Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Chapter 13

"She's here for the comic convention. I actually made a whole book of paper-cut illustrations for her. I wonder if she'll like it?"

Jessica's throat tightened.

She watched as Timothy and Henry stepped into the elevator together.

She was the one who had taught Henry how to make those paper-cut illustrations.

Most kids loved cartoons, and since she couldn't speak, she'd worried Henry might get bored when she watched him. After each show, she'd sit with him and do crafts, cutting out his favorite cartoon characters, making up little stories, and pasting them into a scrapbook.

Henry used to praise her for how pretty her paper-cuts looked, and in time, he'd learned to do it alongside her.

They'd created so many of those illustrated scrapbooks together.

Henry once promised that when he could finish a whole book by himself, the very first one would be for his mom.

Jessica never expected that day would come so soon-that Henry could already make a whole scrapbook on his own.

Her face pale, Jessica stepped wordlessly into the elevator.

Back in her room, a dull ache burned in her stomach, and fatigue pressed down like a heavy blanket.

medicine, and lay down to rest. Her sleep was restless, haunted by shadows. In

fire

her phone. It was already seven thirty in

old

at eight, crowds would gather along the shore for

back in Riverside City-where fireworks burst over the water every evening. If you dined at The

minutes from The

then, newly married, she longed for those little moments with the man she loved. If Timothy wouldn't go, she felt there was no point

the wish was

she owed herself this one

her face, threw on a

the lakeside, crowds drifted

whispering, some stealing kisses

wove through the throng, offering roses to every pair

Almost every rose in the country came from here so many varieties, in colors brighter

love story had never involved roses. In truth,

gaze

fireworks show was

boom, the first firework soared into the

scattering color across

lotus blossoms bloomed