Goodbye, Mr. Regret

"I just wanted to check on him. As for anything I needed to say, I already said it when he came out of surgery."

Sallie stared at Jessica, barely able to fathom how the woman who used to have eyes only for Timothy could now seem so indifferent.

"Are you really giving up on him?"

"I'm giving up on the marriage, not his life. Of course I don't want anything to happen to him. But at this point, only the doctors can bring him back-not me."

Sallie's voice trembled with desperation. "Jessy, he doesn't want a divorce. Please don't say things like this. If he hears you, it'll break his heart. Can't you give him a bit of hope, just for now?"

Jessica went quiet for a long moment before finally replying, "If he dies, then I suppose I'll truly be free."

"You-!"

The ICU was eerily silent.

Sallie fumed, but didn't dare raise her voice.

How could Jessica say such a thing-almost wishing for Timothy's death?

Her heart aching, Sallie glanced over at Timothy, only to suddenly notice the fingers of his right hand twitch.

Her eyes widened. She gasped, "He moved! He moved! Doctor, he moved—!"

Without another thought, Sallie rushed out to find help.

Jessica's attention snapped to Timothy, just as his ring finger began to twitch even more noticeably.

ring finger is connected

really his heart

chest tightened

words on purpose, hoping to provoke a

up again, she saw tears

He'd heard her.

He was aware.

couldn't he wake

attending physician came

predicted. There's a real chance he could

the operation-please, do it. I agree,

hours ended, and a nurse came to tell Sallie and Jessica

walked out, Thurston was already

and Grandpa both want to go ahead with the

"Yes, surgery. It's his

signed the surgical consent form, handing it to the nurse for the

wheeled from the ICU toward

two nurses.

whole group followed

she could go into the operating room too, to be

was simply impossible. Family members in the OR could

in, Sallie stopped the nurse, wanting one

She