Silently Falling in Love: Race (THE EDITED VERSION)

Chapter 41 - Weddings

Anjali: July 1996

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

"Yeah, it was beautiful. Katherine and Andrew are 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 tipsy, and we were only at the beginning of the reception. "Do you know how many times I've almost asked you to try again?" Arjun confessed.

"Really?" I asked, 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 swallowed 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.

"I want that too," I agreed, "but, I'm 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, do you realize we haven't been on a trip together since our Africa vacation?" I stated nostalgically.

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

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

"Your wedding has us in tears," Arjun fake cried as he stood up to greet Katherine and Andrew.

"Ever the actor," Katherine teased and kissed him back.

Andrew hugged me and kissed 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 recent bride by her waist, "and she's all mine."

"You know you two are in charge of getting the dance floor started later 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 wanted to be here, but it was a last-minute business trip to China he 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 actual reason," Andrew said mysteriously.

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

"Whatever the case, you tell your brother he owes me a bottle of great Scotch since he didn't come to celebrate my wedding in person. And it better be a damn good bottle!"