Goodbye, Mr. Regret

"Dad." Henry looked up, his voice small and wounded. "But I think Mom doesn't like me anymore."

"There's no mother who doesn't love her own child."

Timothy had wanted to sit down and really talk to Henry for a long time, but the chance never seemed to come. Lately, the house had been in chaos, and after his injury, everything just felt even more overwhelming.

"Do you really mean that, Dad?"

“I do. But love goes both ways, Henry. When she feels your love for her, she'll show it back."

Henry thought for a moment. "When we have dinner, I'll apologize to her."

Timothy ruffled his son's hair, a gentle smile on his face. "That's my boy. Don't be rude to your mom again, alright? Otherwise, I'll be upset with you. Now, go do your homework."

Henry slung his backpack over his shoulder and headed to his room. He sat at his desk, but his mind drifted back to the way his mom had spoken to him just now.

Honestly, as long as she was talking, that was already a good thing.

His mom was beautiful, and she was amazing at making paper art. Just last month, she'd been the head judge at the children's paper-cutting contest...

But thinking about that contest made Henry's brow furrow. That day, she'd embarrassed him on purpose in front of everyone, and he'd ended up not winning a prize.

His head spun with messy feelings. He forced himself to stop thinking about it and opened his books to start on his homework.

Out on the balcony, Timothy lit a cigarette and sighed.

Raising a child and holding a family together were turning out to be so much harder than he'd ever imagined.

Back when Jessica was around more, he never had to worry about any of this. The house just seemed to run itself.

He'd never realized how much time and energy it actually took to keep everything together.

Tonight, he promised himself, he'd find a way to sit down and have an honest talk with her.

wasn't long before dinner

over to let Timothy know. He nodded, gesturing for her

knocked gently on Jessica's

"Dinner's ready, ma'am."

Henry, but after a moment's thought, she realized she shouldn't let them dictate

herself, she'd live as if the two of them didn't

her own

finally stepped out of her

"I'm so glad to hear your voice

"Mabel, thank you."

gave her a warm, grateful

treated her kindly. Now that Jessica could speak again,

she wanted to say to Mabel was thank

Come on, let's eat while

table. Timothy

the side, setting

was

little family was lost in their own thoughts, the

элос

nowhere to be

kept her head down and quietly

gave him a

speared a piece of chicken, and

for earlier. Please don't be mad at

up at Henry, then at

said nothing and went

in frustration. He'd apologized first-what else did she want

too, but she'd never

Jessica would

him.