Small Story 520.

Small Story 520 Ram’s Surprise Tea & The 100 Stories Gift Vasanthy never expected a call from Uncle Ram inviting her for tea that afternoon. She was the only daughter of Ram’s only sister, Rohini, and her husband, Keshav. A dedicated professional, Vasanthy worked as an Editor-in-Chief at a publication company and had completed her Master’s degree in Communication Journalism. Despite her busy schedule, she had quietly achieved something remarkable—she had written 100 short stories, each designed to be read in just two minutes. Her close friend Nishi, who worked in a software company, knew about this achievement. Interestingly, Nishi was also the classmate of Ram’s daughter, Suganthi. Proud of her friend, Nishi had mentioned Vasanthy’s milestone to Uncle Ram. Having completed two successful decades in the pharmaceutical field and now a versatile blogger and writer himself, Ram was delighted to hear about his niece’s accomplishment. That evening, Vasanthy arrived at Ram’s house along with her parents. A few minutes later, Nishi joined them. Ram’s wife, Nandhini, warmly welcomed everyone and served sweets and snacks. There was an air of curiosity—why had Ram invited them all for tea? Breaking the suspense, Ram stood up with a smile. “Welcome, everyone, for this special tea gathering,” he began. “Today, I congratulate my loving niece Vasanthy for writing 100 beautiful short stories. She didn’t tell us about it, but thanks to her dear friend Nishi, I came to know.” Vasanthy looked at Nishi in surprise. Ram continued, “As a proud uncle and as a fellow writer, I am delighted to release her first book—a collection of her 100 stories. I have written the preface, and two of my respected Sandalwood director friends have kindly sent their recommendations. Unfortunately, they could not be here today due to prior commitments.” With that, he held up the book and handed the very first copy to Vasanthy. Her eyes filled with tears of joy. She was overwhelmed by the love and effort her learned and versatile uncle had put into this surprise. The beautifully printed book, complete with a thoughtful preface and endorsements, felt like a dream come true. Ram leaned closer and whispered gently, “I printed 300 copies as a compliment to you. I’m happy to tell you that 75 copies have already been taken by my friends.” Nishi could hardly believe the magic of the moment—how thoughtfully Ram had honored his niece and how quickly the books had begun to sell. Vasanthy, deeply moved, thanked her uncle for his blessings and affection. Ram simply smiled and nodded. “You deserve this,” he said. And that evening tea turned into a celebration of love, encouragement, and the power of storytelling. K.Ragavan 13-2-26