Goodbye, Mr. Regret

He'd walked right up to Jessica—a woman he'd never even met before—and

proposed to her on the spot.

Even now, he couldn't forget the way she looked at him in stunned silence, her

eyes wide and searching.

Time seemed to freeze in that moment.

Waiting for her answer, he'd felt a strange mix of emotions—an unfamiliar struggle

twisting inside him. Would she say yes? Would she turn him down?

After what felt like forever, she finally smiled and nodded.

The tension in his chest unraveled in an instant, his heart swelling so wide it felt

as if it could contain mountains and rivers.

It wasn't that he didn't have feelings; he was just always so reserved, so careful

with himself.

That impulsive rush carried him all the way to the courthouse.

It was only when he stood there, marriage certificate in hand, the seal still fresh,

that it hit him—how reckless he'd been.

He told himself to calm down, to think.

That was when she brought up taking wedding photos.

He refused.

Now Timothy wondered if maybe, from that very moment, he'd already started to

hurt her.

"Timothy?"

Her voice pulled him back to the present. "You should go home," he said quietly.

"I'm fine."

He couldn't let Sheila get any closer to him. If things kept going this way, the

distance between him and Jessica would only grow.

Sheila was stunned. Of all the things Timothy could have said to her, "go home"

was the last she'd expected.

Trying to hold herself together, she protested, "You're hurt so badly—how can I

just leave you here?"

"She's hurting

faltered, caught off guard. "Don't

not hurt

knew Jessica wasn't

Her wounds were deeper.

was beginning to understand. His own injuries could

and rest. But the pain inside Jessica—there was

her to grab the steering wheel today, knowing her temperament, it

than a split-second

She really wanted out.

go. Maybe it was time to stop clutching that

certificate like a shackle.

time he imagined letting go—releasing the kite string he'd held

heart felt empty,

mad. They were in the same room,

else—somewhere

heavier and heavier in his

knew now that Jessica

if an invisible fist was tightening around her

so hard, for so many years, but the

and further away.

"Go home. Don't

again."

they crashed through Sheila's heart

one

her back straight and proud, but so

closed his eyes. His face was

had left half an

when Vince

simple cottage, his heart aching for reasons

quite name.

was cozy and

Vince to sit in the living room. As she prepared

then finally asked in a trembling, hoarse voice, "Jess, did

grow up here?"

and

with an emotion Herbert couldn't quite name—made the

unsettled.

attempt to hide how much he

my mom in the city. After she passed

yes, I suppose this is where I

small, but it's warm. Your grandmother must have

Yes, her

Jessica's

worked

She'd

of, and the

being able

had weighed heavily

the double blow was

she'd passed