Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Chapter 93

Jessica forced a faint smile.

No matter how tactfully Sallie put it, the message was always the same— Jessica's muteness was a disappointment.

She should try harder.

But Jessica had been trying, day after day, to prove herself worthy of Timothy. She'd done everything she could think of. If only the Lawsons could show her a little more respect, maybe Henry wouldn't have grown so distant, so ashamed of having a mother who couldn't speak.

But what could she do? She was voiceless, powerless.

That's why she was so willing to support Carlisle and the others they worked so hard to prove that even without a voice, they could live, work, and create just like anyone else.

Sallie, meanwhile, felt she'd done all she could for Jessica. She'd given her advice, offered reminders, and now, if Jessica couldn't appreciate it, she'd just have to deal with the consequences herself. As for Sheila, Sallie was sure their grandfather would step in.

With that, Sallie left.

Jessica made her way to Henry's hospital room.

He'd had surgery just before dawn; now that the anesthesia had worn off, he probably still hurt. Even in his sleep, his small face was scrunched up in pain.

to Sheila and seemed embarrassed by his own mother. Every time he

so she wasn't tired that night. She kept

Morning came.

eyes, he saw Jessica dozing beside his bed, her head resting on her arms. Something

little boy, opening his eyes to see his

love her. But

dad was the wealthiest man in Riverside City,

them to find

"Mom..." he whispered.

snapped up at the sound

stay here all

Jessica nodded.

quickly pulled out her phone and typed into a text-to-speech app: "Henry, are you hungry? Do you want me to get

from the phone, and Henry noticed the ring

it was still artificial, a reminder that his mother would never speak to him in her

to read it. Dad

dull ache throbbed

signing: "I'll go get you something to eat. You just lie still, okay? You just had