Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Soon, the rumble of a car engine drifted in from outside.

Jessica emerged from the bathroom, having just brushed her teeth.

Henry was standing in her room, his small face scrunched up in a look of reproach.

She glanced at Henry with indifference, then walked over to the sitting area, poured herself a glass of milk, and opened her laptop to read the script Mr. Smith had sent her.

She acted as though Henry wasn't even there.

Henry couldn't believe it.

He'd come all the way to his mom's room-and she was treating him like thin air!

Fuming, he marched over and slammed the laptop shut.

"Mom, why are you ignoring me?"

look up, meeting Henry's

she pay attention to him? He had already made it clear he didn't want her as

the craft competition? I'm your son! Did you really want me to lose

Sheila? You weren't like this before— what's gotten into you

married to Dad, with me being

am, isn't it embarrassing to finally have a wedding

all his pent-up

she and Timothy were

But Henry was different.

she'd carried for nine months, her own

what happened between her and

hand in disappointment. "If you hadn't tried to deceive people, how would you have lost face? A person of integrity,

speechless

eyes rimmed with red. But at last, he couldn't hold it in anymore and shouted, "It's all because you're a mute! If you weren't mute, I wouldn't have let Miss Sheila pretend to be my mom.

Smack-

ashamed because I can't speak? What right do you have to win any prize, or