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.

water, took some medicine, and lay down to rest. Her sleep was restless,

of that fire from

grabbed her phone. It was already seven thirty

was an old town

crowds would gather along the shore for a

reminded her of the Silverthread River back in Riverside City-where fireworks burst over the water every evening. If you dined at The Silverthread Eatery, the

than thirty minutes from The Gilded Whisper Estates, but in

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

was shelved

numbered, she owed

up, washed her face, threw on

crowds

walked hand-in-hand, whispering, some stealing

the throng, offering roses to every pair they

was a city of eternal spring. Almost every rose in the country came from here so many varieties, in colors brighter

love story had never involved roses. In truth,

her gaze

show was about to

first

dusk, scattering color

lotus blossoms bloomed above the