Hana Pt. 02

Curiously, he asked, "How did you do all that without being noticed? Rochelle knows what you look like. Were you popping up out of trash cans to take those pictures?"

This made Hana laugh. Her tone went mysterious as she said, "Aaaaaahhhhh...yeah. Right. I forget that you haven't seen me in a bit."

"Huh? You couldn't have changed that much. It's only been a couple of weeks."

"Ummm...we'll see if you say that tomorrow. And Justin?"

"Yeah?"

"Be nice."

***

The moment Hana walked in, Justin could do nothing but drop his jaw. Her hair. Her clothes. Everything about her was completely different.

Hana was half Asian, half white. She inherited her mom's almond shaped eyes, her long, jet-black hair, and her coconut skin tone. The old Hana wore that long hair in a bun atop her head to keep it out of her face. But that was gone. Now, her hair was shoulder length and blond with brown streaks. She also had bangs. The way it framed her face added roundness to it.

Then there were her clothes. Hana's old style wasn't exactly drab, but she'd never win any fashion contests. Her clothes, like everything else in her life, was efficient. A sensible blouse, some fitted slacks, and wedged heels.

Now, she looked like a slutty sorority sister on her way to seduce a professor. A short skirt that hugged her hips. A vest that was being worn as a shirt. Heeled boots that came up to her knees. And black fishnet tights.

No wonder Rochelle didn't recognize her! He could barely match this woman to the Hana he knew.

"What the fuck, Hana?"

She covered her face like she was embarrassed. "Stop gawking at me. You're making me self-conscious."

"I'm not. It's just that you look...different."

Hana didn't know if he meant it as a compliment or not. Truthfully, it was a bit of both. Did she look hot? Yes. But did it detract from her kickass persona? Yes.

This makeover was something completely spontaneous, which was the opposite of how she did things. To a control freak, feeling out of control is the worst nightmare. And that's how she felt lately. With everything in her life spinning into chaos, she felt the need to take something back.

That's what the cruise was about. This makeover was another part of it. It was a chance to restart herself, to become someone else, even if it was temporary.

"I know. I know. I look like a fucking Bratz doll." she said, waving him off. "Now can we move on? We have business to discuss!"

"Yes ma'am!"

The rest of the team seemed just as shocked by Hana's new look as Justin. Sexy Hana was a person you couldn't take your eyes off. The fishnet stockings did wonders for her olive-toned thighs, and her skirt and vest showcased a body that no one expected to be that hot. She looked like an Asian model that had been Americanized into Porno-Barbie.

With the team at full strength again, they got to work. They were now fully formed into a monster slaying machine like Voltron. Soon, Hana's makeover faded from notice. Justin put all their challenges on the table, and they hashed them out. Once a plan was formed, Justin delegated various slices of the pie.

Contractors wanting a better contract? Hana knew them best; Chris knew numbers. He needed them both on it.

Truckers planning to strike? He put his best info guys on it, gathering intel on alternate suppliers who could do last-minute deliveries.

Land disputes? Get the lawyers on it to figure out who they needed to pay, and who needed to be dealt with.

Justin watched his team explode out the gates, moving with such urgency that it filled him with pride. He himself started contacting his own bosses, giving them updates on the plans moving forward.

He did feel a sense of ambivalence putting Hana and Chris together. Yes, they made the best team, but considering how things went down, it made him nervous.

More on that note, he couldn't help but notice that Chris seemed more interested in this version of Hana. His eyes lingered when he looked at her. He smiled alluringly when he talked to her. It was a complete 180 from how they were before. When Hana was the pursuant, he seemed more aloof to her presence. She was constantly vying for his attention. Now, a shift had occurred in their dynamic.

Justin made a mental note to keep an eye on that. He didn't want the fragile chemistry of his team to be broken again. But if Hana was going to be a part of his team, she and Chris would have to be able to work together.

Things stayed at a break-neck pace all day. The first time he had a moment alone with Hana was at about 8pm when everyone else was gone. She was sitting at the desk, looking at his laptop. He was hovering over her shoulder.

"Glad to have you back." He said, beaming with pride as the two of them went over all the progress they made in a single day.

"You better be."

He chuckled at that. Then, trying to sound casual, he said, "So, you and Chris worked well together."

Hana shrugged. "Yeah. We got it done, I guess."

Justin nodded, then curiously asked, "Did he say anything about...you know...the new you?"

She smacked her lips dismissively. "He tried to talk to me. I think he wanted to apologize or something. I don't know."

"Really? What did he say?"

She gave another shrug. "Nothing. I didn't give him the chance. We had too much to do and I didn't have time for...all that. I just handed him the contracts and told him to get busy crunching numbers so I could know what I was working with."

"Ouch! Brutal!" Justin said with boisterous laughter.

"Whatever. Chris can suck my fucking dick."

Hana was putting on a brave face, but there was still pain beneath the surface. Even still, Justin was both impressed and relieved at how well she was holding it together. Not many people could work closely with the person who broke their heart.

As he sat there, something else occurred to him. Something he'd been meaning to say.

"Hey Hana?"

"Yeah?"

"I just wanted to say how sorry I am. You know - for not having your back before."

Even though she was facing away from him, he could see the affect that had. Her fingers stopped moving over the mouse pad. She stiffened up and sat frozen in her seat, looking straight ahead.

He continued. "Even though what you did was shitty, I understand why you did it. And it worked, really. Betrayal sucks, but not having anyone in your corner makes it feel ten times worse. You showed me that. I was thinking like a boss and trying to keep the status quo going. But what you needed was a friend in your corner. And I failed you on both fronts."

Hana gulped, then nodded. Still, she looked straight ahead, unable to look at him. Finally, in a voice choked with emotion, she simply said, "Thank you."

He gently put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. In return, she placed her hand on top of his.

This moment was just too much. Too much intensity. Too much realness. Justin felt the urge to lighten it up. Looking down at her hand, he cracked a smile. He couldn't hide the humor he felt at seeing that her new glow-up included a manicure, complete with French tipped nails.

It was official. Hana had made the complete transformation from an all-businesswoman to a sorority pledge, almost overnight.

"Damn! You really did change." He said with a snicker. "Hair, clothes, and now nails. You really are a Bratz doll!"

"Shut up!" Hana squealed as she snatched her hand away and slapped him on the arm. "You're such an ass!"

***

By the time the week was over, things at the office were calmer. They still had a ways to go, but the chaos was now more controlled. Soon, this project would be over, and Justin could figure out what he was going to do with the shambles of his marriage.

At least, that's what the plan was. But a wise boxer once said, "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face."

As Justin pulled into his driveway on this particular night, his breath caught in his throat. He looked up at his house and saw that the lights were on. This was significant because since Rochelle left, he had two weeks of coming home to a dark house. He always turned off all the lights. It was a habit burned into him from his childhood.

Rochelle, however, always turned on the lights. She didn't grow up with a father screaming about the light bill. A private joke between her and Justin was he could mark her journey throughout the house by seeing which lights were on.

And now, his house was lit up like Christmas. He wasn't ready for this.

He'd spent the last few days dreaming of how this confrontation was going to go. He was going to blast her with the pictures Hana took. He was going to interrogate her with the expertise of an FBI operative. He was going to hammer his points home until she was nothing more than a blubbering mess.

But now, all that preparation was gone.

He pulled out his phone and found the number he wanted to call. It was number two in his favorites, right beneath Rochelle.

"What's up Jay?" Hana answered.

"She's here."

"What?"

"Rochelle. She's here. In the house."

Hana heard the panic in his voice. She could feel the overwhelming surge of emotions through the phone. She had to settle him down.

Calmly, she said, "It's gonna be okay, Jay. You can do this. All you gotta do is..."

"No, I can't do this." He interrupted. "All the anger is rushing back. I keep seeing her and that asshole together, and I want to hit something. I don't know how I'll react if I go in there right now."

A silhouette walked across one of the windows covered with closed blinds. That made him panic even more. All she had to do was slip one open and peek outside. She'd see that he was here. Then, he'd be forced to confront her.

Like a coward, he put the car in reverse and backed out of there.

"What's going on?" Hana asked when she noticed the subtle changes in background noise.

"I'm driving. I had to get out of there."

"Good. Good." she said calmly. "Where are you going?"

"I don't know."

There was a pause before she said, "Come over to my place."

"What?"

"Spend the night here. You can sleep in my guest room."

"What? No. I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"Because..." he said, his mind racing with all the reasons why that was the worst idea. "Rochelle already thinks we're having an affair. Me staying the night there will only confirm her suspicions."

"Right. We wouldn't want poor Rochelle to think that her husband is being unfaithful."

Her sarcasm cut through the fog that clouded his head. He felt himself calming down, thinking more rationally.

"You're right." He conceded.

"Of course I am. Now, hurry up. I'm tired and I don't wanna be waiting up all night for you. I'll see you when you get here, Jay."

"Okay. See you in a bit."

***

Rochelle looked at the digital clock on the nightstand. It was getting a bit late, even for Justin. Where was he?

She desperately had to talk to him. These two weeks away revealed some things to her; things she needed to speak with Justin about.

But as usual, he wasn't here. He was probably still at the office. With her.

That thought would've caused a rush of anger in Rochelle two weeks ago. But now, all she felt was sad. The vibe around her was different than before. Something inside of her had changed.

***

HOW DID ROCHELLE END UP HERE?

Travis was her ex - off again, on again - lover. Not a boyfriend, per se, but someone she once cared for quite deeply. There was a time when she even thought she loved him.

This was way before Justin. They met 7 years ago at one of the conventions that her job occasionally sends her to. Travis was one of the premiere speakers.

These conventions were a new thing to her. She had so much to learn, and she wanted to soak up all the information. So, as with all new students eager to be taught, she sat in the front row.

From the moment Travis got up on that stage, she was mesmerized. Not just by his looks, but his presence. He commanded the room and the audience from the moment he introduced himself. The stage was his, and what he had to say was probably the most important thing you learned this entire weekend. At least, that's what it felt like.

Of course, Travis noticed Rochelle. How could he not? Her pencil skirt and matching jacket were very professional, yet it still managed to give appreciation to her curves. The hem stopped mid-thigh, but it rode even higher as she sat down with her smooth legs crossed. Her shapely calves only looked sexier against her slender ankles. The white blouse she wore beneath her jacket was opened two buttons, just enough to show the tip of a lacy bra and the flushed skin of her cleavage.

But the best part of her were those eyes. They were expressive. They were piercing. And they looked at him from the audience filled with admiration.

She wanted him. He knew, even before speaking to her, that he was going to fuck her that night.

She made it a point to meet him after everything was over. And of course, their chemistry was palpable. The attraction was high, they enjoyed each other's company, and they had a lot of the same hobbies.

They had dinner that night. Rochelle was hooked. She could listen to this man talk for hours. He was so passionate about his work; about life in general. Just being around him motivated her to want more for herself.

And Travis was right. He did fuck her that night. And the next morning. Hot, sweaty, passionate, sticky sex.

What started out as a weekend fling became a two-year fling. They couldn't stay away from each other. But as much as the sparks flew between them, things never really panned out. They were never an official couple.

But that wasn't from a lack of trying on Rochelle's part. She'd have done anything to be his woman. In fact, she did everything. She went to every conference her job allowed her to because she knew he'd be there. She took vacation to travel to him when she could. She bought him plane tickets to come see her.

Travis could've been the perfect boyfriend. He was sweet. He was romantic. He remembered her birthdays and always sent gifts. He always complimented her and noticed the little things.

"You've changed your hair. I like it."

"That perfume should be illegal."

"Wow babe, you've lost weight! Get your sexy ass over here!"

Travis always made her feel beautiful. When they were together, she felt like the only woman in the world.

The problem is the perfect boyfriend doesn't exist. It's an illusion. Anyone can be a perfect boyfriend...for a time. And that's just what Travis was; the perfect, short-time boyfriend. The other side of Travis was this: as attentive as he was when they were together, he was equally as inattentive when they weren't.

Travis wasn't in a place to share a life with anyone. His life was basically lived in hotel rooms, going from city to city. He was always on the road, going from one conference to another. Even when he was at home, he was still almost 250 miles away.

Rochelle volunteered to go to every conference she could, just to be with him. She took vacation to fly up to see him wherever he was. She always tried to find ways to be near him.

The problem was, he didn't reciprocate. His first love was what he was doing. His mistress was his job, and she came before all others.

Each time he'd ghost her, she swore it was the last. But Travis was like cigarettes. You're never truly over the taste. No matter how expensive it is, or how bad it is for your health, after a while you begin to crave it again. Times of stress, small memories, or even watching someone else do it can trigger a desire to just "take a puff". Sooner or later, you end up back at the convenience store buying a box.

That was their cycle. Hot and heavy; then ghost town. Rinse and repeat.

She and Travis may never be a true couple but having him on the backburner was better than being alone. Anytime she was ever feeling lonely, or just needed to feel loved and desired, she could call him. He was a band-aid at best, but goddamn that band-aid could feel good!

Eventually, she realized she needed more. She didn't want a temporary fix. She wanted something real. She wanted a true partnership. Then, she met Justin.

It wasn't apparent in the beginning, but time told the truth. The type of guy Rochelle was attracted to was Intelligent, confident, charming, successful, passionate about his job, able to hold interesting conversations...but emotionally unavailable.

She could listen to Justin talk all day, just as she could Travis. The two of them shared a lot of similarities. But Justin was here, not traveling around the country. He was able to make time for her because she was important.

At least in the beginning. But time told the truth.

Being with Justin purged Travis from her system. When she was with Justin, she didn't feel that pull for Travis. He never stopped trying to get with her, but she no longer wanted a half-relationship. She had a guy who wanted what she wanted, and he was every bit as intellectually stimulating as Travis was.

The more serious she and Justin got, the more Travis' attempts to rekindle something irritated her. It used to flatter her. Now, it just made her angry. He had his chance and blew it. She moved on. Finally, she was happy. She had a great job. She had a great guy who was successful. She had a great life. She had it all.

It was time for Travis to do the same.

Even still, she couldn't help but feel like there was a missing piece. She couldn't quite figure out what it was. Justin loved her, and she knew that, but it always felt like he was holding back.

And then, she met Hana.

It was at a Christmas party that Justin's company was throwing. They were in their first year of marriage. She'd never attended these parties with Justin before because Justin never went. But this year, he was getting special recognition all the stuff he and his team were doing. So, he had to be there.

Rochelle was introduced to all of Justin's team. She played the role of the doting wife, standing next to her man and beaming with pride at his accomplishments. She charmed them with her beauty and personality. She laughed and giggled at the funny office stories they told about each other as they each tried to impress her. It was nice and all, but she found herself pretending to be more interested than she really was.

But Hana was different. That much was evident, even from the start. She was younger than the rest, and the only woman. You would think this dynamic would put her at a disadvantage among her peers, but somehow it didn't. It was clear who was the alpha in this group. They respected her words as much as they respected Justin's.

Rochelle was drawn to Hana for the same reasons she was drawn to Justin. At that time, it wasn't apparent how much the similarities between her and her husband would pose a threat to her marriage. It was just refreshing to see a woman so young, yet so much in control of her environment that she could swim effortlessly in a sea of over-accomplished men and hold her own.

But that likability wouldn't last long.

Eventually, the time came to recognize Justin. The head honcho got up on the mic and said a 10-minute spiel about how Justin was the model project manager, how much of a leader he was, how great his team was doing, and how he should be the example of how to get it done. The entire room exploded with applause. And she was so proud of her husband.

But then, it was Justin's turn to speak. He took the mic with all the confidence of a man who owned the world, smiled out at the sea of people who came here to honor him, and then called Hana up to the stage to stand next to him. Not the entire team, just Hana.

He then went into his own spiel about how she was the backbone of his team, how irreplaceable she was, and how none of this was possible without her. He even admitted that she was smarter than him.