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

Sheila faltered, caught off guard.

hurt at

knew Jessica wasn't

Her wounds were deeper.

beginning to understand. His own injuries could be treated

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

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

than a

She really wanted out.

let her go. Maybe it was time to

certificate like a shackle.

imagined letting go—releasing the kite string he'd

felt empty, hollowed

were in the

somewhere else—somewhere with

heavier and heavier in his

he knew now that

an invisible fist was tightening around her

many years, but the man she loved

and further away.

Timothy's gaze returned to Sheila. "Go home. Don't make me say

again."

they crashed

the shore, each one tearing at the

back straight and proud, but

eyes. His face was empty,

and Herbert had left half an hour before Vince, arriving barely

Vince

small, simple cottage,

quite name.

the place was cozy and

sit in the living room. As she prepared some tea,

then finally asked in

grow up here?"

and the way he looked

an emotion Herbert couldn't quite name—made the

unsettled.

hide how

used to live with my mom in the city. After she passed away,

So yes, I suppose this is where I spent most

Your grandmother must

smiled softly. Yes, her grandmother had

treat Jessica's

had worked

bone. She'd been tricked

of, and

able to

weighed

the end, the