Small Story 76 The Peanut Ball and the Promise.

Small Story 76 The Peanut Ball and the Promise. It was a busy Sunday at the beach, crowded with families and tourists enjoying the sunny day. Malavika had arrived just ten minutes ago and was waiting for her friend Santhosh. She had recently moved to Chennai for her job at the Telephone Department, and Santhosh, who worked with her, had become a good friend in the short span of three months. Though Santhosh was originally from Hyderabad, he had settled in Chennai with his parents years ago when his father was transferred by the railways. Malavika, on the other hand, was from Bengaluru. Malavika checked her watch, growing a little impatient as she wondered why Santhosh was late. Just then, her phone rang. It was him. "Sorry, Malavika! Some guests have come over at my place. I'll be there in about ten minutes. Sorry again for the delay!" As she put the phone down, a small girl approached her, holding a basket of peanut balls. "Aunty, peanut balls! Only one rupee per pocket!" the girl chirped. Malavika smiled and bought two, handing the girl twenty rupees. "Sorry, I don't have change," the girl said. "If you wait for a while, I’ll bring it." "No problem," Malavika replied. "I'll wait here." Ten minutes later, Santhosh finally arrived, holding a box of sweets. "Take these," he said, "My relatives from Hyderabad brought them." The sweets were delicious, and as they ate, Malavika suggested, "Let's sit over there in that corner." As they walked, Malavika confided in Santhosh. "My dad is against our marriage," she said. "My mom is fine with it, but my dad is hesitant. Maybe because I’m from Bengaluru and we have different cultural backgrounds. But why does he feel this way?" Santhosh, ever patient, reassured her. "It’s not about where you're from or your background. It's about understanding each other. You and I share many similarities, like being vegetarians." The following week, Malavika invited Santhosh to meet her parents. When he arrived at her house, he was greeted warmly by her father, Gopal. "Malavika has told me about you," Gopal said. "The reason I’ve been hesitant is because of a promise I made long ago." He paused, a distant look in his eyes. "When I was younger, I promised my sister that one day, we would become family — 'sammadhi' — through marriage. But after that, my sister left for Madurai with her job, and we lost touch. Over the years, I’ve been searching for her, hoping to fulfill that promise." Santhosh listened quietly, moved by Gopal's words. "I understand, sir," he said. "But if you meet my parents, you might change your mind. You’ll see that we come from good family values." Gopal nodded thoughtfully. "Alright, I’ll meet them. Let's see how things go." The next day, Gopal and his family arrived at Santhosh place. As they sat together, Gopal's eyes widened in shock when he saw Santhosh's mother, Shweta. "Are you... Shweta?" Gopal asked, stunned. Shweta nodded, a soft smile on her face. "Yes, GopalAnna.. It’s been a long time." The two siblings, separated for decades, were finally reunited. Shweta introduced her husband, Jayanth, and shared the story of how she had left all those years ago to pursue her career, only to later marry her colleague and start a family. Malavika’s father was overwhelmed with emotion. He never expected to meet his long-lost sister again, let alone through his daughter’s love story. As they all chatted, a young girl entered with a tray of sweets. "Akka!" the girl called out, recognizing Malavika immediately. "I’ve been searching for you! Here’s your balance — 18 rupees!" Malavika laughed. "I remember! You were the one selling peanut balls on the beach that day!" The girl, named Ramya, was the daughter of the cook at Malavika’s house, Vandhana. She had been helping her mother sell peanut balls on Sundays, and it was that very day — when Malavika had bought the peanut balls from her — that set the stage for all the events that followed. As the group continued talking, they realized how this simple exchange of peanut balls had led to the meeting of two families, the fulfillment of a long-forgotten promise, and the blossoming of love between Santhosh and Malavika. In the end, what had started with a small girl selling peanut balls on the beach turned into a heartwarming family reunion, a promise kept, and a love story that was destined to be. K.Ragavan 13-11-24