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.

to rest. Her

fire from

was already seven

was an old town near

beside a lake, each night at eight, crowds would gather along the shore

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

always wanted to see the fireworks show. The Silverthread Eatery was less than thirty minutes from The Gilded Whisper Estates, but in seven years, Timothy had never

she longed for those little moments with the man she

wish was shelved

days numbered, she

washed her face, threw

the lakeside, crowds

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

throng, offering roses to every

country came from here so many varieties, in colors brighter than

In truth,

tore her gaze away from

fireworks show was

boom, the first firework soared

the dusk, scattering color across

of twin lotus blossoms