Silently Falling in Love: Race - #Wattys2017

Chapter 36 - July 1996

Anjali

"That was a beautiful wedding wasn't it?" I asked Arjun as I put my head on his shoulder. We'd just spent the last couple of days here in Tennessee for Katherine and Andrew's wedding.

"Yeah, it really was beautiful. Katherine and Andrew are really lucky they found each other."

"Isn't it incredible they met in college and here they are getting married," I asked rhetorically.

"Yeah, it is incredible that they met the love of their lives in college," Arjun said taking a sip of his wine.

"I wish it had worked between us," I confessed.

"Me too. You have no idea how many times I've wished it," Arjun was already tipsy and we were just at the beginning of the reception. "Do you know how many times I've almost asked you to try again?" Arjun confessed.

"Really?" I ask surprised.

"Would you have said yes if I had asked?" Arjun asked.

"I don't know. It would have depended on when you asked me. On the days I felt low I might have caved in and said yes," I admitted. I took a swallow of my wine, "but it would have been a mistake. You seem serious about Kavita."

"And you seem serious about Raj."

"I want you to meet Kavita and I'd like to meet Raj," Arjun said looking at me seriously.

"I want that too," I agreed, "but, I'm really glad you're here with me as my date. This might be the last time we're on a trip and it's just the two of us. It's like old times. Arjun we haven't been on a trip together since our Africa vacation." I say nostalgically.

"Don't remind me. Ugh. Now this is more like the type of vacations I like." Arjun holds my hand, "I'm glad we have this trip together."

"What are you two so serious about?" Katherine asks as she swooshes behind us in her long white gown.

"You're wedding just has us in tears," Arjun fake cries as he stands up to greet Katherine and Andrew.

"Ever the actor," Katherine teases and kisses him back.

Andrew hugs me and kisses me on the cheek, "Congratulations. This is a beautiful wedding."

"We couldn't have done it without your help," Andrew drawled.

I gave Katherine a big hug next, "You look stunning."

"Yes she does," Andrew said as he grabbed his new bride by her waist, "and she's all mine."

"You know you two are in charge of getting the dance floor started later on this evening."

"Yes ma'am," Arjun said.

"But, I'm still mad at your brother for not coming," Katherine said to Arjun.

"He sends his congratulations and his regrets. He really wanted to be here, but it was a last minute business trip to China he just couldn't get out of."

"Even though he had our wedding date on his calendar for months," Katherine said not letting it go easily.

"I know," Arjun said, "work is a lame excuse for not coming to such a beautiful wedding."

"Maybe, work isn't the real reason," Andrew said mysteriously.

"Yeah, maybe he has something up his sleeve with Anna. She's traveling right now too, maybe those two are up to something," Arjun joked.