21. Don’t Underestimate the Value of a Positive Review
21
DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE VALUE OF A POSITIVE REVIEW
Fighting a lawsuit and launching one of your own was more paperwork and tedium than Hanna wanted to deal with for the rest of her life.
She thought filing the paperwork to start her own business was intense, but after the heaps of documents Bennett sent her way, Hanna’s wrist would be happy to never sign her name again.
After leaving Bennett’s office that first day, Hanna was tasked with gathering all correspondence from client’s she had at Trips Ahoy, both before and after her time there.
According to Bennett, they would use it to prove that Hazel and a few others had reached out to Hanna first, negating the claim that she purposefully poached them from the larger company.
From there, the burden of proof was on Trips Ahoy to prove that Hanna intended to steal the groups, which would be difficult since Hanna had documentation of their initial contact.
Hanna spent hours combing through her social media and email, grouping together the messages by person before sending them to Bennett.
The second phase of the lawyer’s plan was to prove the loss of business due to the lawsuit.
Hanna was instructed not to contact any of the clients who cancelled trips herself, Bennett’s assistant was handling that, but so far he was unable to reach the Delgados.
Without their testimony, Hanna could not verify that she was losing business specifically because of Trips Ahoy and file for defamation.
In the weeks leading up to the pre-trial meeting, their attempt at a settlement was rejected.
Hanna felt like an exposed wire, her nerves frayed and agitated.
Refusing to leave her side more than necessary, Noah spent all his available time with her, taking her out of the house for walks in the park, showing her some of his favorite restaurants, and even learning some yoga to put a smile on her face at his lack of coordination.
Every gesture reinforced how much he loved her, and despite the uncertain circumstances of her future, Hanna never doubted that they could make it through anything together.
The night before the meeting, Hanna and Noah were sitting together on the couch, watching a nature documentary with Sarah.
Hearing the lock on the front door chime, indicating someone was entering, Hanna looked up in confusion.
To her knowledge, Sarah had not yet found a short-term renter for the other guest room.
“Honey, I’m home!” Will’s boisterous voice sounded from the entryway.
“Will!” Hanna bounced up from her seat to run and hug her friend.
“What are you doing here? I thought you were booked for the whole summer?”
“Good to see you, too,” Will joked goodnaturedly.
“I know that tomorrow is a big day for you, and no matter how it goes, I wanted you to feel supported. So, here I am.”
Warmth filled her knowing she had people in her corner to cheer for her successes or pick her up when she was down.
But, despite his explanation, Hanna noted the dark circles under Will’s eyes and the dejected slump of his shoulders.
The bags at his feet were the same ones he used when staying at Sarah’s long-term, fuller than what he would need if he was just staying for a few days.
“Thank you,” she said, “but you did not have to leave your job to do that. We both know how difficult it is working in a seasonal industry.”
He chuckled sadly.
“Nothing gets past you, does it? Let’s just say there was a misunderstanding with a guest and my schedule became unexpectedly clear. This visit is not about me though, I came here for you, so tell me how I can help. Ice cream and wine?”
Apparently, the men in her life were using the same booklet for how to offer comfort.
“We opted for watching cute animals.” Hanna gestured to the living room where the show was paused, Noah a few steps behind her.
“Will, this is my boyfriend, Noah.”
A teasing smile stretched across Will’s tan face.
“The infamous Noah at last. So you’re the one who finally convinced Hanna to break her rules on dating. Great to meet you.”
Cutting a wry glance in Hanna’s direction, Noah reached out to shake Will’s outstretched hand.
“Good to meet you too, though I wish it were under better circumstances. Hanna’s told me a lot about you.”
Laughing, Will pulled Noah into a quick hug, clapping a large hand on his back.
“Hopefully just the good things.”
It was Hanna’s turn to laugh.
“Why would I do that when the stories of all the trouble you’ve gotten into are more fun?”
So quick that she almost missed it, Hanna saw sadness shadow Will’s gaze before it was snuffed by amusement.
While he joked with Noah that the stories paled in comparison to the truth, Hanna made a mental note to check in with her friend later.
His forced cheer and quick dismissal of trouble at work had her worried.
After greeting Sarah and storing his bags in his room, Will joined them in the living room to finish the documentary.
In true fashion, he joked along with the narrator, keeping Hanna distracted from her thoughts as he shared a surprising knowledge regarding the animal kingdom.
After a few episodes, the group retired early, knowing that they should at least try to get a full night’s rest before the day ahead.
Curled up in Noah’s arms, Hanna fell into a fitful sleep.
Dressed in an emerald green pantsuit that felt more like armor than fashion, Hanna met Bennett outside the courthouse.
Having already said goodbye to Noah and her friends, Hanna followed Bennett into a private room where they would wait before the pre-trial meeting started.
They spent what little time they had reviewing what Hanna should prepare for.
Walking on legs that felt less secure than she would like, Hanna followed Bennett into the courtroom when their case was called.
The carpet muffled the sound of their steps.
Hanna’s heels sunk into the floor as the people seated in the audience benches turned to watch their arrival.
A small spot of comfort broke through her nerves as Hanna saw her friends seated in the second row.
Will and Sarah each gave her a small wave, and Hanna’s hand trembled slightly as she returned the gesture.
In front of them, Noah sat stern-faced, mouth pinched with worry.
Over the last few weeks, he’d put on a brave face and Hanna knew he was trying to keep from adding to her stress, but she knew that this was difficult for him too.
When her gaze landed on the people seated on either side of Noah, love broadened her smile.
Hazel sat with Daphne, Mai, and Lillian, dressed in powersuits.
Each of them agreed to give a character reference, should it be needed.
Their presence was not a surprise.
What surprised Hanna more were the people seated on Noah’s other side.
Long hair braided down her back in a shade that matched Hanna’s, Camila Poole sat beside her husband, David, his glasses glinting in the fluorescent light.
Seeing her family gathered together to support her had Hanna pausing in the aisle, heart bursting with joy so deep that it brought tears to her eyes.
They flew out to see her.
But how? Hanna never told them about the lawsuit.
Even with their difficult relationship, Hanna told Noah weeks ago, she still wished her parents were there to support her through the trial.
Her confusion must have shown on her face, because Hanna’s father tipped his head in Noah’s direction, winking as if to say he approved.
Glancing over at Noah, Hanna let the gratitude and happiness shine, mouthing a silent thank you .
His eyes softened and Hanna stepped forward to go to him.
A hand on her elbow reminded Hanna that there was time for explanations and expressions of appreciation later, she had a court case to win first.
Sliding into her chair beside Bennett, Hanna glanced at the table on the other side of the aisle.
The lawyer for Trips Ahoy was a middle-aged man with a receding hairline and large gut.
His expensive suit and sharp eyes contradicted his soft features and Hanna knew better than to underestimate him.
Large corporations had pocketbooks large enough to attract the best lawyers, but Hanna knew that Bennett was also one of the best and she trusted him.
They rose for the entrance of the judge and the proceedings moved faster than Hanna expected.
Each lawyer gave their opening remarks, then presented evidence.
The judge, a black woman with grey streaks around her temples, studied the documents with an expression that gave nothing away.
“Does the defendant have any witness testimony?”
“Yes,” Bennett responded before calling Hazel to the stand.
Settling into the witness stand with a dignified air, Hazel promised to tell the truth.
Responding to all the questions asked by the plaintiff’s lawyer with a disapproving scowl on her face, the elderly woman painted a picture of her relationship with Hanna.
Their years travelling together and the friendship that developed naturally.
She also explained how Trips Ahoy had contacted her after the buyout, but without Hanna working for the company, Hazel wanted nothing to do with the company.
“I followed Hanna on social media for years, so when I saw that she started her own company, I immediately reached out. There was no poaching or whatever nefarious things they are claiming happened. I made the decision to book the tour with Hanna on my own. As you can see from our emails.”
If the balding lawyer was frustrated with Hazel’s testimony, he did not show it, returning to shuffle his notes.
Hanna thought that meant he was done, but at the last moment, he turned back to Hazel with a snap of his fingers, as if a thought just occurred to him.
“Just one more question. While on this tour, did Hanna, the professional tour guide you hired for this trip, enter a relationship with your grandson, Noah?”
Hanna’s breath caught in a sharp gasp.
There was always the possibility that Trips Ahoy was going to use the relationship to muddy her reputation, but they had been careful, not broadcasting it, and it was a sharp blade to her heart knowing that something as beautiful as the love they shared was being used against her.
Murmurs rose from behind them, shock rippling through the gathered individuals.
Even the judge’s eyebrow twitched, dark eyes flitting between Hanna and Noah.
“Objection.” Bennett rose and addressed the judge.
“Relevance.”
“Sustained,” the judge replied.
With his line of questioning interrupted, the other lawyer returned to his table, thanking Hazel for her time and yielding the floor to Bennett.
Unruffled, Bennett stood and asked Hazel minimal questions, pivoting his approach by focusing on Hanna’s professionalism and how the initial contact from Hazel proved she was not stealing clients.
By the time he was done, Bennett had painted a picture that Trips Ahoy was grasping at straws, incapable of proving their actual complaint.
Dismissing Hazel with no further questions, he returned to their table before calling on Mai.
One by one, Mai, Daphne, and Lillian spoke on Hanna’s behalf.
Since they were not former clients or the one’s who booked the tour with Hanna, their testimony was weaker, but Bennett planned for that, using them more as character witnesses instead of evidence that Hanna had not stolen clients.
While Lillian, the last of their expected witnesses, was testifying, Bennett’s phone lit with a silent notification and he read it quickly before pocketing the device.
He waited until Lillian was finished before addressing the judge.
“I would like to call Patricia Delgado to the stand.”
Hanna fought to keep the surprise from her face.
Numerous attempts to reach the Delgado family went unanswered and while they were included on the list of witnesses, in case they did appear, Hanna was not expecting them to actually show up.
With a hand on her shoulder, Bennett leaned over to speak directly in her ear, “I was not sure she would be here until a few minutes ago, so I did not have time to prepare you.”
Trusting him to know what he was doing, Hanna nodded.
Turning in her seat, Hanna laid eyes on Patricia Delgado for the first time.
A tall woman made her way towards the rail with powerful strides.
Dressed in a flowing, blue sundress, Patricia looked relaxed and professional at the same time, gold jewelry dangling on her arms and ears.
“Sorry I am late, your honor, my family and I were out of the country and came back as soon as we could.”
The judge inclined her head to allow Patricia onto the witness stand.
Trips Ahoy’s lawyer was visibly flummoxed–obviously not expecting the Delgados to attend either–planting a seed of hope within Hanna.
If he was not expecting Patricia to show up, then she must have something to say that Trips Ahoy did not want made known.
Without proper time to prepare for the unexpected witness, the lawyer deferred the first round of questioning to Bennett.
With a look of a predator having caught his prey in a trap, Bennett thanked his opponent before settling his face into something less terrifying before facing the witness.
“Mrs. Delgado, can you please explain your relationship to Hanna Poole?”
Her gaze met Hanna’s momentarily, before returning to Bennett to answer the question.
“This is the first time I have seen Ms. Poole in person, but I was referred to her company by a friend and had a trip booked with her that was meant to take place a few weeks ago.”
“Was the trip cancelled by Ms. Poole?”
“No, I cancelled the trip.”
“Why?”
Hanna leaned forward in her seat, hanging on every word.
It was a question that she asked herself often, wondering why the trip was cancelled with little explanation.
“After booking the trip, I received a call from someone at Trips Ahoy, letting me know that Hanna was a former employee who they were taking legal action against due to unprofessional conduct. They led me to believe that she was misleading clients, misrepresenting her business and qualifications. Naturally, I was concerned for my family, not wanting my children around someone untrustworthy.”
Bennett put one hand in his pocket, affixing a casual posture that Hanna knew was a front.
“Did you bring those concerns to my client or the person who referred you?”
Patricia’s head dipped and her eyes filled with regret.
“No, I thought that an established company like Trips Ahoy would be honest. But it was recently brought to my attention that they lied. The friend who originally referred me assured me that Ms. Poole is a professional, through and through. Instead, it is Trips Ahoy that is spreading lies and trying to damage her image so that she loses business.”
“Thank you, I have no more questions.” Turning to address the judge, Bennett continued, “Your Honor, I move to dismiss the case against my client and instead ask for the following damages.”
Pulling a document from his folder, Bennett handed it over to the judge.
Listed was the projected loss of income that Hanna suffered from the impact of the lawsuit.
“We will take a short recess and resume in ten minutes.” The judge swept up the folder.
Hanna twisted her fingers together as they waited for the judge to return.
Bennett leaned over to whisper that this was expected for a pre-trial meeting with a motion to dismiss.
The judge would review everything and then return to inform them if the motion is granted or denied.
Minutes ticked by as the courtroom sat in silence, the shifting of fabric as people anxiously adjusted in their seats the only sound.
Every one of Hanna’s senses were attuned to the door the judge walked through, the weight of the verdict like a physical presence.
After what felt like hours, but was only slightly more than ten minutes, the judge entered the room.
Everyone rose for her entrance before sitting again.
Settling the papers back on the bench, her resonant voice rang through the courtroom.
“Defendant's motion to dismiss, approved with requested damages. Court adjourned.”
Feeling like a balloon that had all its helium let out, Hanna sank into her chair. She was dazed, not quite believing what she heard. The room around her faded into a blur, sounds muddled like she was sitting under water. It was over.
They won!
Strong arms wrapped around her from behind, jolting Hanna out of the fog and allowing a tide of elation to rush over her, pushing out any lingering stress and anxiety. There was still work to be done to bounce back from the lawsuit, but at least she still had a business to save.
Folding her arms over Noahs, Hanna leaned back over the railing to lean against him. Bennett raised a brow at their display of affection.
“Save it for later. This is still a courtroom,” he groused.
Hanna laughed, feeling lighter than she had in months.
Their group left the building, gathering in the sunlight.
“Thank you for being here,” Hanna said as she pulled Hazel into a hug, “and for speaking on my behalf. It means the world to me.”
The floral scent of Hazel’s perfume tickled Hanna’s nose as the tiny woman hugged her back. “ You mean the world to me, I hope you know that. I am glad this mess is behind you.”
“I must admit, I am still reeling from Patricia Delgado’s appearance. Anytime Bennett tried calling her, there was no response. If he could not reach her, who did?”
“That would be me.” A cool voice came from behind. Lillian walked towards them in a leopard print dress. “The Delgados are old friends of mine, so I gave them a call to straighten this mess out. Honestly, I was embarrassed that they doubted you after the referral I gave.”
“That was you?” Hanna’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. Out of anyone in the world, she would have ranked Lillian low on the list of people who would vouch for her.
Lillian had the gall to look affronted. “Of course. Hazel would not have recommended you if you were anything less than the best. When Patricia was talking about a family vacation, I passed along your information. After experiencing your services firsthand, I am glad that I was correct in my original assessment.”
“Thank you.” Hanna’s voice rang with sincerity. “Without Patricia’s testimony, I am not sure the case would have gone my way.”
“It was nothing,” Lillian said as she studied her nails. “If the case went poorly, it would reflect badly on me for referring you. I cannot have people questioning my taste.”
Biting back a grin at the blush of embarrassment on Lillian’s face, Hanna made a noncommittal sound. Having said her piece, Lillian said her farewells, mentioning something about having other plans for the day.
“One of these days,” Hazel said with a twinkle in her eye, “I am going to get her to admit that she’s actually a big softy.”
“ Ana ?” The tentative question sounded nothing like her mother’s usual tone.
Over Hazel’s head, Hanna watched as her parents approached.
“You must be Hanna’s parents.” Hazel stepped back to let them greet Hanna. “She is a phenomenal person, you should be very proud.” Underneath her sweet tone was a chastisement.
“We are,” David said.
“Very much so,” Camila added.
“Good,” Hazel asserted with a nod. “Then you are invited to the celebration dinner at Sarah’s house. Hanna can give you the address.”
Like a force of nature, now that Hazel made her statement, she swept away, looping her arms through her friends’ before leading them away. Hanna chuckled at the bemused looks on her parents’ faces.
“It means a lot that you all came,” Hanna said to them. “I know that you are busy with work–”
Her father wrapped her in another hug, cutting her off. “I am sorry that we ever made you feel like you were less important. After our conversation with you, your mother and I talked a lot, and we want you to know how much we love and support you, no matter what your job is. If you are happy, then we are happy.”
“And we want you to know that we will be here for you,” her mother continued. “When Noah called to invite us, we were disappointed that you had not told us about the lawsuit sooner.” Catching the mixed look of frustration and sadness on Hanna’s face, Camila rushed to continue. “Not disappointed in you, but in ourselves. Our work is important, but not at the cost of our family. We have not shown our support in the way you needed, and we are ashamed that it made you keep things from us. We want to do better, if you will give us the chance?”
Tears streaming down her face, Hanna embraced her parents. It was not perfect, but it was the start to healing some deep wounds. She did not know what their relationship would look like in the future, but she looked forward to finding out.
“Yeah, I would like that a lot.”
Swiping at the tears on her cheeks, Hanna laughed when two handkerchiefs entered her field of vision. Noah and her dad shared a look, ending in David chuckling and putting away his white square. Taking the fabric from Noah, Hanna dabbed at her face.
“So, what’s all this about a party?” Hanna pivoted the conversation. Standing in the sun was starting to get uncomfortable, the warm rays heating her face and beading sweat underneath her suit. Only the four of them remained,
Noah took her hand in his, the habitual need to maintain physical contact still sent a thrill through her skin.
“I thought you might like to celebrate after your win. Nothing big, just those of us who were here today. Mémé helped organize the food and drinks, and Sarah offered her home to host it. But if you do not want to go–”
Hanna cut him off with a kiss. He was so thoughtful, always thinking of her.
“It sounds perfect.”
There was nothing that sounded better than being surrounded by the people she loved, celebrating life’s big and little moments, knowing that they would be there for her.
Always.