BEAUTY OF INNOCENCE

The Victoriya Project, funded by the United Kingdom was one of the major projects that came under the Accelerated Mahaweli Development Project launched in Sri Lanka. A considerable number of towns and villages were supposed to be inundated due to the construction of the Victoriya Dam. The villagers believed with a doubt the news of losing the native villages and lands in another few years' time. Even the government demarcated and marked the borders of the reservoir, some presented various arguments on them that they would be not correct.

Among the people of Dumbara valley, Bernard Weerasekara remained on the top as he was the one who lost the largest extent of land and property which would go underwater. He could not even fathom out the value of the lands, houses, businesses that belonged to his father and aunt. Bernard, with a heavy heart, was looking at the demarcation being done up to the half of the third tiered of the three tiered bungalow. The officials pointed out that except twenty acres of his land, the rest would be taken up for the reservoir. He was bearing up the pain by himself under the strain of losing the paternal inheritance that passed down for many a generation. Sandra's reaction was completely opposite to that of him. Her ambition was to see the reservoir coming up soon. That is the fulfillment of her expectation to get a chance to go the capital city for settlement.

"I called Victor brother… He is willing to give even the ownership of his hotel in Tangall..."

In the face of strong request of Sandra, Bernard invested money, from time to time, for the hotel being constructed in Tangall. Yet, he didn't have any interest in hotel industry even in a corner of his mind.

"I have no willing heart for joint business… even that hotel… a very lazy job…"

"Then, even today you are doing the same thing… My brother's share of our Millathota lands being counted and given to him…" Sandra's argument was correct.

"Though it is said that the dam being built in four years… when things to get going, how much time it would take… if governments change, everything will turn upside down…" Bernard tried to turn the conversation to a different direction.

"You are dreaming…" Bernard's attempt to deceive his mind turned out to be a victim of Sandra's ridicule.

"Life is filled with dreams…"

She thought that he was hurt as he was looking away with a desperate look.

"What is to happen cannot be avoided Bernard… that's why I said so…"

He, turning towards her, smiled.

"All the lives are filled with dreams… that innocent man brought the maiden product of his pottery here because of his humanity… to show me gratitude… Yet, the way how his dream scattered… now you are dreaming to go to Colombo… Suppose we went to Colombo… Do you think everything will turn out to be ok as you wish…?"

Sandra realized that her thoughts, in a subtle manner, were subjected to challenge relating to the Kapilasena's incident.

After his immigration with the family members, her maiden love was confined only to the desperate sweet memories. When she met Nisham, after the confirmation of the marriage with Bernard, she built a relationship with him knowing the fact that it would never come to a termination with a marriage. Nisham was a young man with a roguish and a handsome look. She didn't have any other option to possess his love other than with the help her friends' beseeching support. The relationship with him came to an end turning Sandra into a woman. Since Bernard had not been a believer of old-fashioned ideas as he had close acquaintances in other countries, Sandra took an advantage upon this in order to cover up the scars regarding her purity and was able to face the customs of the wedding ceremony causing no suspicion. The fact that the loss of virginity owing to the involvement in sports activities was unquestionably admitted by Bernard. She was able to keep the truth under the carpet just less than six months. Nisham was a friendly customer of Bernard. Nisham had told Bernard at a party that a girl friend of him had got married and moved to the Hill Country. Not knowing the fact that Sandra got married to Bernard, Nisham had tried out to get whereabouts of Sandra from Bernard. To get all the information about the affair he had with Sandra, Bernard behaved in a tactful manner. Bernard, having known everything, wanted to hint Sandra that he was aware of the relationship she had with Nisham without creating any conflict. Sandra's freedom was restricted from that onwards. When she stayed a couple of days in Colombo house, she learnt that her mother was keeping an eye on her movements more attentively than before. She understood that it was on Bernard's instructions.

After the revelation of the untold facts by Sandra, even outwardly not indicated, Bernard's mind was in a state of agony. He spent his time in anguish as she had done him a fraud being well aware of what it was. The mutual exchange of words between them started distancing little by little.

Sandra could not bear up the change in his behavior. Finally, she decided to speak to him to find out a solution to get rid of the stressful atmosphere that was in progress in the house.

* * *

Kapilasena got ready to go to the water spout behind the house to wash his dirty clothes. Since his right hand had not completely recovered, the bandage around the elbow remained there as it was.

"Are you trying to go to the water spout…?"

Hearing Yasawathi's voice, he came out of the kitchen and glanced at the door step.

"Just to have a body wash…" He opened his mouth taking the dirty clothes to his backside in order to hide it from the sight of her.

"Are you mad brother…? still with the swelling on your hand… I heard mother was telling that you have sugar… If you want to have a body wash, I shall boil some water…" Yasawathi told him taking a few steps towards him.

"No need sister… now the injury is on its way to recovery I think… it is itchy…"

"Who knows… whether it is going to be better or worse…?" Yasawathi held his right hand slowly and surveyed the bandage taking it close to her nose.

When she raised his hand, he felt a bit pain, and unconsciously Kapilasena's left hand went up. At that time, she noticed the dirty rags.

"I will wash those clothes…" Disregarding his reactions, she dragged the dirty clothes.

"I shall boil some water… wait till then…"

He looked at Yasawathi stepping towards the kitchen with his dirty clothes in a hurry. Kapilasena squat the outside of the old house. How much could she have suffered from her childhood because of her deformity? She had said good bye to her school life being unable to bear up the humiliation of the children. Being brought up inside the house under the protection of her parents, her entire life had been wronged by someone. She frequently got cross with her mother. There wasn't a single day which she had no quarrel with her daughter. Were all these, a result of the deprivation of things of what she had expected in her life? Kapilasena thought of the woman, who had lost her happiness, with his eyes closed. Hearing the sound of the water being poured from the pot into the basin from the backside of the old house, Kapilasena turned his head towards that side.

"I thought that you had a nap within that short while…" Yasawathi laughed covering her mouth and nose with her hand.

Kapilasena got up removing the shirt which he was wearing.

"Water is boiled… I shall bring the kettle…"

Again she went to the kitchen. Kapilasena put the shirt onto the cloth line and sat on the stool beside the basin.

"Tell me, if not hot enough… fire is burning so well… it will heat quickly…" Pouring the hot water into the basin and checking the heat of it, Yasawathi was again ready to boil water in the kettle.

"This heat is ok…"

"Brother, you better get the body wash… I'll keep the kettle… I'll make some tea for you to drink after the body wash…"

Yasawathi, with the kettle, bustled towards the kitchen. Kapilasena, while covering the bandage with a silly bag, to get ready for the body wash, was contemplating the noticeable interest shown by Yasawathi towards him, which she hadn't displayed before the dog's attack on his elbow.

* * *

With much difficulty, Samantha avoided going to school along with Nandana Menike for two days, owing to the pain caused by Nandana Menike's reaction of shaking his hand off her. She sensed the change in him, but made no inquiries about it. When he got no response from her, his idea to hurt Nandana Menike by distancing from her, was thought to be a silly act done by him and he repented of it. On the third day morning, he was waiting under the tamarind tree to see her presence. Yet, Nandana Menike didn't attend the school on that day. He couldn't bear up the inability of meeting her because the following two days were holidays as being a week end. Without attending the evening extra class, he was thinking of a way to meet Nandana Menike soon after the school. Unlike earlier, her absence at the water spout for evening body wash was another obstacle for him to meet her.

Samantha, with a few books on his hand, stepped towards her house in the evening with a view to meeting her and speaking to her somehow or other. At a distance, he saw Yasawathi washing clothes at the foot of the water spout and he quickly got into the clove garden along the foot path. Avoiding her, through the clove garden, he hurried to go to Nandana Menike's house. Though the front door was closed, remaining the window open proved to be an evidence of her presence inside the house. With a trembling heart, he went close to the window. He peeped through the window and learnt that she was not inside.

"Who are you looking for young man…?"

He was shaken up by the hoarse male voice and he looked at the old house as it came from that direction. Kapilasena's sharp look made Samantha's lips and mouth dry.

"Who is this child…?"

"I… I came to return a school book…" Samantha felt an unfamiliarity of his voice along with the pronunciation.

"Ah… the girl was there in the house…"

The manner of Kapilasena's articulation while going to the back side of the house reduced the degree of shock felt by Samantha. The reason was, his presence had not been suspected by him.

Nandana Menike came out being inquisitive of the voices she heard from outside home. She was surprised to see Samantha. Before telling her something, he showed the books and hinted at her without letting Kapilasena sense of his purpose. Nandana Menike laughed at him seeing his petrified posture.

"Bappe (Step father), this one, from our class… Gunadasa uncle's son…"

She introduced Samantha to Kapilasena lightly. Samantha felt comfortable of his coming upon Kapilasena's behavior, which didn't indicate any difference.

"Madam asked to do these papers and bring them on Monday…" Samantha said in that tone enabling Kapilasena to hear while giving the books to Nandana Menike.

"You are an expert on jobs of this nature…" She took the books onto her hand murmuring with a scornful look.

Samantha looked at Kapilasena with a sense of fear as her words being overheard by Kapilasena while moving towards the old house.

"Why did the angry guys come here carrying books…?" Her smile possessed a friendly nature.

"Why didn't you come today…?" Samantha looked around to get rid of his doubt.

A sense of compassion was originated in the mind of Nandana Menike towards Samantha. His feelings, she could understand.

"Today I'm not well… that's why…"

"Those are lies… you didn't come because of the cross you had with me…" An expression of helplessness blended with resentment was visible from Samantha.

"No… promise… last evening fell ill…"

He looked away regretfully avoiding her eyes. Nandana Menike understood that the words she uttered were not believed by Samantha.

"That's an illness, we… women get…"

"I thought you have got angry with me…" Samantha raised his head and looked at her with a look of apology upon his suspicion.

Nandana Menike nodded her head to either side signaling that there was no grudge. He preferred to see the radiance coming from her eyes when they remained half closed.

"Don't you ask me to come inside home…?"

Nandana Menike felt scared of Samantha's pleading look.

"Mother may come Samantha… Just before going to the water spout, she shouted at me for sleeping during day time…" Samantha's growing interest towards her, she could not hide it to her female instinct.

Samantha understood that the mention of her mother was a clue for him to leave the place. His aim was to tell her somehow the suppressing feeling that was trying to come out from his heart. He was looking around in an attempt to compose words for it.

"Monday morning I'll come… You wait there near the tamarind tree…" Her words were able to suppress his attempt to articulate the thoughts which were just about to come out.

Samantha turned back to take leave from her with a sense of disappointment.

* * *

Bernard after having a body washes, lying down on bed, lit a vanilla cigar with the idea of getting a short break. Having heard the sound of the footsteps of Sandra on the staircase leading to the third floor, he closed his eyes blowing a few smoke rings into the air. Bernard always took every possible effort not to show her the pain in his heart he felt due to the damage caused to their cordial relationship.

"Your tea…" She was beside him with a hot cup of tea.

"Let it cool a bit…"

Keeping the cup of tea on the table, she lay down near him. He preferred the fragrance of the perfume spreading from Sandra. Without opening his eyes, he put on a smile on his face as he felt the tips of her fingers running through the hair on his chest.

"Didn't you inquire about the necklace…?"

He opened his eyes feeling her fingers reaching the gold necklace around his neck.

"This is worthier than the previous one…"

Bernard bought a more expensive necklace and put it on as Sandra was often found to be inquisitive of it.

"The necklace made for the engagement…" Her resentment was converted into words.

Giving no replies to it, with his eyes closed, he blew some smoke rings deeply inhaling the cigar a few times. After a while, he felt Sandra's head leaning onto his chest and Sandra's right hand rand trough Bernard's hair. She took the cigar out of Bernard's lips and put it down at the foot of the bed. She didn't like the smell of cigar that much. Sensing a warm drop of tear on his chest, Bernard opened his eyes and looked at her. Her eyes were filled with tears.

"Why Sandra…?"

Raising her head placing the chin on his chest, she glanced at him with a pale look.

"Why is this…?" Bernard tried to sit down on the bed. Avoiding that, she held his cheeks gently with her both hands.

"You have changed a lot…" Releasing a long breath, Sandra tried to ease off her mind.

"Me…?" Bernard, being inquisitive with a single word, remained in silence afterwards.

"Those days, when I came near you, how lovingly you treated me… but now… you need me no more… you are different…" Being unable to bear up the silence, she again opened her mouth. Her despairing voice generated a sense of compassion in him. With his tight hand, he started stroking her head gently.

"I know you were offended because of me… It happened owing to my negligence…"

Sandra felt the breath that Bernard released raising his chest.

"Don't treat me like that Bernard… now I have nobody else…, only you, only YOU…"

Bernard preferred the caress of her smooth face touching the thick hair of his chest.

"Why don't you speak with me… say something… at least scold me… please Bernard…"

"How can such a thing happen due to ignorance Sandra…?"

"If a small child can of course be considered… an educated, well-known person in society…" Bernard swallowed the last few words without expressing.

"Nisham deceived me…"

Bernard looked away indicating his disbelief in what she said.

"You are in anger…"

"No… it is you who deceived me…"

Sandra bit her lower lip in fear of bursting into tears due to the pain. He released a set of words which he had never used for her since marriage. Bernard, to give a sense of relief to his mind, decided to question over the matters that tortured him causing mental agony.

"The day before I left for England, the marriage of yours and mine was confirmed… After that only, you have had all these entanglements with Nisham…"

Sandra tried to shut his face with her right hand, as she no longer wished to hear anything of that nature.

"I admit it Bernard… I wronged you… but, but all those happened in a way I never thought… I went on a trip to Nuwara Eliya with my friends; there I happened to be with Nisham all alone as all the friends went out for shopping leaving me alone. On that day I don't know myself what happened to me…" Sandra, with much difficulty, lined up the words. Bernard, with a sinking heart, was looking at her without blinking.

"I'm also wrong Bernard… actually I should have thought of you… but, at that time…" She paused for a moment in the face of breaking utterances.

"Please, forgive me Bernard…" The pleading look filled with tears, indicated that she was on the verge of weeping.

"From the seven letters word 'forgive' do you think everything can be solved Sandra…"

"Even after marriage, Nisham has come to meet you…"

"Yes… I met him… but the sort of thing you think didn't happen there… I know Bernard, who he is… I went to meet him with Nimalka… If you ask her she will tell you of everything…"

Nimalka was an intimate friend of Sandra. Bernard closed his eyes. In a fraction of a second, his mind went back like a series of flash back in a film. After the confirmation of the marriage of them, he left for England and then he was reminded of the close relationships he had with a few women in England. The physical intimacy he had with the lady at the boarding house, who was six years older than him, and one day when he was caught red handed by her husband and the way he tolerated everything were reflecting in his mind. His sub conscious mind , in turn, questioned himself that Sandra's submission to Nisham upon her physical drives was not a matter to be surprised, Bernard's mind, which was cooling down little by little, woke up with a feeling to caress her. He slowly touched her breast keeping eyes closed.

* * *

Kapilasena was an expert in forming the lumps of clay that he kept on the pottery's wheel, into pottery of different designs. He managed to do his work by himself, yet, he decided to get Yasawathi's support after the dog's attack. At the beginning she helped him spinning the pottery's wheel. After some time, though she attempted to make pottery, it didn't turn out to be successful that much.

"If you too had kindled your interest in this industry, you could have learnt this very well. Kapilasena fired her with encouraging words. With the help of the fingers except the thumb, he put pressure on the clay on the pottery's wheel to shape the edge of the pot exhibiting his competence in that industry.

"I have no ability brother…" Yasawathi said pushing back the lock of hair around her face.

"You see… you have applied it on your blouse too…" having seen the stain on her blouse, he said showing his betel-stained teeth.

She checked the blouse instantly forgetting the fact that her hand had been smeared with mud.

"Oh, you see… the whole body is smeared…"

She could not stop laughing over the silly act she had committed.

"These things, you know, cannot be done in a rush… patience should be there… you see… the consequence of your haste…"

When the speed of the pottery's wheel slowed down, she gained the speed as an experienced operator.

"From the time known to us, we have been continuing this industry, but now it is not as it used to be… with the arrival of these aluminum items, this pottery industry has faced with a drastic decline…" Kapilasena remarked with a sense of disappointment.

"Then, why are you doing these…?"

"Doing it only out of habit… no demand as earlier… keeping only a small margin, we have to sell these…"

What he said was true. Even at home, she remembered, the place of clay pots had been invaded by the aluminum containers.

"My mother also bought a clay pot recently in order to boil milk when her daughter reached puberty…"

The wet pot with its initial shape was taken away from the pottery's wheel with much care. Its finishing look turned up when it was kept for drying for a few minutes. Placing that pot aside for drying purpose, Kapilasena took another seasoned lump of clay and kept it on the pottery's wheel to make another creation from it.

"If it doesn't bring any profit, better going for something else…" Yasawathi expressed her idea of futility of the pottery industry, if it doesn't bring any proper income.

"Even for that, money should be there… Since there's enough space in the garden, it is ideal, if you could start a small scale dairy farm with a few cows initially earning money is nothing from that sort of thing…"

"If you had asked our mother…" Yasawathi was well aware of the fact that the favorable response from the Hamu of the bungalow that could be received for ventures of this nature, if requested by Koinmenika. She suggested a viable approach to materialize Kapilasena's expectation.

"Sister, if you just ask mother…?"

"Why should I ask…? She is none other than your Punchi Amma (Mother's sister)… Even the Hamu would not be evading…"

The feeling that Hamu's generosity to assist him, entered Koinmenika's mind. After the incident of Rover's attack, Hamu helped him with no second thoughts to meet his day today expenses.