His parents were in the middle of a conversation with Yates about the old engagement between the two families.

Mrs. Zimmerman was saying, “Yates, I know your parents are good people. They'd never judge Salome for having been married or for having a child. But honestly, we feel guilty making your family wait all these years. And, more importantly, you and Timothy grew up together as friends. I think it's best if we call off this arrangement. When we were younger-your uncle, your parents, and us- it just seemed natural to agree to this, since our families were so close. But marriage can't be arranged like that. It has to be about love and mutual respect."

Jessica had only just come back home. After losing their daughter for so many years—and suspecting she'd suffered through her marriage to Timothy-the Zimmermans weren't ready to let her go again. If she married someday, they'd rather she found someone who'd be willing to move in with their family, so they could keep her close and safe.

Of course, the Bryants only had one son, Yates, so there was no way he'd ever become a live-in son-in-law.

have any special feelings for Yates now-not like when they were kids. So Mr.

while, but the Bryants had always hesitated,

side. I'll call your father personally to

just can't bear the thought of

instead, "If you're so reluctant to see Salome get married, does that mean you don't want

laughed. "No, of course not. If she meets the right person we'd honestly prefer a son-in-law who'd be happy to join our household. It would just

here

had tried to trip him up earlier that day, or how he'd defended Timothy.

turned to Mr. and

here with Vince and Jessy to discuss this engagement. Since we're talking about marriage and

Zimmerman nodded. "That's