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?"

murmured, "She's hurting more

mean Jessica?" Sheila faltered, caught off guard. "Don't

not hurt

knew Jessica

Her wounds were deeper.

His own injuries could

rest. But the pain inside Jessica—there was no cure

her to grab the steering wheel today, knowing her temperament, it had

than a

She really wanted out.

go. Maybe it was time to stop clutching that

certificate like a shackle.

every time he imagined letting go—releasing the

heart felt empty,

They were in the same room,

else—somewhere

and heavier in

knew now

invisible fist was tightening around her

years, but the man she loved was slipping

and further away.

gaze returned to Sheila. "Go

again."

were calm, but they crashed through

the shore, each one tearing at

straight and

his eyes. His

Herbert had left half an

Vince

cottage, his heart aching for reasons he

quite name.

was cozy and

to sit in the living room. As

in the space, then finally asked in a trembling, hoarse voice,

grow up here?"

was something raw in his voice, and

filled with an emotion Herbert couldn't quite name—made the whole

unsettled.

hide

my mom in the city. After she passed away, I moved

this is where I spent most of my

grandmother

smiled softly. Yes, her grandmother had

treat Jessica's mutism,

worked herself

She'd been tricked

advantage of, and

able to

had weighed heavily

the double blow was