Silently Falling in Love: Race (THE EDITED VERSION)

Chapter 47 - Churning the Waters

Alex: June 1997

"Hello, Alex Shergill speaking," I answered my new Nokia mobile phone.

"Well, aren't you sounding professional today," Tarun cha-cha mocked.

"Hello to you too, cha-cha. How are you? You know that's how people start a phone call off," I said.

"Well, it would be nice if my nephew called me once in a while to see how this old man was doing. Do you even remember me? Remember your commitment to Tarun Jewelers?"

"This is about business; and here you are trying to make me feel guilty about not calling my cha-cha."

"Fine, let's talk shop since you don't seem in much of a social mood," Tarun cha-cha added, ignoring my comment.

I rolled my eyes even though he couldn't see me. I could tell he wanted to talk about work.

"So, when are you going to pull your weight on Tarun Jewelers? Both you and Anjali abandoned me at the same time. When are you coming to visit? There are a few things we need to discuss in terms of the direction of the business."

I held my breath when I heard Anjali's name, "I'm going to California in a couple of weeks to visit mom and dad if you want to meet me in California."

"Yes, why don't I do that. Send me your itinerary and I'll arrive a few days after your jetlag has worn off. I need you at your fullest to work."

"Nice to see you missed me too," I said rubbing my neck. I needed a massage.

"I miss you. When are you coming back to New York?"

"I'm not planning on coming back. I'm hoping to move to California. While I'm out there visiting mom and dad, I will check out job prospects."

"Why aren't you coming back?" Tarun cha-cha asked while sounding like something else distracted him.

"I've been on the East Coast since I was eighteen, it's been ten years, it's time for a change. Maybe I'm going through a mid-life crisis."

"But you're not married, have no kids, no mortgage; it's a little early for a mid-life crisis. You haven't even started life and you have a crisis?"

"Just thought I'd get a head start on it."

"Is this because of Anna?"

"NO."

"Someone else than?"

"No one else in my life since Anna."

"When are you buying the fancy sports car? You know that's part of a mid-life crisis."

"We'll go shopping when I see you in California."

"You must have made a lot of money in China because I can assure you the extra cash is not coming from Tarun Jewelers."

"I thought you were buying it for me as a bonus for all the hard work I've put in?"

"What hard work? You've been MIA for months and now you want a bonus! What the hell kind of business skills are they teaching you in China?"

"Fine, why don't you buy me one because I'm your favorite nephew?"

"You're not my favorite nephew right now," Tarun cha-cha said as if he was bored.

"When did Arjun become your favorite nephew?"

"When you disappeared."

"Tarun cha-cha are you trying to make me feel bad about something?"