Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Chapter 26

Jessica hesitated, unsure if she should hand her phone to Herbert.

But Herbert had already slipped it from her grasp.

He tapped away in the app store, quickly downloading a new app.

After a moment, he typed a line into the app: "Little Mute, how does this voice sound?"

A stranger's female voice came from somewhere nearby.

"Do you like it?"

He typed again, the same gentle voice repeating his words.

Jessica realized the sound was coming from the necklace.

Her eyes lit up with surprise. She had never seen a necklace like this-it was fascinating.

And the voice sounded eerily similar to her own, as if it carried echoes of her past.

Jessica hadn't been born mute.

Herbert handed her phone back to her.

"With this app, you just type what you want to say," he explained. "The software can mimic your tone, too. And the more you use it, the more natural it gets."

The

after they'd reconnected, he'd begged her to teach him, finding

to scribble notes or type messages on her phone and show

necklace, she could just type, and it would speak for her-no more awkward moments or delays waiting for someone to read her words.

this size

her phone: "It's too

her words, but her own cadence

the necklace into her hand. "Silly, the diamond's just a replica. I was worried you'd be upset it

much was it? Let

haven't seen each other in years, and you're quibbling over a little

letting his kindness stand and typed

should let you get some rest," Herbert said, gathering his things. "Just remember-don't get the necklace wet, and try to get some

goodbye and

down the street,

inside when a warm, strong hand caught her wrist, pinning her

Jessica looked up.

met Timothy's,

away, hand pressed against his solid chest, but he was unmovable—tall,

down, sliding the box with

with one

open the lid with his thumb,

design matched the ring he had once

brows knit