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."

dares to do it, he shouldn't be afraid to hear people talk about it.

him rotten. Never

to be mute and couldn't scold him,

one ever said a word to

the angrier he got. He added, "If Vince

us would have known.

his mother,

laugh. "You Lawsons

Sheila apart on the surface,

you're practically

explain, "Larkin, you're wrong about

support Timothy and Sheila being

why didn't you stand up for Salome?

family and defend her marriage? And you have the

normally so gentle, looked stern

couldn't speak, because

you bullied her."

but the words stuck in her throat.

had always thought

for Timothy. Even she herself had been guilty

"You Lawsons have no integrity,

can speak and has a new

overnight. With all your fortune and social standing, and

man, shouldn't you be more generous and

you bullied a mute girl. Aren't you ashamed if

Zimmermans

Sallie could understand. After

had

the Zimmerman

angry? But

looked

herself to go on. "We

came here today

apologize to Jessy."

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

days. We just

to see

doesn't want your apology.

wouldn't have put

for so many

with

and she's made