Goodbye, Mr. Regret

As for the brooch, she never accepted it. Just the sight of it made her angry.

And then there was that last gift bag left unopened on the bedroom Christmas tree.

"You did nothing wrong-it was all my fault. Go take care of it," Timothy said, ending the call. He bought himself a ticket to an early screening.

At the theater's promotional booth, he queued up to claim a fan gift-merchandise inspired by the movie's characters. Timothy received a glass bottle ornament with a tiny photo inside: the film's main characters, mother and son, smiling together. The glass sparkled in the light, beautiful and delicate.

He examined the character designs. The aesthetic was unmistakably Jessica's.

It felt like all the air had been sucked from the room. He couldn't breathe; his chest ached.

Timothy's gaze drifted toward the director, Carlisle, and he couldn't help recalling the day Yates had come to deliver the film materials. Vince had swooped in, snapping up the movie rights.

Had Vince already known, even then, how closely Jessica was connected to this film?

Timothy still didn't know exactly how, but the mere thought nearly gave him a heart attack.

Back then, he'd had the audacity to tell Yates he wanted to acquire the film for Sheila, to give her top billing, all so he could find a strong, dramatic role to launch her career.

Vince had reminded him that his own wife was an animator too.

he said in response? That a true genius wouldn't care about

He actually came to see

can't believe President Lawson is here in person,

a picture, record a

Timothy was lost in his memories, oblivious to the growing

mentioned, glanced up. Sure enough, there

Jessica's husband. Jessica had given up her career for her

darkened for a moment, but he kept smiling, helping the host

inside to collect

seated inside the theater. The three of them were the only

and Vince sat on either side

the film began, the familiar music and imagery sent Jessica's heart racing. She'd never seen the finished cut before-she'd

and Carlisle had co-written the script, and he'd relied heavily on her ideas for

at its heart, a sweeping drama

time, she'd been thinking so much about her own son that it

the story. So many scenes were filled with her love for her

on the waves, every bottle containing a letter. If the letter failed to reach its

his late mother-the film retraced her harrowing ordeal at sea,

every frame. The film had no dialogue,

poignant. Gavin's story threaded