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 the end, a nightmare jolted

that fire from seven years

phone. It was

an old town near the

at eight, crowds would gather along the shore

over the water every evening. If you dined at The Silverthread Eatery, the view from

had always wanted to see the fireworks show. The Silverthread Eatery was less than thirty minutes from The Gilded Whisper

the man she loved. If Timothy wouldn't go,

the wish was shelved and

her days numbered, she owed herself this

got up, washed her face, threw on a

crowds

walked hand-in-hand, whispering, some stealing kisses beneath

through the throng, offering roses

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

had never involved roses. In truth, it had always been

tore her gaze away

was

a sharp boom, the first firework

dusk, scattering color

of twin lotus blossoms bloomed