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.

There's an old saying that the ring finger is connected to the heart.

Was it really his heart stirring?

Jessica's own chest tightened painfully.

She'd said those harsh words on purpose, hoping to provoke a reaction.

When she looked up again, she saw tears glistening at the corner of Timothy's eye.

He'd heard her.

He was aware.

But why couldn't he wake up?

Soon, Timothy's attending physician came in with Herbert.

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

"Yes, the operation-please, do it. I agree, just... please, save him."

Visiting hours ended, and a nurse came to tell Sallie and Jessica they had to leave.

When Sallie walked out, Thurston was already waiting.

"Sis, Dad and Grandpa both want to go ahead with the surgery."

Jessica nodded. "Yes, surgery. It's his best shot."

Sallie signed the surgical consent form, handing it to the nurse for the doctors.

Not long after, Timothy was wheeled from the ICU toward the operating room by

two nurses.

The whole group followed close behind.

Several times, Jessica wanted to ask Herbert if she could go into the operating room too, to be by Timothy's side.

But that was simply impossible. Family members in the OR could easily disrupt the doctors' focus.

Just as Timothy was about to be taken in, Sallie stopped the nurse, wanting one last look at him.

She

thred Timothy's hand t

"Timothy, I know you can make it through this. Hold on. We're alfout

her

waiting for you." Cont

Jessica reached into her purse and pulled out the voice-recording ring Timothy

had given her, pressing it gently into his palm.

It was the only thing she had left that truly connected the two of them.

She hoped the ring would carry her presence with him into surgery.

This operation was critical-it would decide whether Timothy would ever wake up again. Everyone's heart was on the line.

Timothy was pushed through the doors, and once the operating room closed behind him, an uneasy silence settled over the hallway.

Henry was feeling much better that day-he hadn't needed any more shots. He told Naylor he missed his dad and insisted on coming to the hospital.

So Naylor brought him down.noveldrama

Before they even reached the OR, Henry spotted Jessica. He tugged at Naylor's

sleeve and whispered, "Grandpa, put me down."