Silently Falling in Love: Race - #Wattys2017

Chapter 16 - August 1993

I'm back from busy few weeks and I was able to get this chapter out.  We're in motion now for Alex and Anjali and to see who she picks!!!!

I hope you enjoy the chapter.  The song I've posted Am I Wrong was filmed in Botswana or Zambia - I'm not sure but I wanted to have a song filmed in Africa. 

It's one of my dreams to climb Mount Kilimanjaro so as you can see little pieces of me slip into my stories.

Enjoy!  G.D.

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Arjun

I couldn't believe finally we were back in the United States of America!!

"Are you okay, Anjali?" Amar asked as Anjali supported me to my left and Amar supported me on the right side.

Anjali readjusted her arm under me, "I can make it," Anjali puffed.

"My room is down the hall to the right and then we can drop this heavy bastard. You'd think with being so sick Arjun you would have lost a few pounds," Amar teased.

All I could do was grunt. My whole body ached and I could honestly say I'd never felt so horrible in my entire adult life. My insides were burning from throwing up so much. On the outside I vacillated between shivering and burning up. And then I saw a bed; a real bed and it felt like I'd won the lottery. After that damn eighteen hour flight from Johannesburg sitting cramped in an economy seat and throwing up my guts in that piss hole of a bathroom an apartment in Manhattan looked like a mansion.

Amar and Anjali placed me as gently as they could on the bed. Anjali quietly slipped off my shoes and tucked me in bed.

She kissed me on the forehead, "You're going to be okay. Think of this as a lesson in having empathy for your future patients."

"I still hate you," I croaked.

"No you don't," she said as she walked away, "in fact you love me. Admit it this was the best vacation of your life. An adventure like no other," she said as she smiled.

"I'm never going on vacation with you again and that's a promise!" I said.

"Amar do you have any wash rags?" she asked.

"I'll get them, just tell me where to find them."

"I can get them," Amar said as he stood up.

"I'd rather you hold your brother's hand while I get a few things for him. He's been holding my hand with his death like grip for the last eighteen hours."

"Fine," Amar laughed, "the wash rags are on the closet on the left at the end of the hall and you saw the kitchen when we walked in.

"Thanks," she said as her voice faded away.

"I hate her, I mean I really hate her," I whispered to my brother.

"What kind of idiot thinks that climbing the Kilimanjaro is a relaxing and fun thing to do after college graduation? Who in their right mind thinks that's fun?"

"You and Anjali climbed Kilimanjaro on your trip?" Amar asked eyes wide open.

"God, I wish I could say no, that was a joke, but unfortunately, we actually did with a whole group of idiots. That's probably where I caught this bug. What is wrong with seeing that stupid mountain from afar and taking a few pictures of it while admiring its beauty from afar. What is the need to actually touch it?"