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

spoiled him rotten. Never taught him how to

scold

ever said a word to

thought about it, the angrier he got. He added,

would have known. He's

mother, hasn't

out a cold, bitter laugh. "You Lawsons really

apart

you're practically

explain, "Larkin, you're wrong

Timothy and

stand up

and defend her marriage? And you have the nerve to

normally so gentle, looked stern and cold.

she couldn't speak, because she was

you bullied her."

wanted to protest, but the words

The family had always thought Salome, mute and

enough for Timothy. Even she herself had been guilty of

have no integrity, picking

that Salome can speak and

your fortune

outstanding man, shouldn't you be more generous and help those

girl. Aren't you ashamed if word gets

the Zimmermans were furious-maybe even

Sallie could understand. After

had

the

angry? But

looked

go

came here

apologize to Jessy."

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

days. We just

doesn't want to

doesn't want your

cared, she wouldn't have

this for so many years.

with

and she's made it