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."

shouldn't be afraid to hear people

him rotten. Never

couldn't scold him,

ever said a

more Larkin thought about it, the angrier he got. He

have known. He's been going

his mother,

out a cold, bitter laugh. "You Lawsons really know how to play the

keep Timothy and Sheila apart on the surface,

you're practically

explain, "Larkin, you're wrong

support Timothy and Sheila

true, then why didn't you stand up for

a family and defend her marriage?

stern

speak, because

you bullied her."

but the words stuck in her throat. There

say. The family had always thought Salome, mute and

good enough for Timothy. Even she herself had

sneered. "You Lawsons have no integrity, picking

Salome can speak and has a

With all your fortune and social

outstanding man, shouldn't you be more

girl. Aren't you ashamed if

Zimmermans were furious-maybe even hated

Sallie could understand. After

had happened,

the

being angry? But

looked

herself to go on. "We

came here

apologize to Jessy."

"Henry has

just want

to see you,

want your apology.

wouldn't

this for

living with

and she's