Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Just then, Henry's school day ended.

He hadn't even left the front gate when he spotted Sheila and Timothy waiting for him.

With a grin, Henry waved excitedly at Timothy, who immediately stopped talking to Sheila and turned his attention to his son.

"Dad! Miss Sheila!" Henry called out, dashing over to them.

As they passed by, Mario's mom and the nurse-who was picking up her own son, Paul-smiled knowingly. "Hey there, Henry! Your parents are here to pick you up?"

"Yes!" Henry replied, practically beaming.

So it was true. Everything Jessica had said was right-Henry really did treat Sheila like his mom outside the house.

A while back, when Sheila was about to leave because of the Lawsons' pressure, Henry wouldn't let her go. He'd brought up the upcoming arts-and-crafts competition, saying everyone thought Sheila was his mom, and he'd be embarrassed if people found out his real mom couldn't speak. It was supposed to be a parent-child event, after all.

Timothy hadn't stopped him at the time. There was nothing romantic between him and Sheila, and he was sick of his relatives making a fuss about it. Letting Sheila stay solved a problem for him, too. Besides, Jessica's condition meant Henry was bound to want to save face-what kid wouldn't? Timothy never imagined things would spiral out of control like this.

Now, he had to put a stop to it before the misunderstanding got any worse.

"You've all got it wrong. She's not my wife," Timothy said firmly.

Jessica, who had been hovering nearby, looked utterly bewildered and hurt by his words.

Sheila's eyes widened with surprise-Timothy had never cleared things up so bluntly before.

at his dad in

and the nurse, with Paul, had both overheard the exchange. Now everyone knew that Sheila wasn't Henry's real

told us this lady was his mom," Mario

right-he says it all the time in class. We didn't misunderstand," Paul

such a kidder. When Henry was sick

mom nodded in agreement. "Exactly! At the craft competition, Henry told me

it, but Vince had teased him until he let it go. He'd thought it was a harmless misunderstanding, never realizing how out of

than usual on Henry. Now, Henry looked absolutely petrified, barely daring to look up at his

up and saw Timothy's cold,

caught the tense

and son

with a warm

all," she said smoothly. "His mom couldn't make it today, so

wname to

you

the type to scold his son in front of an audience, but if she

a lot of trouble. She knew he'd be even more grateful

I guess we really did misunderstand," Mario's mom said, laughing it

mom must be, too. Hope we'll meet her at the next school

women headed off with their

still radiated a cold, intimidating energy. He

look at her. He knew what was waiting for him at home-a stern lecture,

"Don't blame Henry; this is partly my fault,