Small Story 110. ANew Bond Rekindled.

Small Story 110. "A New Bond Rekindled Rajalakshmi, at 65, stood at the Mysore bus stand, preparing to board a bus to Bengaluru. After losing her husband, she had been living alone in their grand palatial house, with only her daughter Vasanthi's son Arun for company. Arun, a 22-year-old handsome engineer working in Bengaluru, had invited her to come and stay with him permanently. Rajalakshmi's daughter, Vasanthi, was settled in the US with her husband Aravind, who worked for the IMF. Arun had come to greet her at the Bengaluru bus station, and as they traveled by taxi, he excitedly shared news about his promotion and his upcoming transfer to Mysore. Rajalakshmi was overjoyed to hear this. Arun, a skilled automobile engineer, would be relocated to Mysore next month, and he planned to spend some time with his grandmother before moving there. Over the next week, Arun took Rajalakshmi around Bengaluru, showing her important places, even those she had seen before, and introducing her to new restaurants. In the evenings, he would listen to her stories, ones she had told him in his childhood. One evening, they visited a mall, where Rajalakshmi ran into her old friend Ambujam. "Hi Rajalakshmi, how are you? It's been so long!" Ambujam exclaimed. The two women caught up, with Rajalakshmi explaining that she had arrived just a week ago. Ambujam shared that her son had settled in Australia and her granddaughter, Sowmya, was studying in her final year of MBA. Arun, feeling warmly toward his grandmother's old friend, invited Ambujam to their home, and she accepted. After tea and snacks, the two women reminisced about the past. Ambujam revealed that she had once hoped to become Rajalakshmi's *sammandhi* (relative by marriage), but it never happened. As they spoke, Ambujam showed Rajalakshmi a picture of her granddaughter, Sowmya. The picture caught Arun’s attention, and he was impressed by the young woman. Before long, both Rajalakshmi and Arun were headed back to Mysore, but not just with memories. The bond between the two old friends had rekindled, with a new possibility arising. Arun, seeing the potential for a future connection, understood that his grandmother and Ambujam’s granddaughter could soon become family, once Sowmya completed her studies. The two old friends felt happy, knowing that despite their earlier missed chances, a new bond had been formed through Arun's invitation. True affection and connections can grow in unexpected ways, even when they seem long lost. K.Ragavan 30-12-24.