Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Chapter 8

"Miss Sheila? Is that really you?"

Sheila turned, catching Henry's gaze.

For a moment, Henry forgot all about looking for his mother. Beaming, he scurried over to Sheila's side.

Sheila's brows knit together, her voice soft and apologetic. "Henry, last night over dinner, you mentioned not liking the school lunches. I wanted to make you something myself to take today, but... I think I messed up."

No sooner had she finished speaking than the acrid smell of burning filled the air then flames leapt up from the pan on the stove.

With a frightened gasp, Sheila dropped to the floor, curling into a tight ball.

Henry, alarmed, wrapped his arms around her and shouted, "Dad! There's a fire in the kitchen! Dad!"

As he tried to soothe her, he gently patted Sheila's back. "Miss Sheila, it's okay. Don't be scared."

Timothy hurried in, drawn by the commotion. Without missing a beat, he turned off the gas and clamped the lid onto the flaming pan. The fire sputtered out almost immediately.

But Sheila was still trembling, unable to move.

Concern shadowed Timothy's usually composed features.

and called, more

her head, her eyes shimmering

I really so

memory flashed across Timothy's

had been terrified

shouldn't come into the

looked at Henry. "Miss Sheila went through a fire once. She's afraid of it. You're not

not Henry's fault. He never asked

aching. "Miss Sheila, you're

just didn't want you eating

hugged her tightly, his voice trembling. "Miss Sheila, you're too

buckled. Without hesitation, he scooped

grab your backpack. We're eating

sweeping up leaves. When she saw Timothy

simply Timothy's sister-in-law. Now, she didn't seem

What would people think?

Mrs. Carter found out, it

open the car door," Timothy

reluctantly, opening the

at her coolly. "Mrs. Carter isn't home. Why didn't you make breakfast

to explain, but Sheila spoke up first. "Timothy, you don't like leaves scattered everywhere. I asked Mabel to sweep up