Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Yates spoke with an easy, indifferent air. "Figure out who you're looking for before

you accuse me of stealing your woman."

Vince couldn't help but silently give Yates a nod of approval.

It was the kind of question Timothy simply couldn't answer.

He could only try to find his wife, Jessica.

But when he arrived at the Zimmerman house, there was no one named Jessica.

He asked for Salome, but Salome had nothing to do with him.

Timothy's expression darkened. "So you're against me too?"

"No," Yates replied calmly, "I'm just trying to protect my fiancée. Timothy, if you

can't answer that question, you should go. Your wife isn't here. The only people in

this house are Vince's sister, Mrs. Zimmerman's daughter, and my fiancée."

Inside the house, Jessica and Mrs. Zimmerman emerged from the study. Zachary

set a steaming dish on the dining table and called out, "Salome, your brother and

Yates are outside. Go call them in for dinner."

"Okay."

Jessica opened the front door, surprised to see snow quietly falling outside.

Wonder lit up her delicate features.

She tilted her head back, gazing up at the sky.

toward the front

she could, a

Timothy's eye.

then did he realize just how much

"Jessy!"

that familiar yet foreign

ears. She

outside the iron fence,

it

eyes froze for a moment, her heart pausing before settling back

steady beat.

to the doorway, calling out to Vince and Yates,

to

an arm

two siblings turned to head back

his feet, gripping the

wait-please! I need to talk

Jessica stopped, turning back.

off his coat

might get chilled

you have something to say, say it. Everyone's

soft and as cold-as

melodic, but

like a stone.

upon a time, she had waited for

so many nights and days they could have spent

her face felt

"I'm sorry."

message received. Anything else? Dinner's getting cold,"

as detached as if she were speaking

at the

me you'd