Goodbye, Mr. Regret

"Allen, are you seriously trying to rub salt in my wounds?"

Jessica hung up furiously.

She'd been on the fence about deleting Allen's number, mostly because he hadn't been too harsh with her. But now? No more hesitation. She blocked his number without a second thought.

Allen, realizing Jessica wouldn't pick up, switched to texting. He hurriedly typed out everything he wanted to explain.

[Ma'am, the night of the thunderstorm, President Lawson had already booked a flight to come see you, but the storm canceled all flights. He had to turn back. As soon as you called, he personally piloted the helicopter to the capital. The brooch it was a gift President Lawson bought for you at the airport. When I handed it to Miss Howard, she saw it and assumed it was for her. She called President Lawson and said she wanted it. Since she's his aunt, he probably felt awkward saying no, so he let her keep it...]

Allen thought for a moment, then quickly added another line: And before the holidays, President Lawson asked me to book three tickets-he wanted to take you and your son to Oakwood for a trip. When he couldn't reach you, he ended up only booking two.

Satisfied, Allen hit send.

But the message came back with a glaring exclamation mark.

She'd blocked him.

calling Jessica again, but the call wouldn't

the truth-that President Lawson really cared about her. Why did she get

Allen was baffled.

there was no one else to ask. Allen decided to

gone to meet Jessica's primary doctor, introducing himself as her brother and

situation to him: her last checkup showed she was a candidate for a

the doctor

Vince asked how long it would take for results. The doctor told

long, Vince thought, a

hospital, his

first diagnosed, the doctor had given her six months at best. Even

she had cancer. If there hadn't been a chance for a cure,

all

hard must it have been for her to hold out by

was her husband, always by her side, yet he hadn't noticed