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.

car, Herbert glanced over. "Where

practiced grace. "I'm not heading home. I need to buy some materials-could you drop me at

cuttings?"

smiled and

can be used for cutting designs. Your house has a

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

found himself looking forward

the craft from her grandmother as a child,

Now, it seemed, she had blended old

she'd even surpassed

fabric market, but instead of leaving, he got out to

tried to wave him off, insisting she could manage

communicate with the sellers. Let

letting

when Jessica spotted Timothy's

carefully

a confrontation, Jessica ducked

Timothy were twins,

college, she'd used her degree to launch a boutique fashion label, now with stores all over

her as nothing more than a mute