Another week had rolled by without anything new to report. The few sightings they had made of the boys kept us on the leash of hope long enough for us to continue praying. I knew by now that Jessica wouldn’t hurt them, but we were waiting for word of their auction back to their father.
That’s what this was…their safety, love, and affection sold out to the highest bidder.
And that person was Ashley.
It made me sick to think of it. Frankly, everything made me sick these days. I couldn’t watch TV, couldn’t eat, couldn’t mosey outside without the memory of them causing ripples of regret to wash over me. Why hadn’t I been there to protect them? My whole being was shrinking inside myself. Everything in this life had gone wrong.
“Hadley!” Granny’s voice hollered from her room.
“Coming!” I sh
