Small Story 274.

Small Story 274: A Miracle at the Wedding Seshan was finally happy. After several reminders from his old friend Sethu, he arrived at Tiruchendur and checked into the hotel where his room had been reserved. Seshan and Sethu were both from Tirunelveli and had been close friends for more than three and a half decades. After retiring from India Cements, Seshan had moved to Bengaluru to live with his son. Sethu had migrated to Sydney, where his own son had settled. Though the two friends hadn't met in years, they stayed in close touch through daily video calls and messages. Sethu’s grandson’s wedding was fixed in Tiruchendur, and Seshan had come to attend. The bride, also from Tiruchendur originally, lived with her parents in Sydney. A few minutes after Seshan arrived at the hotel, Sethu came to greet his old friend with joy. Sethu asked Seshan why his wife hadn’t come along. Seshan explained that she had to attend a close relative’s wedding in Bengaluru and couldn’t make it. That evening, the pre-wedding function went smoothly, followed by the wedding the next morning. Both the bride and groom were charming and well-mannered, admired by everyone. The reception dinner that evening was special. There were four sweets—favorites of both Seshan and Sethu: Wheat Halwa, Badam Cake, Badhusha, and Cashew Burfi. Both men loved sweets, and thanks to God’s grace, neither was diabetic. They savored every bite with childlike joy. Suddenly, Seshan received a call from his son. After the call, his face lit up with joy. He turned to Sethu and said, “Come closer, I have some wonderful news.” Seshan continued, “Last week, when you invited me to the wedding, my wife Kanaka was unwell. She had been admitted to the hospital, and the initial diagnosis was malignant. We were waiting for a second opinion from a top specialist who was out of station. He returned yesterday, and today my son met him. After reviewing the reports, he confirmed that it was just an ordinary boil. Nothing serious.” Seshan’s eyes filled with happy tears as he added, “Kanaka told me to come here and attend the wedding as planned. She confidently said, ‘Invite Sethu and everyone to our home in Bengaluru for a feast.’” Sethu was overwhelmed. The fact that Kanaka, even during a health scare, had insisted on Seshan attending the wedding and extended such a heartfelt invitation, filled him with deep emotion. The strength of their friendship, the love of a devoted wife, and the miracle of good news—everything came together to make the moment unforgettable. K.Ragavan 12-6-25