Small Story 785.

 Small Story 785

The Right Partner and the Right Time

Shubhashini returned home from the office one evening, feeling tired after a busy day. Her mother, Rohini, welcomed her with a cup of tea and some salt biscuits.

Shubhashini was working as the CEO of a leading advertising agency in Dallas. Her mother, Rohini, was also employed as a software engineer in a company, while her father was working as a Training Manager in a marketing company.

The family had been living in Dallas for more than fifteen years and visited their native place, Bengaluru, once every two years.

At the age of 30, Shubhashini was not interested in getting married. Her parents never forced her or created any pressure. They strongly believed in one principle: **"The right time will come, and everything will happen naturally."**

That evening, Shubhashini went to a supermarket and unexpectedly met her old college classmate, Ajay. He had arrived in Dallas a month earlier after completing a course in Visual Communication and Storytelling.

They were delighted to meet after a long gap. After spending some time together over tea at a nearby restaurant, they exchanged their phone numbers and residential addresses. They also decided to meet again the following Sunday at Shubhashini's house for lunch.

On Sunday, Ajay arrived with a box of sweets and some fruits. He warmly greeted Rohini and handed over the gifts.

During their conversation, Ajay explained his family background. He was the only son to his parents and had always wanted to take care of them. He had therefore decided not to get married, as he did not want his personal commitments to affect his responsibility towards them.

Rohini appreciated his affection and concern for his parents. However, she gently asked him, "Ajay, how long do you think you can manage everything on your own? Having a life partner does not necessarily mean neglecting your parents."

Ajay replied, "Aunty, taking care of my parents is very important to me. They have sacrificed so much for my future, and I want to be there for them."

After enjoying a delicious lunch and sweets, Ajay turned towards Shubhashini and asked her why she had not considered getting married.

Shubhashini smiled and explained that, being the only child, she wanted to remain close to her parents and take care of them. She did not want marriage to become a reason for leaving them alone.

Ajay understood her feelings. After spending a pleasant afternoon with the family, he took leave. Later, he forwarded his biodata and professional credentials to Shubhashini.

A few days later, an interesting opportunity came up at Shubhashini's office. The directors of the advertising agency wanted to introduce a new concept of storytelling through their channel. They were looking for talented people who could narrate interesting stories and develop an engaging programme for viewers.

Shubhashini immediately thought of Ajay. Having met him recently and knowing about his qualifications in Visual Communication and Storytelling, she felt he would be the right person for the assignment.

She discussed his profile with the directors and recommended him for the position. After reviewing his qualifications and conducting the necessary discussions, the management appointed Ajay as the Head of the Storytelling Department.

Ajay was delighted with the opportunity and worked with great enthusiasm. Within a month, his programme became extremely popular among viewers. His storytelling style, innovative presentation and selection of interesting subjects attracted a large audience. Everyone appreciated his creativity and the new direction he had brought to the channel.

Encouraged by his success, Ajay decided to bring his parents to Dallas. He arranged a comfortable apartment for them and made plans to settle down permanently while continuing his work at the channel.

As the days passed, both families began to understand something special about Ajay and Shubhashini. They shared similar values, respected their parents' feelings and had the same sense of responsibility towards their families.

The parents from both sides gradually discussed the possibility of bringing them together as life partners. Initially, Ajay and Shubhashini were surprised, but after reflecting on their friendship and mutual understanding, they realised that they had many things in common.

Both finally agreed to get married.

Their decision brought immense happiness to both families. They realised that marriage need not mean separation from parents or abandoning family responsibilities. With mutual understanding, affection and proper planning, everyone could live happily together.

Both families decided to purchase two apartments next to each other in Dallas so that the young couple and their parents could remain close and support one another.

Their wedding was celebrated with great happiness and blessings from both families. Ajay and Shubhashini began a beautiful new chapter in their lives, ensuring that their parents would always receive their love, attention and care.

Rohini's favourite belief, **"The right time will come,"** had finally come true!

Shubhashini was delighted to have found a wonderful life partner in Ajay, who shared her values and respected her family commitments. Ajay, too, was happy that he could fulfil his responsibilities towards his parents while building a loving relationship with Shubhashini.

K.Ragavan