All Chapters of A Love That Lingers : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

The first retreat weekend arrived with crisp mountain air and sunlight streaking through the trees. Emma woke early, the cabin still quiet except for Lila’s soft breathing beside her.She slipped out of bed, kissed Jake on the forehead, and padded into the kitchen to prepare breakfast for their guests. As the scent of fresh-baked scones filled the air, Emma felt a mix of nerves and anticipation.By noon, the women began to arrive ten strangers with tired eyes, cautious smiles, and stories they hadn’t yet told. Claire had offered to help with check-ins, giving out welcome packets, room keys, and hand-written notes from Emma.Each note read: You are safe here. You are seen.The first group circle took place beneath the old oak tree. The forest filtered the sunlight, casting a soft golden glow on the women’s faces as they sat cross-legged on picnic blankets. Emma stood in front of them, barefoot, heart wide open.“Welcome,” she said, her voice steady. “You made it here. That alone is bra

The knock on the door came on a quiet Thursday morning. Emma was making Lila’s breakfast, the warm scent of banana pancakes filling the air. Jake was out back tending the garden, and the forest outside was humming its usual peaceful rhythm.Emma opened the door and froze.It was Olivia.The woman she had once called her best friend.The woman who had betrayed her.Time had etched new lines into Olivia’s face, softened her sharp edges. But her eyes still striking, still stormy searched Emma’s with something unfamiliar.“Hi,” Olivia said. “Can I come in?”Emma didn’t answer right away. The old pain stirred like a shadow behind her ribs. But she stepped aside.They sat at the kitchen table, sunlight falling across the wooden surface like a spotlight.Emma placed a cup of tea in front of Olivia, hands steady but heart racing. Lila babbled in her high chair, oblivious to the history unraveling in the room.“I heard about what you’re doing here,” Olivia said quietly. “The retreats. The writ

The snow stayed longer than expected, clinging to the branches and roofs like a quiet blessing. Inside the main lodge, warmth wrapped around everyone like an old quilt. The fire in the hearth crackled softly as the final evening of the retreat began.Emma stood in the center of the circle of chairs, her notebook in hand. Around her, the returning guests of The Hearth Collective gathered, wrapped in shawls and hope. Outside, the world was white and still. Inside, they prepared for one last night of storytelling.She cleared her throat. "Tonight isn’t about closing. It’s about continuing. Whatever you’ve discovered here whatever truths have surfaced they don’t stay on this land. They go with you. And they grow."Nods followed. Eyes shimmered. A few smiles curled gently.Jules lit the main candle in the center of the circle, signaling the beginning of the final fire ceremony. "You’re invited to share something you've reclaimed," she said. "Something true. About yourself."One by one, the

February arrived with a hush. The snow still fell, though softer now, like a lullaby instead of a declaration. The Hearth quieted in the lull between retreat seasons. Emma used the slower days to reflect, to write, and to dream.The studio’s doors were officially open, though they’d planned the first official residency for spring. For now, it was a sanctuary for the four of them Emma, Jake, Claire, and Jules. On most afternoons, they each drifted into its warmth, notebooks in hand or mugs of tea in tow.Emma claimed a corner bench near the tall windows. That day, she was reworking her manuscript’s epilogue, responding to her editor’s gentle suggestion to include more about what came after healing.She stared at the blinking cursor on her screen.After healing... there was life.But it wasn’t neat. It didn’t come wrapped in a bow. There were still triggers. Still hard mornings. Still grief over time lost.Still, there was beauty.She typed slowly: Healing doesn’t mean we never feel pai

The Hearth hummed with quiet energy as June settled in. Warm breezes slipped through open windows, and the scent of pine and wild mint filled the lodge. Everything about the land felt alive now, as though it had taken a deep breath after a long winter’s sleep.Emma moved with ease through her days. Morning walks with Lila, quiet writing hours in the studio, meals shared with retreat guests. The pace suited her. She didn’t crave the rush of her old life anymore.Still, something stirred beneath the calm a sense that the next turning point was near.Jake noticed it in the way she stared out windows longer than usual. In how she hovered over her journal, not quite writing. In the way she asked, more often, “Do you think we’re meant to stay here forever?”He never answered with certainty, just held space for the questions.On a Thursday morning, Emma received a package in the mail. Inside was an advance copy of her second book, The Fire Between Then and Now. The cover was a soft rust-red,