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?”

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

everything, hoping Jessica wouldn't feel pressured or

never needed anything from her. Everything

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

Herbert would still

love had never been about possession. It was about seeing her

Herbert, burying herself in his embrace. Someone who'd given so much for her deserved at least a

felt like it couldn't possibly be

Sallie panicked.

would tip the scales-that Jessica would

gave up on Timothy, she was afraid Timothy

a step forward, but

turned in surprise. It

cold and sharp. "What

another man like that? Herbert helped her, fine, but the Lawson family

and she stumbled