Goodbye, Mr. Regret

She'd been having a nightmare, but what really woke her was the pain.

She'd gone a whole day without her medication.

That was something she simply couldn't do.

Jessica turned her face away, refusing to look at him.

But the pain was so sharp, so overwhelming, that she could barely endure it; half- reclined in the plane's seat, her body curled up uncontrollably.

Timothy's panic only grew. He gripped her arm, his voice tight with worry. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Leave me alone!" she snapped, shoving his hand away.

If it weren't for him, she wouldn't be suffering this way.

She hadn't been born with liver disease. The doctors said her illness was the result of years of bottled-up emotions.

She'd been getting better-distancing herself from Timothy and his son, faithfully taking the medicine prescribed for her conservative treatment. The cancer cells had even shown signs of shrinking, giving her a real chance at surgery.

But now, he was about to ruin everything again.

"You're my wife. How could I not care? Is it your stomach? Let me help-maybe a little massage-"

She'd been asleep for seven or eight hours; they must be almost there.

Jessica's forehead was slick with sweat. This pain-no massage could possibly ease it.

"Don't touch me."

She pushed him away again.

Timothy stared at the perspiration beading on her brow, then called out to the pilot, "Contact the nearest airstrip. We need to land as soon as possible."

They were already back in the country. It didn't matter if they didn't go straight to Riverside City.

With her in this state, he had to get her to a hospital.

"Timothy! Don't change course. Take us home, straight home!"

Her medication was at the house. All she needed was to take her pills, and she'd be fine.

She was always careful to have her medication ready and on time. If they landed somewhere unfamiliar, it would only delay things, and there was no guarantee she could even get the prescription she needed.

would never, ever let him find out about

enough to leave him as it was; that secret was her last card, her last

would

uneasy. "But you're in so

you. I just need to rest. I want to go home,

so resolute, that Timothy had no choice but to back down. He told the

using every ounce of strength she had just to hold herself

it anymore. He unbuckled her seatbelt and lifted her into

she had no energy

was

kind of place she'd wanted to

she was at her lowest. He was always so calm, so unshakeable; deep down, she believed he could

coming to rest on her abdomen, his palm radiating heat

he asked

every emotion is raw and

someone care-it's a devastating kind of

the pain had already

answer, she stayed silent. Timothy

stomach, trying to soothe her, to

always someone

ie'

ет

hurt, that pain cuts even deeper because of them and yet, when you see them, you somehow forget

you once loved

the

We'rest there. Once we're

wish will finally

to distract her with

the pain only made it worse-he knew that, and

there's a surprise I

Jessica hesitated, skeptical.

from him? More likely a shock or

want to

gave him a blank

me anymore, do

She still said nothing.

tighter. "That's okay. You'll believe me eventually. As long as