BEAUTY OF INNOCENCE

Kapilasena, surveying the either side of the road, couldn't even imagine the vast development that had taken place, compared to the situation of about four years back

"You see… within this short period, how many roads have been constructed…? Can you remember those days…? How we travelled through these… On the very first journey, you seriously fell in ill Menike… Am I right…?" Kapilasena recalled the unforgettable bitter past comparing with the present.

Spontaneously, Nandana Menike's mind flashed back to that incident. If Bernard had not come to Ulhitiya that day, in search of them, she even couldn't imagine what could have happened to her life. When she was unable to walk to the bungalow, how Bernard took her to his arms from the portico and how he carried her to the room, reappeared in her mind creating mental pictures of the scene.

Except Samantha, all the others looking at the Victoria Reservoir, made diverse comments. Kapilasena and Nandana Menike left Dumbara when the reservoir was being filled in the initial stage; Yasawathi even before that. Therefore, the reservoir turned out to be an unfamiliar sight for them. The highlands that stood earlier were seen like small islands later as they had been submerged by the water level.

"The water level has drastically gone down due to the drought season here… no rains for the last few months…" Samantha explained the reason.

Stopping the cab near Karaliyadda town, Samantha drew the attention of the others pointing out the Bambaragala temple, located on the other side of the reservoir. Since the temple had been built on the top of a square-shaped rock, it was also called by the name 'Pettigala'.

"You see, even the Theldeniya bridge is visible now…" Kapilasena tried to identify the ruins that had protruded above the water due to the decline in the water level.

"Uncle… you see over there… a small Dagaba… just ahead of that bridge… That's the Dagaba built at Theldeniya hospital premises." Samantha pointed out the discolored protruded part of the Dagaba to Kapilasena.

Nandana Menike was inquisitive about the location, where the three tiered building stood.

"You can't see it from here… it is covered by that mountain…" Reading Nandana Menike's mind, Samantha said in a low voice.

For almost all the mega projects undertaken by international companies, what they initially did was to construct quarters for officers with almost all facilities. Under Victoria Project also they did the same and built many quarters. The area, in which those quarters were built, was called 'Nilagama'. Once the project was over, the company handed over all the constructions and left. Later, for the purpose of the officers of the Mahaweli Authority those quarters were used. There was one such vacant quarter in Nilagama. With the help of some senior officers, Samantha was able to get that facility as he had won the hearts of each and every officer, with whom he worked.

"All furniture needed for a home are available in all these quarters…" Opening the door of the quarters, Samantha invited everybody to get in, showing the tables and chairs in the living room.

It was only five minute walking distance from his quarters to the Victoria office. After enjoying a cup of tea with everybody at his new residence, he went to the office as he had to attend to some urgent work there.

The sophisticated electric appliances drew the attention of Yasawathi. She immensely felt happy about the new turn of their life with all comforts. Nandana Menike had no special duty as such; for, Samantha had made all arrangements. She spent some time to put the clothes into the almirah and went out to see what others were doing.

Since it was a calm and quiet environment, Nandana Menike's daughter had a sound sleep. The locality, in which most of the unforgettable incidents in life took place, stood at close distance.

The background for her reflections was set by the familiar range of mountains and the serene environment. Her mind urged more of memories of Bernard. An endless desire crept into her mind to see what Bernard would be doing at that moment.

Samantha becoming her life partner was accidental. She never expected of it. It was quite obvious that he immensely loved her, yet, she did not think that their relationship would end up getting married. She was well aware of the fact that it was Samantha who been her best friend till she left the school. She tried to get rid of that mentality when the background was set for their marriage. She decided to go on that destined journey with him finally only after the realization of Bernard's abandonment of pursuit. She knew that Bernard would no longer waste his time and money in search of her. Otherwise, he was the main character who had that much attachment with the subject of love in her world. It was true that by kinship he was her uncle. There was no such convention or custom in the Buddhist culture, giving approval for an uncle to marry a cousin sister. Yet, the words once uttered by Periyavar had been imprinted in her heart. According to Hindu culture, marriage between uncle and daughter was a common custom and occurrence.

Nandana Menike was so immersed in her train of thoughts that she didn't sense Samantha entering the bed room. He looked at her for a moment while removing his shoes.

"Are you alright… Nanda…? Don't you like here…?"

Hearing her husband's voice, she turned her head and smiled.

He came closer to her and sat down gently pushing disarranged long hair aside.

"I saw you were sadly looking at the range of mountains… Is there anything you can't tell me…? Any problem…?"

"No… Grandma came to my mind…" said heaving a deep long sigh.

"Your grandma was a wonderful lady. An epitome of kindness… whenever she saw me she called me 'son' as if I were her own child. Even despite the dispute between the two families, she never gave up that habit…" He said admiring her humane quality.

"Was there a problem between us…? Problems were there between mothers…" said casting a sidelong look at him.

After a pause, she broke silence.

"You see… the extent of my mother's misunderstanding about you and how far it went…"

She again peeped at the mountains through the window.

He put his hand on her shoulder and turned her towards him and looked at her straightly. A sign of love and affection was etched on his face.

"Tell me frankly… didn't you have any feeling about me when schooling…?

The same question, which had been asked several times during the last five years, was again placed before her.

"Even those days you were special… but… it was not the way you felt… I can't exactly tell you what it looks like actually…"

"I thought of you those days too…" He was effusive in his words.

Nandana Menike responded with a long deep sigh.

"Didn't you understand those days why I showed that much interest and looked for your companion…?"

"I did understand…" She replied with no hesitation.

"Then… did you intentionally avoid me…?"

The feeling of love that generated in her heart for him could not be turned into words.

"I need not tell you… you know very well, how we lived those days… I was treated as an illegitimate girl by the people… I never heard of people talking good of us… All the tales that reached my ears were full of insults… If there was someone who spoke to me with kind loving words except my grandma; it was you Samantha… I was scared to lose your companion having unnecessary UN matching affairs… Besides, I had no such mental freedom to think of love or anything of that sort.

Samantha noticed that drops of tears slowly rolling down her cheeks.

"When did you really start to love me seriously Nanda…? After getting married…? Am I right…?"

Samantha tried to get an answer to that question which tortured his mind for many years.

"Don't know…" She responded with no second thought

"Don't know…?" It was a puzzle for him.

She knew silence would not heal the wound and was determined to be free after telling everything she wanted to tell. She thought Samantha should be given the most satisfactory answer as he had proved to be sincere and innocent throughout. She looked at his eyes directly and broke silence.

"If I had received love from somebody in my childhood, it was only from my beloved grandma. Whatever I did or said; my mother never tolerated, she was furious all the time… but now I do understand why she behaved in such a manner… I don't blame her for that… I did know that you had a special interest towards me… when you were absent on some days, the school looked like a desert for me. I had no other friends to share my grievances or loneliness… but I can't lie you that I loved you… NOW I'm YOURS… I'm sorry I can't just please you saying that I loved you those days… On the last day of our exam, when our friends decided to see a film, I agreed to come with you all as I didn't have any other option… In case I watched the film with you, you would again ask me…"

Samantha obstructed her when she went on without a full stop.

"I felt like going mad, when Bernard Hamu took you to his vehicle…"

She gestured him to allow her to continue.

"Listen to me Samantha… Please… These things will give you answers to all your burning problems I suppose… If I hadn't gone with Bernard Hamu on that day, most probably we wouldn't have come together to live under one roof…"

Samantha looked astounded at her verbal fluency. An untold story for five years was going to be unfolded. Samantha, with much patience, decided to listen to her.