Silently Falling in Love: Race - #Wattys2017

Chapter 23 - October 1994

Surprise everyone - I'm uploading another chapter!!! I spent almost all day yesterday writing yesterday's chapter, this one and mapping out the rest of the story.  If I stay on track then the story should end on Chapter 47 so we're about half way through as long as I stay the course.  I'm hoping this will make me move the story along faster.  Thanks so much for continuing to read and comment! I love it!

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Anjali

I grew frustrated as Karthik told me to wait as he answered the door. Why couldn't he ignore whoever was at the door. I held the phone to my ear as I walked to my closet. I might as well figure out what I was going to wear tonight while I waited. I was meeting Tarun cha cha tonight and I wanted to look nice but respectful and wear something Indian but not a full Indian outfit since we may go out afterwards.

I threw several things on my bed that were possibilities. I started pairing the possibilities.

"Hey, sorry Anjali that took so long. It was some high school student selling magazines to raise money for college. I know I may have gotten suckered but he seemed so genuine."

"What magazines did you buy?"

"Sports Illustrated," Karthik said with a smile that I could feel over the phone lines.

"You don't follow sports."

"I know," Karthik grinned through the phone.

"But, I'm sure you're dying to know next years women's swimsuit fashions," I said sarcastically.

"For you of course, you know so I can help you with next season's swimsuit selection," Karthik teased.

"Of course, you did it for me. Anyway, can we get back to what we were speaking about before you left me for the magazine salesman."

"Of course," Karhik said quietly.

"Diwali is a couple of weeks ago and I'd really like to introduce you to my parents."

"I told you I'd love to come and meet your family."

"Karthik, I'm not putting my family through meeting you if your parents don't even know about me."

"So coming to your family's home for Diwali is conditional on me telling my parents about you?" Karthik asked shocked.

"Yes," I said resolutely. I wasn't going to back down. Unfortunately, I'd seen this all too often Indian guys date the girls here in the US and then end up marrying a girl their parents had picked out, sometimes even from India. I hated doing this to Karthik, but for some reason I needed to know he could tell his parents about me. It had been long enough.

"I don't understand why you're doing this. Your parents are more understanding and they'll be cool about us. My parents aren't your parents. Why are you tying these two events together?"

"Karthik you're a grown man who should be able to make his own decisions about who he wants to be with. Why is this a big deal? Why can't you tell your parents about me?"

"Anjali it's going to take time. No one in my family has ever had a love marriage. I would be the first. They're expecting me to marry someone they pick."

I noticed Karthik said I would and not I will. Maybe it was a small difference. Maybe it didn't mean anything.

"They do know you were raised in the US don't they?"

"Don't be cheeky with me."

"So what am I to you? Am I just another name in your black book?"

"No, of course not. It's just that I need more time."