Silently Falling in Love: Lucky Charm

Book 2 - October 2007

Anjali

Raj holds the door open to the Italian restaurant letting me in and several of the other parents in.

"God I can't believe how long the back to school nights are. It seems like they get longer and longer every year," Raj complains.

It's 9pm and several of the parents in Karan's grade have decided to meet up for dinner since we're all starving.

We walk to the bar as the waiter gets a couple of long tables together for our big group.

Raj is busy chatting with one of the dad's as I wait patiently for him to go to the bar and get us something.

"Hi there. Would you like a glass of Chardonnay?" Alex asks rhetorically as he hands me a glass of Chardonnay.

"Thank you," I say.

Raj turns around from his conversation "How do you know my wife drinks chardonnay?" Raj asks.

Alex looks a bit stunned but recovers quickly, "Lucky guess. Most women like a glass of Chardonnay. What will you have?"

"I'll take a Scotch. Thank you."

Raj places his hand behind my back, "Is it good?"

"It's fine; do you want a sip?" I ask holding my breath. The Chardonnay is one of my favorites and Alex knows that.

"Thanks sweetheart, I'll just wait for my scotch."

Seconds later, Alex comes back, "A scotch for you," as he hands Raj a scotch.

"Cheers," Alex says as he clinks his beer bottle to Raj's scotch and than to my glass of wine.

"So you're a beer drinker, huh. I guess that fits your profession as a programmer," Raj retorts.

I look at Alex confused since I know he drinks wine. He gives me a look before responding, "Yeah something like that."

Chris walks up to Alex with a glass of red wine and greets Raj and me.

"Anjali used to be a beer drinker when I first met her, but she's since changed that and many other habits," Raj offered up as he looked over at me.

"What made you give up drinking beer?" Chris asked trying to be a part of the conversation.

"I mainly drank when I raced and I don't race anymore so I guess the habit died with that," I said quickly hoping to end the conversation.

"What did you race?" Alex asked.

"Cars. I loved racing fast cars, but that was a lifetime ago," I said and took a sip of my Chardonnay. I didn't like the attention on me.

"Thank god she gave up racing and drinking beer. I'd like to think I had a hand in taming her. You wouldn't have recognized her she was such a tomboy when we met. She even dressed like one," Raj chuckled as he dropped a kiss on my forehead.

"I definitely like this version of Anjali much better," Raj added.

"I had no idea you liked to race," Alex said quietly.

Chris added, "Alex used to love racing too, thankfully he doesn't now. If only I could get him to get rid of his motorcycle, I'd be so much happier. I'd give up complaining about his t-shirts and jeans if he would just give up his motorcycle."

"You ride a motorcycle? That's so unsafe. Aren't you worried about something happening to you?" Raj asks.

"I'm a safe driver. Plus, just because we're older doesn't mean we should give up all of the pleasures in life. There's a certain adrenaline I get when I'm on my bike that can't be recreated anywhere else."