The Plot

"Regret" is a story about a woman who has no regrets.  Everything she has done in her life up to this point has been correct in her eyes.  She owns her own farm and has assistants and workers.  She is a kind but stern woman who knows exactly what she wants and always is in control until one day her neighbor dropped of all of her kids at her doorstep.  The children's names are Elodie, Ti Nomme, Marceline, and Marcelette.  Over the course of the short story, Mamzelle Aurelie has to learn how to be compassionate and loving towards these children.  She has to learn to be okay with having her house be a mess all of the time.  When she finally gets into the habit of taking care of these kids and starts really loving them, her neighbor comes back and takes her children back.  Mamzelle Aurelie doesn't fight and lets the children go.  After she is alone and looks at her messy house, she knows she should be relieved but in reality she really is sad and realizes now she has one regret.

The story is dedicated to the difficulty, importance and joy of  being a parent. The plot includes:

a)  Introduction: Mamzelle Aurelle is described as a strong-figured woman with ruddy cheeks, hair that is going from brown to gray, and a determined eye.

b)  Rising Action: Odile has to leave her four kids to Mamzelle Aurelle.

c)  Climax: When Mamzelle Aurelle sees the car which Odile is riding, she feels agitated because the kids have to be gathered.

d) Falling action: Mamzelle Aurelle is alone again, although she can still faintly hear the shrill, glad voices of the kids who have just left with their mother Odile.

e)     Denouement: Crying soulfully hard,  Mamzelle Aurelle does not notice Ponto licking her hand.