Jar of Hearts

by Jennifer Hillier

She knows from experience that it takes a while before your soul comes back to you. And it takes even longer before your soul stops bleeding.

In prison, there was only one way: You earned respect through fear.

Bad things aren’t supposed to happen to kids. It goes against everything we as a civilized society think is acceptable. Your protective instincts kick in.”

but the divorce rate for parents who’ve lost a child to kidnapping or foul play is exorbitantly high. They’re each other’s best reminder of the worst thing that’s ever happened to them.

And I thought, why the hell did we wait so long? Why did we think everything had to be perfect? Because children are perfect, and everything falls into place when you hold your child in your arms. All the things you think you’re going to worry about don’t matter.”