Goodbye, Mr. Regret

He'd walked right up to Jessica—a woman he'd never even met before—and

proposed to her on the spot.

Even now, he couldn't forget the way she looked at him in stunned silence, her

eyes wide and searching.

Time seemed to freeze in that moment.

Waiting for her answer, he'd felt a strange mix of emotions—an unfamiliar struggle

twisting inside him. Would she say yes? Would she turn him down?

After what felt like forever, she finally smiled and nodded.

The tension in his chest unraveled in an instant, his heart swelling so wide it felt

as if it could contain mountains and rivers.

It wasn't that he didn't have feelings; he was just always so reserved, so careful

with himself.

That impulsive rush carried him all the way to the courthouse.

It was only when he stood there, marriage certificate in hand, the seal still fresh,

that it hit him—how reckless he'd been.

He told himself to calm down, to think.

That was when she brought up taking wedding photos.

He refused.

Now Timothy wondered if maybe, from that very moment, he'd already started to

hurt her.

"Timothy?"

Her voice pulled him back to the present. "You should go home," he said quietly.

"I'm fine."

He couldn't let Sheila get any closer to him. If things kept going this way, the

distance between him and Jessica would only grow.

Sheila was stunned. Of all the things Timothy could have said to her, "go home"

was the last she'd expected.

Trying to hold herself together, she protested, "You're hurt so badly—how can I

just leave you here?"

hurting more than I

off guard. "Don't worry, Vince

hurt

Jessica wasn't

Her wounds were deeper.

to understand. His

But the pain inside Jessica—there was no cure

wheel today, knowing her temperament, it had

than a split-second

She really wanted out.

her go. Maybe it was time to stop

certificate like a shackle.

he imagined letting go—releasing the

heart felt

were in the same

else—somewhere with

was becoming heavier and heavier in

he knew now that Jessica

invisible

tried so hard, for so many years,

and further away.

Sheila. "Go home. Don't make me

again."

words were calm, but they crashed through Sheila's

shore, each one

straight and proud, but

His face

Herbert had left half an hour

when Vince finally showed

simple cottage, his heart aching for

quite name.

was cozy and welcoming

living room.

in a trembling, hoarse voice,

grow up here?"

raw in his voice, and the way

an emotion Herbert couldn't quite name—made

unsettled.

attempt to hide how

live with my mom in the city.

yes, I suppose this is where

but it's warm. Your grandmother

her grandmother

treat Jessica's

had worked

She'd

of, and the

not being able

had weighed heavily

the end, the double blow