Silently Falling in Love: Race - #Wattys2017

Chapter 39 - October 1996

Alex

It was Sunday and Anna was home; back from Paris. I had pushed out of my mind what had happened last weekend and it had been easy since Anna wasn't here. But she was coming over to my place in an hour. I took my second shower this morning, as if another shower could wipe off the guilt that followed me closely everywhere. How could I have let things go so far with Anjali? How was I going to look Anna in the eye as if nothing had happened?

I toweled off for the second time this morning and pulled out another set of clean clothes even though I'd only wore the first set for a few hours. I wondered if this is how Christina felt the first time she cheated on me.

I dressed again for a second time and I closed my eyes and recited Ik Onkar in my head several times. As if reciting a mantra could absolve me from a sin. I hadn't gone to church or gurdwara in so long. I hadn't really done anything religious in a long time and yet today I seemed to be reciting Sikh prayers as I swam in a pool of Catholic guilt.

I didn't realize how fast time went by because before I was ready I heard Anna at my door.

I walked to the entrance to greet her.

Anna threw her arms around me, "Hello, gorgeous!"

I swallowed, "Missed me?"

"You know I did."

"How was Paris?"

"Oh, Alex it was awesome! The energy there it's just so exciting and I met so many people, people that I think are really going to help me take my career to the next level."

"You look really happy," is all I could muster as she continued to gush about Paris.

"I am really happy, but you don't look happy to see me."

"Just late night last night," I said trying to keep the guilt from being obvious.

"You had a late night? Couldn't sleep or you stayed up doing some work?"

"I couldn't sleep," which was the truth.

"You must have had a lame workout then or not enough time outside. You're always restless when you haven't burned off enough energy," Anna said as she slid her hand along my chest.

"Listen I was thinking we should grab some lunch before I head to the office," I offered. There was no way I could have sex with Anna with the guilt floating around me.

"Oh, I didn't realize you had to go into the office today," Anna said disappointed.

"I wasn't planning on it, it's a last minute emergency."

"Yeah sure lets go to lunch and then you can go back to the office," Anna said after we gathered our stuff and headed out the door. I didn't give her much of a choice and she thankfully didn't try to keep us in my apartment.

"So how was Andrew's party last week?"

Panic gripped me throughout my body, "It was good. Good whiskey and you never will believe this but Chase thought this guy was a girl and he hit on her and lets just say it was the best part of the night!"

Anna of course asked about the details of Chase and his adventures with the tall blond trans. I was more than happy to talk about that than what happened at the end of the night.

"I wish I had been there! That must have been worth every minute."

I looked at Anna and I couldn't decide whether it was good she wasn't there. Had she been there the thing with Anjali would never have happened. But, if the thing with Anjali had never happened...