Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Chapter 33

Jessica sat beside her on the antique wooden settee.

The two of them faced each other across a small coffee table, which was scattered with all sorts of delicate paper cuttings.

"Jessica, I'm just not satisfied with any of these decorations," Latonia sighed. "It's

a pity your grandmother passed away years ago. The neighbors told me you're quite talented too. Could I trouble you to make some for me?"

Jessica nodded silently.

She didn't speak a word.

Latonia had heard from Herbert that Jessica still hadn't regained her voice.

Latonia led Jessica around the villa, asking her to help spot the best places for the decorations. Jessica took her time, studying the rooms, and snapped photos on her phone of the spots that needed some color.

Communicating in gestures and notes on her phone, Jessica let Latonia know she could finish everything in about two days.

Latonia, who hadn't seen Jessica in so long, insisted she stay for dinner.

Afterwards, Latonia had Herbert drive Jessica home.

the car, Herbert glanced over. "Where do you

her hands moving with practiced grace. "I'm not heading home. I need to buy some materials-could you drop me at the fabric market

paper cuttings?" Herbert

and

materials can be used for cutting designs. Your house has a classic look-if I

her fingers nimble and wrists poised, making her sign language almost look

himself looking forward to

from her

intricate projects. Now, it seemed, she had blended old traditions with

she'd even

market, but instead

him off, insisting she could

with the sellers. Let me help with

relented, letting

when Jessica spotted

was carefully

Jessica

twins, both twenty-nine this

her brother, Sallie was single-a hard-charging career woman. After college, she'd used her degree to launch a

always looked down on Jessica, seeing her as nothing more than