If you’ve read His Perfect Wife or Summer’s Forever, you would’ve met Marion. And now, she finally gets her happily-ever-after. Check out the first chapter of Winter’s Embrace.
***
A low moan escaped Marion Hall’s lips as she opened her eyes. The ache on her left side had settled in, and she struggled to roll over and push herself out of bed. The lingering weakness and pain were from a mild ischemic stroke several months ago.
While it was under control, this morning’s pain resulted from a more active-than-normal weekend. She’d attended church, enjoying the fellowship and finding surprising comfort and hope in Cassandra Pageant’s speech.
Then, she and Keke spent the day with Mac and Tonya and their children, but she regretted nothing and wouldn’t change a thing.
Still, she forced herself to go through the exercises Hudson had taught her so she would have less pain, even if that were later in the day. After her morning devotion, she dressed and went downstairs.
“Morning.” Her daughter bounded up to her and kissed her on the cheek.
Since dating Hudson Baker, the girl was practically effervescent
“Hello, sweetheart.” Marion returned the kiss and patted her daughter’s cheek. “How are you today?”
Keke pulled back to examine her. Marion focused on relaxing her features.
“Much better than you.” Keke drew her toward the kitchen. “You’re hurting. Come, I made breakfast.”
She grunted, not admitting or denying. Her daughter worried too much.
“I’ll ask Colin if I can work from home today.”
“No.”
Marion eased herself into the chair. “You have appointments, people depending on you. You shouldn’t have to take time off because of me.”
Keke’s stories of single mothers and young men fighting to reclaim their lives flashed through her mind. They depended on Keke, who poured her heart into her work as an addiction therapist. There was no way Marion would be the reason one of them went without the support they needed.
Her daughter stared at her for a beat longer before nodding. “If you’re sure.”
“I am.” She ran her finger around the rim of the fruit basket. “Don’t worry about me. By the time you get to work, the girls will be here.”
Marion belonged to an outreach group of retired women affectionately called the Dorcas Brigade.
Since her illness, they’d rallied around her, showing up to keep her company on days when her caretaker was off. Now that the Halls’ contract with Hudson had expired, the Brigade made Marion their full-time ministry.
She didn’t mind because she’d gotten up enough strength to at least be a contributing member of the group again.
And someone, Donna or Joyce, would hand her an unfinished design with instructions to embroider. They probably pulled out every stitch she laid down, but were kind enough to make her feel like she was contributing.
Keke slid a plate of salt fish fritters and steamed callaloo in front of her, along with a cup of lemongrass tea. The herbal scent of the tea and savory food swirled around her, warm and soothing.
Taking a plate for herself, Keke sat across from Marion. “Now give me your honest feedback. It won’t be as spectacular as yours, but Hudson invited me to their family game night, and they’re having a potluck.”
Cooking was another thing she missed. Marion closed her eyes, blessed the meal, and pushed away the discontent tugging at her. She was happy to be alive, yes, but this illness had robbed her of many things. Cassie’s words from her sermon drifted back through Marion’s thoughts.
God sent me here today to tell someone: I have not forgotten you. You are My beloved, and I have written your name on the palm of My hands.
‘Come to Me, if you are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.’
What right did she have to be ungrateful when God had been faithful to her? She bit into the crunchy fritter, noting the flavor and textures—the tang of saltfish, the soft onion, and the spices Keke had added to the batter.
“It’s not bad.”
“‘Not bad’ as in you feel sorry for me or are being nice? Or ‘not bad’, as in it tastes halfway decent?”
Marion chuckled. “It’s not bad, as in I almost believe I made this myself.”
Keke beamed, her entire face lighting up. “Best compliment ever.”
They spent the next few minutes eating and chit-chatting about the day ahead. Marion volunteered to wash the dishes while Keke got ready for work.
“Are you sure?”
Suppressing a groan, she glared at her daughter. “You’ve got to stop asking me that.”
She hadn’t meant to reveal her frustration, but her daughter’s constant hovering made her feel as if their roles had been reversed. With a wince, Keke lowered her gaze.
“Sorry. Hudson says I should pull back and let you be more independent.”
“That would be nice,” Marion murmured in a facetious tone.
If anyone could convince Keke to give her some space, it would be Hudson. The nurse always gave her the illusion of independence, even when she relied on him.
“I’m trying, Mom. But it’s hard.” Keke squeezed her fingers. “I thought you’d be back to normal by now.”
Marion harrumphed. What passed for normalcy these days? She’d forgotten. She took her dishes to the sink and went back for Keke’s.
“You may have to re-wash them when you get home, but you can’t say I didn’t help.” She winked, eliciting a laugh from Keke.
Keke’s laughter faded as she headed out the front door. The house fell quiet, but the peace wouldn’t last.
As she’d predicted, the Dorcas Brigade arrived within minutes of Keke’s departure.
“Turn on the radio, Marion.” Donna bustled into the room, her hair covered in a bright purple scarf. The fabric was a vibrant splash of color in the sunlit living room. “I’m in the mood for some praise music this morning.”
Marion did as her friend requested, pulling up her gospel playlist and turning it low so they could talk.
“What are we praising God for?” She hadn’t meant for it to, but her words slipped out with a hint of confusion.
Marion caught Joyce squinting at her.
“What do you mean, Marion? Didn’t you hear what that girl said last Sabbath? God has a plan for our lives, even us old geezers who the world thinks are done for.”
That was easy for them to say. Their bodies hadn’t cut them off from their community, trapping them in their homes.
No, they were free to pursue hobbies, and Joyce had her husband, Cyril, to go home to.
“You know what you need?” Donna leaned forward, her eyes glinting with mischief.
“No, what?”
“A man,” Donna declared with a hoot, setting the two women off into peals of laughter.
Marion jolted. Had her yearning for companionship shown on her face? She’d gotten good at pretending to be fine these past couple of months.
“No,” she denied with a shake of her head. “Nobody wants to date a crippled old woman.”
Donna scowled, snapping the blanket she was sewing with a flick of the wrist.
“That’s the real problem, Marion. Not that a godly man wouldn’t appreciate your true value, but that you can’t see your worth. How can you expect a man to cherish you when you don’t love yourself?”
That was the underlying issue, wasn’t it? The man she’d promised to love and honor until death, only did until alcohol made him a stranger—one who hit her.
“If you’re yearning for companionship,” Joyce began with a soft smile, “pray about it. Don’t forget that we serve a God of second, third, and hundredth chances.”
Marion nodded. She didn’t need them to give her God’s resume. She’d read the Bible for herself, experienced His power.
So why don’t you believe Him? her conscience taunted.
She believed, but a love story felt like too frivolous a request for a God with more important things to do.
***
Marion slapped at Keke’s hands as she fussed with her hair.
“Enough.”
“Sorry.” Keke snatched her fingers back. “I just want you to look pretty, Mom.”
She studied her daughter’s expression. Keke was wearing her processed hair loose around her shoulders, her dark skin glowing against the green dress.
“Are you saying I’m not pretty now?” She mock-frowned.
“No!” Keke’s eyes widened. “You’re beautiful, Mom. But I wanted you to be extra pretty.”
A sarcastic laugh escaped. “Why?”
The day had been long; she wanted to sleep, hoping that the next morning would be better.
Keke ran both hands down the front of her dress. “Hudson’s coming to dinner.”
Marion rolled her eyes. “So what? That boy has seen me at my worst and didn’t bat an eyelid.”
“I know…” Keke’s hands came to rest on Marion’s shoulders. “Humor me, okay?”
Marion sighed. “Fine.”
She’d been pretending all day. What were a few more hours?
“I don’t know why you guys couldn’t have eaten dinner here.”
“Because…” Keke rifled through Marion’s closet and returned with a bronze dress she hadn’t worn in ages. “If we’d had dinner here, you’d have spent the entire day feeling obligated to prepare a meal. We didn’t want to put you under that pressure.”
Marion scoffed. “Instead, you made poor Tonya cook everything after dealing with three babies all day?”
“No.” Keke huffed out a breath. “What am I? A taskmaster? Brianna and their mother helped.”
A year ago, her daughter-in-law would have invited her too.
Keke held the dress against her petite frame. “How about this one, Mom?”
“I…” Marion deliberately straightened her shoulders.
It was time to push off her self-pity and fully engage with her family and friends.
“Yes.” She took the dress, sliding it up over her hips, the smooth fabric caressing her skin. “Zip me in, then we’ll have time to get downstairs before Hudson comes.”
There was a knock on the door as they descended the staircase.
“Hudson!”
Keke’s smile became even brighter, something Marion hadn’t thought possible.
“Are you okay, Mom?”
“Go on. I’ll get there in time.” Marion pointed to her cane. “Let him in before he assumes we’re not coming.”
“Okay.” Keke hurried to the door, almost skipping in her excitement.
She turned her head as Hudson greeted her daughter with a kiss, but not before she glimpsed the reverence and love in his eyes. This man was not like Mac. He had a core of honor, which showed in the way he cared for others.
A deep-set longing coursed through her, lodging in her gut. Her friends had gotten it right. She needed—no, craved—love.
Not the familial kind, someone who saw her as a woman with all her flaws and fallacies and loved her, anyway.
“Hey, Marion.”
She shook off the lingering pall and greeted the man who would one day be her son-in-law. “Hi, Hudson. Thanks for coming all the way here for dinner.”
After his term ended, he returned to Somerset to work at his family’s bed-and-breakfast.
“It’s not that far.” He flashed a grin. “Besides, I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
Keke jabbed Hudson in the ribs, and Marion frowned.
“Miss what?”
Keke gave a high-pitched, fake-sounding laugh. “Oh, he means, time spent with his favorite people and his best girl.”
Hooking an arm around Keke, Hudson nuzzled her neck. “My only girl.”
Marion let out a deep sigh and gripped her walking stick tighter. “As entertaining as you young people are, my bedtime’s soon.”
Hudson and Keke drew her into conversation on the quick trip to Mac’s house, and it was almost like old times. When they pulled into the driveway, the lights were out, except the one on the veranda.
“There’s no one home.”
Keke twisted in her seat. “It’s fine, Mom. They’re nearby. I’m supposed to turn on the light so that they know we’re here.”
“Alright.”
That didn’t sound like Mac or Tonya, but she didn’t argue.
Hudson bore the bulk of her weight as they trudged to the front door.
“You okay, Marion?”
“Yeah. Overdid it this weekend.” She forced a smile. “I’ll be fine once I sit.”
“You’ll get to do that in a second.” Hudson tipped his head toward the entrance. “After you.”
Keke unlocked the door, then flicked on the hallway switch.
The warm glow of light spilled out into the night, carrying with it the rich, smoky scent of jerk chicken and the warm, earthy aroma of spices. Marion barely had time to take a breath before—
“Surprise!”
The room exploded in a blast of cheers and color. Confetti danced and swirled in the air. Through the haze, she spotted a lopsided banner with the words, “Congratulations, Marion!” hanging lopsided over the couch.
Her eyes darted from face to familiar face—church friends, neighbors, family—all beaming at her.
A slow heat crept up her neck as her daughter’s fussing finally made sense.
This was why Keke had insisted on her dressing up. Tears pricked at her eyes and tightened her throat as a single thought echoed in her mind: She didn’t deserve this.
***
Did you enjoy this sneak peek of Myron and Marion’s story?
Winter’s Embrace: (A Heart for Every Season Book 4)
Table of Contents
What if the love of your life was waiting on the other side of your surrender?
Marion Hall survived what almost broke her. But now she’s drifting, unsure if God remembers her, or if He ever had a plan at all.
At a retreat meant to renew her faith, she comes face to face with the one man who never let go. Not when she chose someone else. Not when life separated them. Or when grief rewrote both their stories.
Myron Bell has loved Marion for what feels like forever, but it was never the right time. Now, with one unexpected week together, he sees a chance.
If she stops running. If she’ll remember what it felt like to be fully known and loved.
Second chances don’t come easy. Together, they’ll face old wounds, deep questions, and a love that refuses to die.
This is a story about a love that endures. About a God who never walks away. About redemption in romance and faith.
If you’re walking through a wilderness experience, Winter’s Embrace will meet you there and whisper what your heart has needed to hear all along:
You are not forgotten.
