Free, a Novella

By Felicia Denise

Lenore “Lennie” Porter’s life had not gone as she planned.

The marriage she put her heart and soul into failed.

The man she sacrificed so much for abandoned her.

But Lennie refused to be broken. She pushed on, running a successful business and raising her three sons alone.

Through health scares and severe family dysfunction and trauma which forever changed their lives, the Porter family clung to each other to keep from sinking into the darkness.

With her marriage over long ago and her adult sons living their own lives, Lenore Porter decides to sell the cold fortress she worked so hard to make a warm, loving home.

A short, final inspection of her former home turns into a confrontation with ghosts from the past, and decisions and events Lennie felt she’d dealt with and moved on from.

Free, a Novella is a short, clean read recounting one woman’s determination to not be broken by life or lose her identity.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Felicia Denise
• Release date: Apr 10, 2018
• ISBN: 9781370461974

Felicia Denise

A wife, mother, daughter, sister, blogger... and indie author, Felicia loves all things book-related and coffee-related. A southern girl by birth, the fifty-something, voracious reader now resides Arizona (via Michigan and California) with her husband of thirty-four years. Their three adult children also reside in Arizona and Alabama – with their dogs. Felicia frequently reminds them she is the only one of her parents’ nine children who isn’t a grandparent. Writing has been a hobby of Felicia’s since grade school, but other than serving as editor and writing for her high school newspaper, she never publicly shared anything until the early 2000s when she began writing fan fiction. At the urging of a good friend, Felicia took on the challenge of NaNoWriMo in 2015, writing what would become her first published book, In the Best Interest of the Child. It was released in the fall of 2016. In her free time, Felicia sews, creates new recipes, and of course, reads. She’s also an avid history buff and loves exploring museums and libraries. Currently working on several projects, Felicia has several short stories and flash fiction reads on her website, feliciadenise.com, and plans to release book 2 of In the Best Interest of the Child – Family Matters, in spring 2018.

Book preview

Free, a Novella

By Felicia Denise

Copyright 2017 Felicia Denise

All Rights Reserved

Cover Art: Jenn Cunningham

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Author’s Thanks

About the Author

Excerpt from In the Best Interest of the Child

Connect with Felicia Denise

Acknowledgments

Writing may be a solitary endeavor, but no writer is ever truly alone. Many thanks to my WordPress family of authors and bloggers for their continuing faith and support. You make it look easy, so I’m following your lead!

Jenn Cunningham, thanks for keeping me grounded… and for the art lessons!

And to my family, thanks for all your love and support. You keep me going.

Dedication

For Alice Richie and the late Pastor James A. Richie

and memories of The Pas and Alice Show

He that loves not his wife and children feeds a lioness at home,

and broods a nest of sorrows.

Jeremy Taylor

Chapter One

Lenore Kelimore regretted her promise to the Realtor to do one last walk-through of her recently sold home. Ghosts from the past called to her as she stood in the foyer of the house she never wanted. Her total devotion to her three sons led Lennie to bury her feelings about the house and transform the cold, mammoth, monstrosity into a warm, loving home for twenty-four years.

She couldn’t help but smile when her gaze fell upon the large oak banister… with the nick in one of the railings.

After watching a replay of the Winter Olympics, Myron and RJ decided if the Jamaicans could bobsled, so could they. Fashioning their version of a bobsled from the box which once held her computer paper, her two youngest sons even donned their winter hats and mittens. For realism, Myron proclaimed. Lennie wasn’t bothered by their antics, but she did wonder where Myron got the word realism from.

What would have been a few minutes of fun and a great memory, took a turn for the worst, when older brother Duncan decided just pulling each other around the patio wasn’t exciting enough. They needed an incline.

Lennie heard RJ’s wails and rushed into the foyer to find them all at the foot of the staircase. Myron rubbing his head, RJ covered in blood, and Duncan looking guilty.

Four hours later, after a mind-numbing visit to the ER, Lennie returned home with her troop of wannabe bobsledders. Duncan was unscathed. Myron had a simple bump on the head and no concussion. RJ was the puzzle. ER staff could not figure out how he knocked TWO of his teeth out – and a canine and a molar at that, and NOT his front teeth.

Fully prepared to be arrested for child abuse, Lennie relaxed when the understanding doctor just laughed, commented on the crazy things kids do, and told RJ he hoped he found the missing teeth so he didn’t miss out on a visit from the Tooth Fairy. Thank God, they were his baby teeth.

Lennie chuckled softly as she ran her hand over the two small indentations where she’d found RJ’s teeth later that night, sticking out of the wood like something straight out of a horror movie.

Crossing the foyer, Lennie walked down the three steps into the sunken living room. Despite all the wonderful memories she had of Christmas mornings, birthday parties and family get-togethers, Lennie still hated this room. It felt haughty and frigid. She tried decorating in warm, earth tones, filling the room with overstuffed furniture and thick carpeting.

Lennie replaced drapes and hung tapestries… all to no avail. Even with a roaring blaze in the double-size fireplace and the central heat on full blast, the room remained chilled and airy. Lennie considered it the dead zone of the house. A black hole pulling in all the warmth it could, without returning any.

Much like her ex-husband.

He wanted THIS house. He loved the idea of the grand staircase, the cathedral ceilings, and the sunken living room. Lennie wanted the ranch-style home a few miles away with the pool and a second kitchen on the enclosed patio. But this was his status symbol to prove to himself… and his father… he had ‘made it’ after only two years in research and development at GCT Chemical Company.

How ironic he’d spent even less time in the home than RJ, who was born three years after they moved in.

Walking over to the patio windows, Lennie looked out over the large, landscaped backyard. Memories of her children clowning around and having fun with their friends on a summer afternoon played through her mind.

Lennie smirked as she watched the water shimmer across the pool. You didn’t win that one, did you, Ranard? He vetoed the idea of putting in a pool, saying they were too deep in debt. Yes, they were. After buying HIS house.

Six years later, business was booming for Lennie’s catering business, Always… From Scratch! Started as a mobile lunchtime specialty sandwich service, it grew into a full-service catering business. Lennie’s degree in nutrition and enviable cooking skills made her a stand out among the city’s league of caterers. Lennie soon became a favorite of millennials in search of healthier trendy menus.

At the end of the fifth year, after paying her quarterly taxes, updating her service supplies, and even giving a holiday bonus to the small team of soccer moms who doubled as prep and wait staff, Lennie had more than fifty percent of the cost of a pool. She knew financing wouldn’t be a problem. But she thought maybe it was time to dip into her nest egg.

Lennie’s Aunt Diane, her mom’s older sister, passed away shortly after Lennie and Ranard’s third wedding anniversary, leaving everything she had to Lennie.

Diane Clayton’s husband, Conrad, was killed in Vietnam. They had no children and Diane refused to consider remarrying.

Fond of infant Lennie, Diane fell in love with toddler Lennie and they remained close until Diane’s death.

It was Diane who taught Lennie to play the piano. And Diane taught her the secret to the perfect pound cake.

Lennie was shocked to find out she was Diane’s sole heir, but it made sense to the rest of the family. Lennie was always the widow’s first concern.

‘Everything’ turned out to be Diane’s designer home, two cars, a boat, eight commercial rental properties, eight hundred acres of land near San Luis Obispo, California, and an aggressive stock portfolio which included a generous amount of cash. Diane retired early from the banking industry but invested her earnings and the payouts from Conrad’s life insurance policies well.

***

Lennie and her parents met with Diane’s attorney, Bernard Talia, a week after her memorial service. Once Lennie signed all the necessary documents, she agreed to meet him first thing the next morning to receive her new banking and tax information. Linda Kelimore, Lennie’s mother, sat silently fidgeting with her hemline until her husband returned from seeing the attorney out.

Burt Kelimore stood in the doorway of his home office and exchanged an uneasy glance with his wife. He sighed heavily and took a seat next to her.

Lennie watched her parents, confused. Mom? Daddy? What’s wrong? Did I miss something?

Linda grabbed her husband’s hand and squeezed as her eyes filled with tears.

Lennie sat forward on the sofa and leaned towards her parents. You’re starting to scare me. Please, tell me what has you so upset.

Burt let go of his wife’s hand and reached for Lennie’s.

Lenore, you know how very much we love you, and the last thing we want to do is upset you or try to tell you what to do.

Just say it, Daddy, please! I’m starting to freak out here!

Babygirl, it’s about the inheritance you just received.

Chapter Two

Lennie audibly exhaled as the tension left her body and her shoulders sagged.

You two! You had me worried there for a second. Look, I had a special relationship with Auntie Di, and I know I was important to her. Her voice caught. She was important to me, too. I’m sure she knew sharing any of what she left me with my fam-…

Linda cut her off in mid-sentence.

Honey, you don’t understand. We’re not trying to take anything away from you. It’s quite the opposite, actually.

Frowning, Lennie threw her hands up.

And we’re back to talking in code!

Her dad held up his hand to silence them both.

Lenore, your mom and I have some real concerns that need to be addressed. Briefly glancing at his wife, he reached into his back pocket. And we’re not the only ones. He held out an envelope to her. Your aunt wrote this about three months ago.

Stunned, Lennie stared at the cream-colored envelope in her father’s hand, making no move to take it from him.

Standing, Burt bent down and placed the letter in Lennie’s hand. Your mom and I will give you some privacy. When you’re ready, come join us in the kitchen. He leaned down again, this time, kissing her on the forehead.

As he stepped back, Linda rushed forward, cradling her daughter’s face in her hands.

I love you so much, Lennie. You were always my practical child. You wouldn’t do anything unless it made sense or had a purpose. I think that’s why Diane became so consumed with you…she was the same way. She said you had too much wisdom for a child, and you were an old soul.

A single tear slid down Linda’s cheek as the faint trace of a smile formed on her lips.

I used to get mad at Diane and accuse her of trying to take you from me.

Lennie’s eyes widened.

Mama, you-

Sshh! Linda cut her off. I know I was being foolish. We were all so young back then. All newly married, and some of us were already parents. We didn’t know the first thing about anything…just pretending to be adults. Di was a great auntie. Babysitting you girls so Burt and I could enjoy a quiet evening at home or see a movie.

Lennie listened intently as she wondered about all the great stories her family had shared and realized this was the first time she had heard this particular story.

Linda’s smile faded. The day she got the visit" from the Marine representatives changed my sister. Conrad was killed during the Battle of Khe Sanh. Di was devastated. Something in her broke that day that couldn’t be fixed. Her husband gone. No children. She mourned and went on. But sometimes, it seemed as though she was