Goodbye, Mr. Regret

It was a photo of Jessica and Daisy together.

The caption read: "Daisy has a new godmother. Blessings."

At the same time, Sallie saw the post pop up on her feed. Annoyance flared in her chest.

What exactly was Vince playing at?

She knew Daisy was Vince's cousin's daughter. After her parents passed away, the Zimmerman family had pretty much taken Daisy in as one of their own, and Larkin's intention was that Daisy would be under Vince's name, as his daughter from here on out.

Now Vince couldn't wait to have Daisy call Jessica her godmother-clearly, the man just wouldn't give up.

"Aunt Sallie, what are you looking at?"

Henry had come over and caught sight of Jessica's picture. In her arms, she was holding a little girl about his age.

"It's nothing," Sallie said, quickly locking her phone.

"But Auntie, I saw my mom! Can I just see it for a second?"

"There's nothing interesting about it. You'll see your mom when you get home anyway."

But Henry felt a pang seeing his mother holding someone else. He pleaded, "Just let me see. Please?"

Sighing, Sallie handed over her phone. Henry took it carefully.

He recognized the girl at once-his mother was holding Daisy.

He'd met Daisy before.

His mom was smiling at Daisy with a tenderness he hadn't seen in a long time.

And both of them were holding apples in their hands. It was Christmas Eve, so his mother must have given Daisy an apple as a little holiday gift.

Every Christmas Eve, his mom would always save a big, shiny red apple just for him.

But this year, she was with somebody else.

him

more

hadn't smiled at him like

felt something heavy

expression and gently took the phone away. "Daisy is from Mr. Zimmerman's family, you know. Your mom is kind

was upset, so

up at her, his voice barely above a whisper. “My mom hasn't spent time with me in so

He and your mom are having a rough patch. Once they make up,

stayed with Henry for a while, then had one of the maids take him for his

her room and

see what

Timothy replied,

out. "Aren't you

wife right in front

her," Timothy said, calm as

Zimmerman. It didn't matter what Vince tried-Timothy wasn't

least he knew Jessica was with Vince tonight.

that she might be with

him, then maybe Vince getting

"If you're so calm about Vince making Daisy call dessica her godmother, you might as well let Henry start calling Sheila 'Mom' too! If that's how

l.ne

in front of the kid," Timothy said, his patience. thinning. "Sheila and I were

phone screen still showing Vince's

cousin. And looking at Daisy in the picture, she did bear a striking resemblance to how

than anything was

this, who knew if someone else might notice

crossed his mind, a comment popped up under

just me, or does she look a bit like Timothy's wife

Timothy immediately called Yates.

are you inviting me for

your comment under

aren't we? I bet even Vince has seen it by now. Deleting it won't change

delete it.

his phone, ready to