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 than I

faltered, caught off guard. "Don't worry,

hurt at

knew Jessica wasn't physically

Her wounds were deeper.

understand. His own injuries could be treated

rest. But the pain inside Jessica—there was no

steering wheel today, knowing her

than a split-second

She really wanted out.

it was time to stop clutching that

certificate like a shackle.

time he imagined letting go—releasing the kite string he'd held

heart felt empty,

were in the same

else—somewhere with

was becoming heavier and heavier in

now that

invisible fist was tightening

so many years, but the man she loved was

and further away.

Timothy's gaze returned to Sheila. "Go

again."

they crashed through Sheila's heart

shore, each one tearing at the wounds inside

left in tears, her back straight

his eyes. His

left half an hour before Vince,

when Vince finally

small, simple cottage, his heart aching for

quite name.

was cozy and

Vince to sit in the living room. As she prepared

finally asked in a trembling, hoarse voice, "Jess, did

grow up here?"

was something raw in his voice, and the way he looked at her—so

emotion Herbert couldn't quite name—made the

unsettled.

hide how much he

city. After she passed away, I

is where I spent most

Your grandmother must have

her grandmother

treat Jessica's

had worked

bone. She'd been tricked

of, and

being able to

weighed heavily on

end, the