Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Sallie knew perfectly well that their family was in the wrong, so she kept her tone

gentle and conciliatory. She brought Henry over to Larkin, smiled, and said,

"Larkin, this is your great-grandson, Henry."

Henry looked confused. "Aunt Sallie, why is he my great-grandfather too?"

"Because he's your mom's grandfather," Sallie explained patiently.

But Larkin turned away, his face stony. "I don't want a great-grandson who calls

another woman his mother. Take him away. I don't even want to look at him."

Henry was already six years old-well old enough to understand exactly what

Larkin meant. He knew he shouldn't have gone around telling people Sheila was

his mother. Now, with it being called out so bluntly, he felt his cheeks burn with

shame. He squeezed Sallie's hand tightly, seeking comfort.

Sallie quickly tried to reason with Larkin. "Larkin, Henry's still young. He can be

led astray easily, but he can just as easily be steered back onto the right path. No

matter what's happened, he's Jessy's biological son. He hasn't seen her in days,

and I brought him here today so he could see her."

She knew Timothy wasn't going to reach out to Jessica anymore. As her older

sister, she couldn't stand it. Someone had to try to get Jessica to see Timothy.

"Six years old is hardly a baby," Larkin snapped. "At that age, he can't even

recognize his own mother? If it weren't for you Lawsons looking down on our

Salome, would any of this have happened? I'll be honest with you-Jessy doesn't

want to see him, none of us Zimmermans do. Take him away."

Henry remembered how his mother had ignored him that day, giving all her

attention to his little sister Daisy. Now his great-grandfather was rejecting him too.

Tears streamed down his face as he broke into helpless sobs.

Sallie frowned. "Larkin, he's just a child. There's no need to say such harsh things

in front of him."

to do it, he shouldn't be afraid to hear

spoiled him rotten.

scold him, but what about you?

No one ever said a word to

the angrier

none of us would have known. He's been

his mother,

bitter laugh. "You Lawsons

keep Timothy and Sheila apart on the surface, but

you're practically

miserable. She tried to explain,

support Timothy and Sheila

you stand

defend her marriage? And you have the nerve

gentle, looked stern and cold. "I think you all

she couldn't speak, because she was an

you bullied her."

to protest, but the words stuck in her

nothing to say. The family had always

Timothy. Even she herself had been guilty of

"You Lawsons have no integrity, picking and

Salome can speak and

overnight. With all your fortune and social standing, and Timothy

man, shouldn't you be more generous and

girl. Aren't you ashamed if word gets

was clear the Zimmermans were furious-maybe

Sallie could understand. After

that had

blame the

being angry? But

had looked last night,

to go on.

I came here today

apologize to Jessy."

"Henry has been missing his

just want to

to

want your apology.

wouldn't

for so

with the

and she's made

nothing more to

was only angry on her

why I went to your