Silently Falling in Love: Race (THE EDITED VERSION)

Chapter 21 - Kilimanjaro

Alex – August 1993

"I can't believe we're finally back in the United States of America!!" Arjun said with such relief.

"Are you okay, Anjali?" I asked as Anjali supported Arjun on the left and I supported him on the right side.

Anjali readjusted her arm. "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," I teased.

Arjun grunted, "My whole-body aches and I've never felt so horrible in my entire adult life. My insides are burning from throwing up so much. I'm vacillating between shivering and burning up."

We entered my guest room and Arjun looked relieved to see a bed. Being on an eighteen-hour flight from Johannesburg sitting cramped in economy while sick must have been hell.

Anjali and I placed Arjun gently down on the bed. Anjali slipped off his shoes and tucked him in bed.

She kissed Arjun on the forehead. "You will be okay. Think of this as a lesson in having empathy for your future patients."

"I still hate you," he 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!" Arjun said.

"Alex do you have any wash rags?" she asked. "I'll get them, just tell me where to find them."

"I can get them," I said as I 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," I 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," Arjun whispered to me. "What kind of idiot thinks 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?" I asked with envy and surprise.

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

"Wow! I can't believe you climbed that! I'm assuming it was Anjali's idea," I laughed.

"You should know me better than that. I would never do something so asinine!"

"I heard that," Anjali said as she walked in with a tray with several things on it.

She sat on the other side of the bed and dipped the washrag in the cold water and put one on Arjun's head and then one on his belly.

"Damn that's cold."

"Don't be such a wimp. Keep it on for at least a half hour and then you can throw it off."

She left the tray by his side.

"Do you want to drink some water?" she asked tired.

Arjun nodded yes as she held the glass to his lips.