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.

that the ring finger

it really his heart

chest

those harsh words on

again, she saw tears

He'd heard her.

He was aware.

couldn't he wake

Timothy's attending physician came

said, "The prognosis matches what our specialists predicted. There's a real chance he could regain. consciousness. We recommend surgery as soon

do it. I agree, just...

nurse came to tell Sallie and

walked out, Thurston

Grandpa both want to go

"Yes, surgery. It's

surgical consent form, handing it to the nurse

long after, Timothy was wheeled from the ICU toward

two nurses.

group

could go into the operating

impossible. Family members in the OR could easily

to be taken in, Sallie stopped the

She