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Charis chapter 2

Although they're both American, Hannah and Eric have never set foot on US soil together. There's a weird kind of culture shock for the first couple of weeks as they have to adjust to being just a normal couple, as opposed to 'the Americans'. Hannah discovers that Eric hates Hersheys, and Eric is delighted when Hannah puts Monday Night Football on their enormous television every week. They explore the city together on the rare days she isn't working and Hannah falls in love with New York all over again.
They've been living there for three months when it happens. They're walking in the park on a bright Saturday morning on the way to Hannah's favourite coffee place and idly planning their weekend. A woman bumps into Hannah and apologises distractedly before hurrying off. Hannah freezes. She looks back at the retreating figure and swallows hard.
"Babe?" Eric asks.
"Nothing," Hannah says slowly, "I thought....no, nothing."
She's distracted for the rest of the day and Eric finally comments on it as he serves up their dinner.
"Spill it, Han."
Hannah shakes her head.
"That woman in the park. I think I know her."
"What woman?"
"The one who bumped into me. I think it was Mamrie."
"Who's Mamrie?"
"She's, uh, she was a friend when I lived here last time."
"Before Tokyo?"
"Yeah," Hannah says softly. Eric makes a strange face.
"Hannah, do you know you've never talked about that before?"
"What?"
"I know the facts, like where you went to college, where you grew up, but I don't know anything about what your life was actually like before we met. You don't talk about it."
Hannah feels a brief moment of panic and Eric must see it on her face, because he puts a reassuring hand on her arm.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to ask. I was just going to say that if you have friends in New York you should get in touch."
"She had no idea who I was," Hannah says, half to herself.
Eric smiles and strokes her long, brown ponytail affectionately.
"You look a little different now, babe. Give her a call, I bet she'd love to hear from you."
"Yeah," Hannah agrees halfheartedly.
It takes her a full week to get up the courage, and when she tries Mamrie's number it's disconnected, so she heads for Bar None instead. The new manager doesn't have Mamrie's information and Hannah has almost convinced herself that she imagined the whole thing when one of the bartenders overhears.
"Hey, you're looking for Mamrie? She'll be at her new place. It's on Fifth."
"What?" Hannah says.
"Yeah, she got some mystery backer or something and started her own bar. Stole all our regulars too."
"What's it called?"
"The Hart of New York."
Hannah grins reflexively.
"Of course it is."
She doesn't go right away. The discovery of how much Mamrie's life has changed since Hannah left has made her intensely aware of just how mad Mamrie is likely to be, so she spends another couple of weeks avoiding the problem. It isn't until she's wandered around moping for another week that  Eric nags her into going, and she ends up sneaking into the bar like she's an undercover agent.
Hannah spots Mamrie right away. She's the centre of attention as a crowd watches her improvise a cocktail for a customer and Hannah's heart clenches as she remembers the Pear of Harts Mamrie made for her the first time they met. She considers sneaking back out, but somehow finds the courage to make her way up to the bar. Mamrie is laughing and flirting up a storm, but soon her attention shifts to Hannah.
"What can I get you?"
"Um," Hannah says, but before she can figure out how to reintroduce herself, Mamrie's eyes widen.
"Hannah?"
"Hi," Hannah says weakly.
Mamrie stares at her for a second before grabbing her wrist tightly.
"Do not move," she says fiercely. Before Hannah can respond, Mamrie is calling out to her bartender to take over and sliding over the bar. She grabs Hannah again and drags her towards a door half hidden in the shadows. Hannah follows Mamrie mutely upstairs and into a large office, where she's thrust into a chair. Mamrie pulls out two glasses and a bottle and pours them both generous measures. She sits back in the other chair and takes a long look at Hannah with an unreadable expression.
"So," she says, faux-cheerily, "how was Tokyo?"
Hannah winces.
"Mamrie, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."
Mamrie's expression doesn't change.
"For which part, Hannah? For leaving? For not telling us? For not bothering to even let us know you were still alive?"
"Mamrie, I..." Hannah trails off. She can't think of a thing to say in her defence.
"You broke my fucking heart, Hannah. My best friend left the country - at Christmas - and didn't tell me. Do you have any god damn idea how that feels?"
Hannah shakes her head shamefully.
"I don't care what issues you and Grace had, I deserved better than that!"
"I know. I'm sorry," Hannah says again, and feels tears start to track down her cheeks.
Mamrie 's face screws up with emotion.
"Don't do that, Hannah. I'm mad at you, you don't get to make me cry."
Hannah nods and rubs at her eyes, trying to get herself under control. Mamrie bites her lip and sighs. She pours them both another drink and they gulp it down quickly. Hannah gasps as the liquor burns her throat and Mamrie smiles wryly at her.
"Still a lightweight, then?"
Hannah flushes.
"That hasn't changed," she murmurs.
"What has?" Mamrie asks, and Hannah knows she's looking at her wedding ring.
"Mames, after Grace and I- after what happened, I was so lost. My old boss called me and offered me the Tokyo job and I just ran. I had to get away."
"I got that part, Han," Mamrie says, her voice sharp. "And I know Grace called you and you wouldn't talk to her."
Hannah winces again.
"I met someone. I got married." She considers talking about Ellis, about how awful it was to sit beside Eric and watch someone she admired so much waste away into nothing, how they'd leaned on each other and grown genuinely close, but she has a feeling it's best to get the essentials out of the way first.
"What's her name?" Mamrie asks.
Hannah takes a breath.
"His name is Eric."
Mamrie blinks.
"Excuse me?"
"My husband's name is Eric."
"Your husband's name," Mamrie repeats flatly.
"Yeah."
Mamrie knocks back her drink in one gulp and pours herself another. She doesn't look at Hannah for a long moment.
"Are you fucking kidding me?"
"Mames-"
"Not only do you run to the other side of the fucking world, but back into the fucking closet as well? You married some dude to get over Grace? To cure yourself? What the actual fuck are you doing, Hannah?"
Mamrie's voice has raised to a shout and Hannah hangs her head.
"I knew this was a bad idea," she says quietly, standing. "I'm sorry, Mamrie, I'll go."
"Sit your ass in that chair, lady!" Mamrie yells. "No fucking way do you get to walk out of my life again, not when I just got you back."
Hannah sits back down. Mamrie glares at her for a moment.
"I don't know who's the bigger idiot, you or Grace," she declares.
Hannah bites down on the question itching at the back of her throat, but Mamrie shoots her a knowing look.
"She left too, you know. Didn't get as far as Japan, but she hauled ass to LA not long after you disappeared."
"What?" Hannah asks breathlessly.
"She was broken up about you leaving. She thought she'd driven you away."
Hannah can't think of a response to that, so she just stares. Mamrie gives her a bitter smile.
"I was so mad at her that I didn't speak to her for two years. I'm still kind of mad at her, but at least she had the sense to come home a while ago."
"God Mamrie, I'm so sorry," Hannah whispers.
"Stop apologising, Hannah. I'm going to be mad at you for a long time, if you keep the faith  apologising we'll never get anything done. Just let me be mad, okay?"
Hannah nods obediently.
"Does she know you're back?" Mamrie asks. Hannah shakes her head.
"Are you going to tell her?"
Hannah hesitates.
"I don't know if I should."
"Tell her," Mamrie says after a moment's thought, her voice more gentle than it has been so far. "Talk to her. If nothing else, at least say a proper goodbye before you disappear to whatever continent you decide is far enough away from her."
"I don't know if I can."
"Jesus, what is it with you two? You turn each other's brains to jello, you know that? Call her, Hannah. She deserves that much. So do you."
Hannah swallows.
"Will you, um, will you warn her first?"
Mamrie thinks for a moment and nods in reply.
"Okay."
"Mamrie?" Hannah says timidly.
"What?"
"I missed you."
Mamrie exhales sharply and laughs.
"I missed you too, you asshole," she says, voice cracking, and pulls Hannah into a hug. "Pull that shit again and I'll break your legs."
"I'm sorry," Hannah says again, but Mamrie shushes her.
"You're home," she whispers, "you came home."