Goodbye, Mr. Regret

"Herbert."

Jessica's voice broke as she interrupted him, her words trembling with emotion. "Why are you so foolish?"

"Why didn't you tell me you were leaving the Wheeler family?"

"Why didn't you ever mention you'd spent seven years researching aphasia for my sake?"

"You came back to find me just to help me get better, didn't you?"

Herbert's eyes darkened, his expression freezing for a few seconds. Then, awkwardly, he forced a smile. "Who put that nonsense in your head? Whoever told you must be trying to upset you."

Sallie, overhearing the exchange, was completely stunned.

It was Herbert who had spent seven years researching Jessica's aphasia-and cured her?

Tears spilled down Jessica's cheeks. She shook her head. "No one told me. I saw the news about you leaving the Wheeler family. Just now, I overheard the nurses talking about the scientist who spent seven years on aphasia research. That's when I realized it was you. Herbert, you've done so much for me. How could I ever repay you?”

I find a treatment for a disease, it's not just for you, it helps so many others. You should be proud. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been inspired to focus on this at all. Lately, I've heard from so many people who've regained their voices-thanks to you. You're their lucky star. And besides, I've won awards and my reputation's

trying to downplay everything, hoping Jessica wouldn't feel

never needed anything from her. Everything he'd done, he'd

Timothy. The look in her eyes yesterday, when she gently wiped the blood from Timothy's lips,

she loved Timothy, Herbert would

been about possession.

arms around Herbert, burying herself in his embrace. Someone who'd given

a hug felt like

Sallie panicked.

moment would tip the scales-that

she was afraid

forward, but someone

surprise. It was

tone was cold and sharp. "What

that? Herbert helped her, fine, but the Lawson family

Sallie aside, and she stumbled