Silently Falling in Love: Race (THE EDITED VERSION)

Chapter 48 - Motherly Advice

Alex: December 1997

I grabbed my paperwork and stuffed it in my briefcase with my laptop. Anjali was teaching a class tonight, so I wanted to get home earlier to make dinner before she came over. I could finish my work at home.

I was about to walk out of my office when my phone buzzed.

I answered the phone, "Hi Mom, how are you?"

"Hello Alexander, I'm fine. How are you?"

"I'm doing well, I was just gathering my stuff and heading home."

"Oh good, so I didn't catch you at a bad time."

"No, not at all. What's up?"

"Do you have a few minutes to chat?"

I placed my briefcase down and sat back down in my office chair, "Yes, sure. Are you and dad okay?"

"We're doing wonderful. Arjun and Kavita were here last week, and we had a wonderful time with them. Kavita is a lovely young woman and has a calming effect on your brother."

I laughed, "Yes, she is the calmer of the two. How are the wedding details coming along?"

"Well, I think your brother is the Bridezilla, but otherwise they're going well. Kavita seems easy going and so does her family. Your brother, on the other hand..."

I continued to laugh, "So a three-layer butter cream cake made by only the best bakery in town?"

"Try four layers!"

"Well, that sounds like Arjun," I said. "Anything I can do to help with the wedding?"

"Make your brother go away and let Kavita and I plan it?"

"Mom, now you're asking for miracles! Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Yes, there is."

"What is it, mom? How can I help?"

"I normally don't like to interfere in your or Arjun's life. It's the British upbringing in me. But I feel, or maybe it's being married to your dad for so long that I have to this time," she paused before continuing, "I'd like to know if you're planning on proposing to Anjali," my mom said in her formal British voice.

"Wow, you didn't beat around the bush. Setting aside your change in character, Mom, I promise to tell you as soon as it happens. We've only been together for six months."

"You know your father has finally accepted that Anjali is not marrying Arjun. I think this past week seeing Kavita and Arjun together here at home really helped. He's finally turned the corner."

"That's good to hear," I said, but wondering what this had to do with me proposing.

"I'd like you and Anjali to be engaged by the time Arjun and Kavita get married in March. I think it will be weird to have you introduce her as your girlfriend. Most of our friends already know her from the Diwali parties she's attended, and I think it will be better if she's your fiancé by the time the wedding happens."

"Are you trying to get a two for one deal on the wedding cake? Is that what this is all about?" I tried saying with a bit of humor.

"Alexander, be serious for a moment."

"Fine mom, why the timeline by Arjun's wedding?"

I heard my mom exhale on the other end, "Do you really want to know?"

"That would be nice. Have you been lying to me before this?"

"Frankly, Alexander, I'm worried you will screw this up."