Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Sallie knew perfectly well that their family was in the wrong, so she kept her tone

gentle and conciliatory. She brought Henry over to Larkin, smiled, and said,

"Larkin, this is your great-grandson, Henry."

Henry looked confused. "Aunt Sallie, why is he my great-grandfather too?"

"Because he's your mom's grandfather," Sallie explained patiently.

But Larkin turned away, his face stony. "I don't want a great-grandson who calls

another woman his mother. Take him away. I don't even want to look at him."

Henry was already six years old-well old enough to understand exactly what

Larkin meant. He knew he shouldn't have gone around telling people Sheila was

his mother. Now, with it being called out so bluntly, he felt his cheeks burn with

shame. He squeezed Sallie's hand tightly, seeking comfort.

Sallie quickly tried to reason with Larkin. "Larkin, Henry's still young. He can be

led astray easily, but he can just as easily be steered back onto the right path. No

matter what's happened, he's Jessy's biological son. He hasn't seen her in days,

and I brought him here today so he could see her."

She knew Timothy wasn't going to reach out to Jessica anymore. As her older

sister, she couldn't stand it. Someone had to try to get Jessica to see Timothy.

"Six years old is hardly a baby," Larkin snapped. "At that age, he can't even

recognize his own mother? If it weren't for you Lawsons looking down on our

Salome, would any of this have happened? I'll be honest with you-Jessy doesn't

want to see him, none of us Zimmermans do. Take him away."

Henry remembered how his mother had ignored him that day, giving all her

attention to his little sister Daisy. Now his great-grandfather was rejecting him too.

Tears streamed down his face as he broke into helpless sobs.

Sallie frowned. "Larkin, he's just a child. There's no need to say such harsh things

in front of him."

to do it, he shouldn't be

him rotten. Never

scold him, but what about

said

more Larkin thought about it, the angrier he

it, none of us would have

his mother,

let out a cold, bitter laugh. "You Lawsons

and Sheila apart on the surface, but

practically matchmaking

miserable. She tried to explain, "Larkin, you're wrong about

Timothy and Sheila

that's true, then why didn't you stand up

unite as a family and defend her marriage? And you have

now?" Larkin, normally so gentle, looked stern and cold. "I

couldn't speak, because she was an orphan,

you bullied her."

Sallie wanted to protest, but the words stuck in her

nothing to say. The family had always thought Salome, mute and

Even she herself had been

sneered. "You Lawsons have no integrity, picking and

that Salome can speak and has a new name, your

With all your fortune and social standing, and Timothy

outstanding man, shouldn't you be more generous and

Instead, you bullied a mute girl. Aren't you ashamed if word gets

the Zimmermans were furious-maybe even hated

Sallie could understand. After

had

the Zimmerman

But thinking of

had looked last

to go

came here today

apologize to Jessy."

hugged Henry a little tighter. "Henry has been missing his mom these

just want to see

want to

want your

cared, she wouldn't

all this for so

living with the

she's