Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Vince climbed into the car. Herbert started the engine, glanced over at him, and

for a long moment, the two men locked eyes in heavy silence. Finally, Herbert

spoke, his voice tinged with a desperate plea. "Can you just... not fight me over

Natalie? I've loved her since we were kids for fifteen years."

"Vince's answer was cold and final. "I'm not the one you're fighting with. It's

Timothy."

"You're saying you don't like her?"

Anyone could see Vince's feelings for her.

"Just drive. We can talk while you're at it."

Herbert pressed the gas, and the car rolled forward.

"Vince's voice was low and steady. "How much do you actually know about

Natalie's childhood?"

"There you go again, asking about her. And you say you don't like her!"

Herbert was clearly annoyed.

Vince's expression darkened. "You claim you've loved her for fifteen years, but

you never did anything about it. You just let her marry Timothy and suffer through

all that-how is that fair to her?"

Herbert's knuckles tightened on the steering wheel, lips pressed so hard they

turned white.

He didn't know.

He never imagined things would turn out like this.

When Jessica filed for divorce, when she talked to Marquis about everything that

happened...

Every time Herbert thought about it, he felt tears sting his eyes-something he'd

never admit, not even to himself.

The girl he wanted to protect most ended up being hurt by Timothy in the worst

ways.

He blamed himself.

kept in touch, but he never told her the

until he'd found a cure for

confession of love.

the time he came back, it was already

love only leads

then pressed on. "Is she her family's

you getting at? If she wasn't really

think her grandmother would have worked herself sick

her?"

brow furrowed. "So you're saying

even has a birthmark-there's

""What kind of birthmark?"

"Vince's voice trembled.

face grew wary. "I

in a private place.

torn, and Herbert had rushed over when he

only reason he'd ever seen

weren't really their daughter, and she had that birthmark,

know.

one ever said

impatient. "Come on,

released the brake and kept driving. "I'm not

"Why not?"

Vince was losing it.

and that's final. Don't ask

Vince's frustration boiled over. "Stop

made

brakes again,

you're not my

you keep

How am I

you?"

her

Vince that.

scrolled through his photos, and shoved it in

you recognize

shrank in shock. Wasn't that Natalie

picture was wearing a fancy dress something

could never

Natalie's clothes

simple, picked out by

elderly grandmother. The prettiest

ever owned had

Herbert's own

his request.