Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Jessica braced herself against the wall, the bowl of water she'd been carrying slipping from her grasp and crashing to the floor, sending water splashing

everywhere.

She looked pale and unsteady.

Timothy hurried over and caught her before she could fall. "Jessy, what's wrong? Are you feeling sick? Let me take you to the hospital."

She tried to shrug him off, but a sharp pain twisted through her abdomen, leaving her too weak to resist.

Vince rushed over, gently prying Timothy's arm away and wrapping his own around Jessica's shoulders.

In a faint voice, Jessica muttered, "Vince, make him leave. I don't want to see him."

Timothy's heart pounded in his chest. "I'm not going anywhere! You're sick, Jessy. Let me take you to see a doctor."

Jessica shot him a cold look. "I don't need your help. Just go."

herself together, her words

steely as he turned to Timothy. "Didn't you say you were going to change? She doesn't want to see you, and she's obviously feeling worse because you're

hesitated, torn, but after a long moment he finally turned and

over to the bed next to Daisy's and eased her down. "I'm going

once I take it. I just left my bag in Grandpa's room-could you grab it

Larkin's room, where their parents were keeping vigil. When Zachary saw him, he said, "Vince, why don't

I'll go get

Jessica's bag and returned to the room. He

swallowing them with

home. Are you up for it? If you're not, stay here and I'll just

If she sees me like this, she'll only worry and insist I go to

and then come back for you. Jessy, don't be scared. The test results will come

her again—he couldn't bear to lose her

met Daisy and had even taken

nor Mrs. Zimmerman protested, so Vince took

actually left the hospital. He stood outside the entrance, smoking nervously, watching as Vince led Mrs. Zimmerman out to the car. Once they'd driven off, Timothy stubbed out his cigarette