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

rotten. Never taught him how to

used to be mute and couldn't scold

said

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

have known. He's

mother, hasn't

bitter laugh. "You Lawsons really know how to

keep Timothy and Sheila apart on the

practically matchmaking

felt miserable. She tried to explain, "Larkin,

and Sheila being

you stand

family and defend her

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

speak, because she was

you bullied her."

protest, but the words stuck in her throat. There

The family had always

enough for Timothy. Even she herself had been guilty

no integrity,

Salome can speak and has

your fortune and social standing,

be more generous and

you bullied a mute girl. Aren't

the Zimmermans were furious-maybe even

Sallie could understand. After

that had happened,

the Zimmerman

But

had looked last

go on. "We

I came

apologize to Jessy."

tighter. "Henry has been missing

just

want to

want your

she wouldn't have

for so many years.

living with the

and she's made it