Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Did someone just send her a Christmas Eve gift?

Herbert.

It had to be him. Again.

Timothy grabbed his phone and called Secretary Allen.

"Go buy 999 gift-wrapped apples and have them delivered to The Gilded Whisper Estates. And arrange for a Christmas tree."

He hung up before Allen could respond.

Timothy picked up the apple sitting on the vanity, meaning to toss it into the trash -but after a moment's hesitation, he set it back down. The last time he'd pretended to throw away that necklace Herbert gave her, she'd been furious. Why was he getting so worked up over an apple anyway?

Was she out to dinner with Herbert again tonight?

Agitated, Timothy pulled out his phone and dialed Jessica.

Meanwhile, Jessica had already bought the gold-plated cutlery and bowls. Carlisle and his crew-five key members in all-were present to witness her officially naming Daisy as her goddaughter.

Just as her phone buzzed with Timothy's call, Jessica glanced at the screen and muted it, choosing not to answer.

Vince beamed at her. "Hey, why don't I take a photo of you and Daisy to commemorate the occasion?"

"Great idea,” Jessica replied.

snapped several pictures, then helped Jessica get a few group shots with Carlisle and the

on her way over, Jessica had noticed apple vendors lining the street. She'd bought a bunch, and now everyone was holding one, grinning

movie teasers were flooding the internet, and there was even a promotion on Christmas Day, theaters in every

campaign, Vince switched on the big screen in their private room.

in a wash of deep-blue waves, only to fade quickly to black. Over the sound of surging tides, words appeared,

in a bottle, can you

a beach as waves crashed over him. The umbilical cord snaked from his abdomen, twisting into a fragile glass bottle. Somewhere, a mother's

the night as a storm raged outside. Just as the child was about to be

...

transfixed, eyes glued to

in the film, the boy's mother had given him life at the cost of her own. Yet, she found ways to stay with him, even

the trailer drew to a close, all the glass bottle umbilical cords exploded into a brilliant starry sky. The deaf boy tipped his head back, and in the silence, it was as if he could see that the stars

"Let the umbilical

the boy's body, alive

message: *Message in a Bottle*-coming

trailer, so beautifully crafted, moved her deeply. The rest

Carlisle and the others

were

This movie was their silent cry as

it was

reach the world.