Silently Falling in Love: Race - #Wattys2017

Chapter 18 - November 1993

So sorry for taking so long to update the novel.  Honestly the election really has me down and I've spent a lot of time reading and watching shows to help me understand what the hell happened.  Once I've come to terms with it, which may be never, but in case I do, I'm going to some how find a way to weave it into a story of mine.

I hope you enjoy the chapter it should be fairly long.  I also have added a Paula Abdul song - remember her? I loved her!!!! I had to reach for a happy moment during these dark periods and there's nothing like a light hearted Paula Abdul song so I weaved it into the story.  I also love En Vogue - and there song Free Your Mind couldn't be more relevant now!

Hope you enjoy the chapter - keep the comments coming - I love them.  I'm going to work hard to keep the chapters coming but I'm not sure if I'll be able to finish the novel by year end - but I'll do my best.

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Anjali

My work phone was ringing which was unusual – I didn't get many calls at work.

"Hello this is Anjali Malkani," I answered.

"Why hello Anjali Malkani, I've heard you're an incredible architect and I'd like you to build my mansion on 5th Avenue. Are you free for lunch to discuss the details?"

I laughed, "I'm so sorry, I only do commercial buildings. Should I refer you to an architect who does work on residential properties?"

"No, I must have you as my architect. In that case I'd like to build an office building. Have time to meet?"

"You want to meet now Alex?"

"Yes, if you're free. I'm at the bottom of your building. I had a meeting on this part of town and I'm done. I thought I'd stop by and see if you're free."

"I need about twenty minutes before I can head out. Can you wait that long?"

"It's cold out here," Alex said huffing and puffing into the phone. The cool air had set in.

"Come up to the 20th floor and wait in our lobby until I'm ready. Is that okay?"

"Sounds good, see you in twenty," Alex said and then hung up the phone.

I quickly finished putting together the blueprints I needed to hand over to my boss before I could go to lunch.

I was surprised to hear from Alex, but it was a good excuse to get out of the building. I'd been working non-stop for the past few weeks and seeing a friendly face would be nice.

I pulled the files together and walked into my bosses' office.

"Hi Ned, here are the blueprints you asked for. Do you need anything else?"

"Thanks Anjali, just leave them on the table. Give me a couple of hours to look at them and then stop by my office and we can go over them," Ned said without looking up from his desk.

"Sounds great. Thanks, see you in a couple of hours."

I headed back to my cube to grab my coat before heading to the lobby to meet Alex.

I grabbed my coat and made my way to the front of the office. On the way to the front, I bumped into Alison the receptionist.

"Hi Alison," I said.

"Anjali is that you boyfriend in the lobby?" Alison asked.

"You mean Alex? No he's a friend."

"So he's not taken? Because he's so hot! If you don't have dibs on him, can I ask him out?"