Goodbye, Mr. Regret

It was exactly her style.

Her mother must have decorated the bedroom based on what she remembered Jessica loving as a child, assuming her tastes hadn't changed with time.

"Salome, I'll go run you a hot bath. You'll feel so much better after soaking for a while," Mrs. Zimmerman said.

Jessica quickly caught her mother's hand. "Mom, you're not in the best health. I can take care of these little things myself—I'm all grown up now, not a little girl anymore."

Mrs. Zimmerman smiled gently. "But you were only six when you went missing. I missed out on taking care of you all these years. Let me make up for lost time, just for today-let me look after you."

This wasn't just about looking after her. This was a mother's fierce, overwhelming love for her child.

"Mom, you're so good to me," Jessica choked out, her voice trembling.

Mrs. Zimmerman's smile deepened as she walked into the bathroom. She turned

on the faucet, adjusted the temperature, and started filling the tub.

Jessica grabbed some clothes from her suitcase and stepped inside. Mrs. Zimmerman sat on the edge of the tub, turned to her, and said, "Salome, you've always loved the scent of gardenias. I bought a special gardenia bubble bath just

for you."

She squeezed some of the fragrant liquid into the water and swirled it with her hand, filling the tub with delicate bubbles.

Jessica's eyes stung with tears.

Some things about a person never change.

She'd loved gardenias since she was little-her grandmother had planted two bushes by the front door and another in the backyard. When they bloomed, the whole house would be filled with their sweet scent.

After marrying Timothy, she found out he preferred the smell of orchids. Out of habit, she'd swapped out all her scented products for orchid-scented ones.

The bath was ready.

for you when you were little. And at bedtime,

grew even softer as

voice rough with emotion. "All these years... is it these memories

moment she spoke, tears spilled silently

too. Henry Lawson was her whole world-every frown of his

life was slipping away, she found herself

hadn't broken her heart, she probably would never have stopped worrying about

why are you crying again? Of course I missed you. Isn't that what mothers do when their children aren't

seven years, Jessica had lived

least her son still relied on her, cared for her. That was enough to help her forget all the ways she was

not long ago, even her

was to be loved-how it made her heart feel soft and

Mrs. Zimmerman's love was so fierce that, even after twenty years apart, Jessica felt no

bath, letting the warm water and steam blur her

she finished and came out, Mrs.

down, and Mrs. Zimmerman sat at the bedside, gently stroking her hair. "Close your eyes, Salome. I'll stay

Jessica whispered, "Salome

back tears. She answered in the same way she always had:

Jessica closed her eyes.

Riverside City.

Sallie brought lunch to the hospital for Timothy. After all, he

was empty. When she asked

insisted on being

calling Timothy, but his

tried his

has Timothy come into

"No, he hasn't."

called you? Told you where he