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?"

"She's hurting

caught off guard. "Don't worry,

not hurt at

knew Jessica

Her wounds were deeper.

was beginning to understand. His own injuries

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

today, knowing her temperament, it

than a split-second

She really wanted out.

Maybe it was time to stop clutching

certificate like a shackle.

every time he imagined letting go—releasing

felt empty,

were in the

somewhere else—somewhere with

and

knew now that Jessica

felt as if an invisible fist was tightening

so many years, but

and further away.

gaze returned to Sheila. "Go home. Don't make

again."

but they crashed through Sheila's heart

shore, each one tearing

tears, her back straight

eyes. His face was

had left half an hour

when Vince

simple cottage, his heart aching for reasons he

quite name.

the place was cozy

invited Vince to sit in the living

asked in a trembling, hoarse

grow up here?"

was something raw in his voice, and the way he looked

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

unsettled.

made no attempt to hide how much

mom in the city.

I suppose this is where

warm. Your grandmother must have loved you very

softly. Yes, her grandmother

Jessica's mutism,

worked

She'd been

of, and

able to cure

had weighed heavily

end, the