Coming Home- A Holiday Novella Read online

  Coming Home

  A Holiday Novella

  By Taryn Plendl

  This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or

  events are entirely coincidental.

  Coming Home- A Holiday Novella

  Second edition. November, 2016

  Previously published in the Christmas in the City Anthology, 2015

  Copyright © 2016 Taryn Plendl Books.

  Written by Taryn Plendl.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Coming Home- A Holiday Novella

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Epilogue

  About the Author

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  Also By Taryn Plendl

  At Christmas, all roads lead home.

  - Marjorie Holmes

  Chapter 1

  Ella

  Traffic slowed to a crawl once again as I neared the outskirts of town. Heat poured out of the vents, but I still shivered. The falling snow looked beautiful, covering the ground as far as the eye could see, but the frigid cold was worse than I remembered. I was going to need to do some major wardrobe shopping if I was planning on staying here in Iowa for any length of time.

  It had been just under three years since I’d left to follow the love of my life, or so I thought, to Arizona. I was a new nurse and he was a doctor ready to begin his residency in Phoenix. Yes, I was that cliché, the nurse and the doctor. I was so sure it would be like a fairy tale. Stupid naïve girl.

  I married Brandon on a whim along the drive to Arizona. We took a detour through Vegas and jumped at the opportunity to make it official. It was all so perfect for a very short time. It was then that I’d realized that resident doctors don’t make shit for money, they work long hours and like almost every man in my life up to this point, they slept with anything that came onto them.

  Our marriage lasted nine long months before I filed for divorce, and threw myself into my job so I didn’t have time to see what a complete mess my life had really become. I worked non-stop for two years, and hadn’t even thought about coming home until two weeks ago. The news of Brandon’s engagement to one of the ICU nurses hit me hard. Not because I still had feelings for him, but more because I saw him moving on and I knew I was the same person, albeit more jaded, when I first came to Arizona. It was pathetic.

  I gave notice to my work, landlord and packed up my apartment. I called my dad and told him I was coming back for the holidays. He thought it was great, but I had to wonder what he would think when he realized I was moving back. I was about to find out. Sometimes you have to choose the lesser of two evils.

  I drove through the open iron gates at the end of the driveway that led up to the large home I’d grown up in. It was ridiculously huge for one man, and I never understood why he kept it and never downsized. That’s not entirely true. The reason my father kept this house, all the expensive toys he had, and his plastic surgeon in business was because he was a selfish social climbing womanizer who needed all of it to impress his next conquest. Bitter much? Maybe.

  I pulled around the circular drive and parked in front of the door. The blast of cold air took my breath away as I stepped out of the car, making my eyes water and nose run. I closed the door and took a step, which turned into a groin pulling slide that landed me hard onto my ass at the bottom of the stairs. “Welcome home.” I grumbled as I tried to pick myself up. I dusted off the snow and took inventory of myself, checking for injuries, nothing broken other than my pride. This time I moved with much more caution, taking advantage of the railing along the steps until I reached the front door. I pulled out my keys and found the one I was looking for, letting myself into the home I’d left years before.

  Nothing had changed—not one single thing. It looked exactly the same, right down to the fake flowers on the table in the foyer. “Hello?” I moved through the foyer into the open kitchen. The yellow piece of paper sitting on the island caught my eye. I should’ve known. Why would he be here to greet me? He was hardly around when I lived here. I glanced at the note my father had written and shook my head. “Make yourself at home,” I read it out loud. I most certainly would.

  It took me several trips to the car to bring in my meager belongings. I had several near-misses with the snow and ice, reminding myself that I would need to get some decent boots sooner rather than later. When I had unpacked the necessary items to function, I sat down and looked around my old room. It was both comforting and sad at the same time. It looked just the same too. How had my life come full circle with nothing to show for it?

  Well, I could sit here and be depressed or I could call the one person I knew would be able to get me out of my funk. I grabbed my phone off the nightstand and scrolled through the contacts, pressing the one I was looking for and holding it up to my ear.

  “Please tell me you’re here and didn’t decide to stay in the desert.” A happy voice almost screamed through the phone.

  “God no,” I groaned. “I wasn’t staying there no matter what. However, I forgot how much I hate the cold, so I’m already contemplating relocation to Florida.”

  “Come on Ella please tell me you haven’t become a complete weather pussy.”

  “Nice language, Nat.” I laughed at the thought of her rolling her eyes at me. “But seriously, I need some serious bulking of the wardrobe if I’m going to survive my time here. You up for some shopping?”

  “Seriously? I’m always up for a trip to the mall. I’ll pick you up in twenty minutes.” I laughed when I heard the dial tone. Natalie had been my best friend for as long as I could remember. She was my partner in crime, my confidant and the one person in my life who I knew without a doubt would always be there; even when I ditched her for some guy for three years. All water under the bridge.

  I jumped in the shower to wash the travel grime off and make myself somewhat presentable. Twenty minutes later I was wrapped in a hug that could rival the best grandma hug.

  “Shit, Ella, look at you!” Natalie held me out at arm’s length, frowning as she looked me over. “You are too thin! You need to eat a cheeseburger— or five.”

  “Oh shut it, bitch!” I laughed, swatting her hands away from me. “You on the other hand, look fabulous.” I winked before grabbing my purse off the entry table and tucked my keys inside. I was overly mindful of the walkway, not wanting a repeat of my fall from earlier. By the time I reached Natalie’s car, she was already sitting in the driver’s seat shaking her head at me.

  “If all of the older people in this city walked like you all winter we wouldn’t have nearly the amount of fractured hips in the OR.” Natalie giggled.

  “Well, I already did an ass plant earlier. I forgot how unforgiving the ice is.” I rubbed my backside, grimacing at the tender spot right below my tailbone. I was going to have a bruise for sure.

  “Do you want me to take a look at it? I’m a nurse after all.”

  “Shut it, woman.” Natalie laughed at me as she put the car in reverse and pulled out of the driveway, completely unfazed by my dirty look. Not only had Natalie and I been friends forever, we also went through nursing school together at The University of Iowa, go Hawkeyes. Incidentally, that was where I had met Brandon also. Natalie came back to Winter Falls, Iowa after graduation and started working in the Operating Room at Falls General Hospital. As I mentioned before, I followed the cheating douche to Arizona.

  “So, are those the best shoes you have for the snow, or are you just really partia
l to dressing like a tween?” Natalie asked as she pulled into the mall parking lot.

  “Hey, I happen to love my Chucks.” I defended my beloved shoes. “They just so happen to suck for traction in the snow.”

  “Well, I can see we have our work cut out for us today if we are ever going to get you laid again.” Natalie feigned disgust before throwing her arm around my shoulders. “Seriously though, I am so freaking thrilled to have you back home, Ella. I have missed you so much!” I smiled and leaned into her. For the first time in ages, I felt like I made the right decision.

  ***

  Three hours later Natalie and I sat in a booth at the Irish Pub in the mall, bags piled on the seats next to us and barely hanging on to our sanity. “Whose idea was it to come to the mall a week before Christmas?” I asked just as the waiter set two very large green drinks in front of us. I picked it up without even caring what it was that Nat had ordered while I was in the bathroom. It was bright green and could’ve been antifreeze for all I knew. Either way, I was parched and it was going down. I took a long pull through the straw and moaned. It was green heaven.

  We did pretty well I thought as I glanced at all of my bags. I had managed to get two pairs of boots, several pairs of jeans, several sweaters, and other shirts that Natalie convinced me to purchase so I could layer properly. The one thing I hadn’t planned on was the short, clubbing dress. I wasn’t sure where I would be wearing that to, but Natalie assured me that Winter Falls had changed quite a bit in the years I’d been gone. Apparently there was an area down by the river that was full of bars, restaurants and clubs. It was the place to be for the twenty-something crowd. I couldn’t deny that I was a little excited about going out and having a good time with my best friend. It had been too long.

  The waitress sat a large plate of loaded potato skins in front of us, and we both dug in like we hadn’t had a meal in days. “Hey, smile for me.” I pulled out my phone and took a picture of Natalie. I chuckled as I posted it to Facebook. As soon as Nat’s phone dinged to alert her, I couldn’t contain my laughter. God, being back with her made me feel like a teenager again and not a divorced twenty-five year old.

  “What did you do?” She asked as she swiped across her screen. It was only moments before she was glaring at me and grabbing her napkin, wiping the long piece of cheese that was dangling off her mouth before throwing it across the table at me.

  “Bitch,” she mumbled, but the smirk she tried to hide told me the truth. She could never be mad about something like that. She and I could laugh at ourselves without shame like nobody else. It was one of the things that kept us together for so many years. Neither of us took ourselves too seriously.

  “What time are we going out tonight?” I asked as we made our way back to her car.

  “I was thinking around nine.” Natalie unlocked the doors and popped the trunk with her fob and then turned to me after we loaded up the trunk with our bags. “Things get hopping around ten and with it being Friday, we want to get a good parking spot so we can go between bars until we find where we want to hang.” She seemed to have it all worked out, and I was grateful. I was putting myself in her hands and I was going to enjoy the hell out of myself tonight.

  “Sounds perfect.”

  Chapter 2

  Ella

  I had almost made it out without seeing my dad. I even had a note written out. God, I really didn’t want to get into anything with him tonight before I went out. My dad had a way of beating me down with words, making me feel like I was just a child and didn’t know what the hell I was doing. Granted, right now I basically didn’t, but I was fully capable of taking care of myself. I’d proven that over the years I’d been away. I never once asked for anything from my father, even when he offered it.

  “Gabriella?” His booming voice came closer, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to hide from him, so rather than cower I pulled my shoulders back and held my head high as I approached the door to my bedroom, opening it just as he came to a stop on the other side.

  “Hi, dad.” I chewed on my lip and then mentally chastised myself for doing so. I didn’t want to come across weak or nervous, and fidgeting and chewing on my lip was my tell sign.

  Bryce Marks stood in front of me, tall and arrogant. He wasn’t a huge man, but with the way he carried himself, he always seemed bigger than life. He was all business. He always had been. His hair had much more silver throughout compared to the last time I’d seen him. He looked slightly older, but other than a few fine wrinkles and the hair, he was the same. He was a handsome man, and he knew it.

  Not only had he built his own small real estate empire in Winter Falls, but he had made a mark on the entire city. He never hurt for company after my mom passed away when I was only twelve. I swear women were just waiting in the wings to be on his arm, and the way he went through them was appalling. I could remember being younger and having these fake women act like I was the best thing in the world, showering me with compliments and attention just to get closer to him. Little did they realize that he would’ve never noticed their attempts to reach him through me. I was sure as hell not the way to his heart. I was just another thing to manage.

  His brows furrowed as he took in my skimpy attire and I could’ve killed Nat for convincing me to buy the dress. I wasn’t very comfortable in it, but it would be a cold day in hell (well, considering the current weather, that might not be the best way to put it) anyway, I would not dare let him know I wasn’t completely owning this look. I was twenty-five for Christ’s sake!

  “It’s good to see you, dad.” I stepped forward and gave him an awkward hug.

  “I’m glad you made it home safe. I assume by the way you are dressed that you are going out?” His eyebrows rose momentarily as he looked me over again.

  “Yes, I’m going out with Natalie.” I confirmed what he already knew.

  “It’s cold out.”

  “I’m well aware of the temperature, dad.” I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “I’m going to assume you don’t approve of my dress, and while you are entitled to your own opinion, I will remind you that I am an adult and have been very capable of dressing myself for quite some time now.” I turned and pulled my new, black, wool coat off the desk chair and turned back around, giving my dad a sweet smile so my snarky reply didn’t seem so bad.

  “I just hate to see you make the same mistakes here that you did in Arizona.” His words hit me like a ton of bricks. I literally felt an ache in my chest with his words and I just knew where he was heading with them.

  I took a deep breath and raised my eyes so they met his. He was so hard to read. His face gave away nothing and I knew mine was just the opposite. I wore my emotions on my face. I always had.

  “I’m only going to say this once, dad. The only mistake I made was following Brandon to Arizona in the first place.” I could feel my hands trembling as I waited for the next blow his words would bring.

  “Now Gabriella, don’t get emotional. I’m just concerned that whatever you did to not make your marriage work might be something you could change so your next relationship won’t turn out the same. Would Brandon have approved of the way you are dressed tonight?” Was he for real?

  “Actually, I’m pretty sure Brandon would’ve loved this outfit.” I laughed sarcastically. “I’m pretty sure most of the women he fucked while I worked my ass off to support us wore dresses just like this. In fact, maybe if I’d dressed like this, he would’ve kept his dick in his pants.” I pushed by him and continued to the stairs. By incredible luck, Natalie took that moment to ring the doorbell.

  I swung the door open and her smile faltered, taking in my face. Her eyes trailed over my shoulder to where my father was descending the stairs. “You look fabulous!” She plastered a smile back on her face just as my dad reached the door. I didn’t dare look to see his reaction to Nat’s compliment, but I felt a bit of warmth knowing that she knew me well enough that those words were exactly what I needed right then.

  “Hello, Nat
alie.”

  “Hi, Mr. Marks. Isn’t it great to have Ella home finally?” Did I mention how much I loved this girl?

  “It is indeed.” I flinched when he placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “I’m sorry if I upset you, Gabriella.”

  “It’s fine, dad. I would never expect you of all people to understand.” I could swear I saw his stoic face break briefly, letting a look of hurt through. It might as well have been my imagination because it was gone almost immediately. “I’ll see you later, okay?”

  I took Nat’s hand and walked carefully to the car. The boots I was wearing with my dress had a wedge heel and okay traction, but I wasn’t taking a chance in falling again. If I went down in this dress all of Victoria’s Secrets would be out.

  “Keep it together. We’re almost there.” Nat squeezed my hand before letting go so she could walk around to the driver’s side. I climbed into the passenger seat and smiled at the feel of the heated seats. We both waved out the window to my dad who for some damn reason was still standing in the open doorway. He lifted his hand, returning the wave before closing the door.

  “Ahhhhhhh!” I screamed, letting out all of my frustrations.

  “That bad, huh?” Nat shook her head as we pulled onto the main street.

  “It was a record this time. I think he started pulling the verbal punches within the first minute of seeing him this time.” I took a deep breath, trying to calm down. “Get this! He seriously asked me what I thought Brandon would say about my outfit.” I chuckled at the ridiculousness of that question. “Nat, you would’ve been proud of me. I told him Brandon would’ve liked it seeing as all the women he fucked while we were married dressed this way.”

  “That’s my girl!” Natalie threw her head back and laughed.

  “It just still pisses me off that he thinks it was my fault things didn’t work with Brandon. It has been years. I’m over it, I just wish he was. God, you would think my dad was the one who was married to him.”