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| Sunday, 15 September 2002 |
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Short Story They had to quit When they came home, it was empty except for Rajini's little son. Ralahamy was nervous. He went to her neighbour to find out what happened. But, none knew where the two had gone. Ralahamy's patience was stretched to the limit, when he saw a van approaching the house. Menike and Rajini got down with Kapila. "Where the hell did you go leaving this little child alone?" He shouted from the top of his voice. But none seemed to hear him. Rajini introduced Rohana to Kapila. "Sir do you think you can defend Rajini?" Kapila asked bluntly from Rohana. "Why do you ask that?" Rohana wanted to know. "I don't want Rajini to be locked up. If you can't I'll find the best criminal lawyer in the area to defend her. Money isn't a problem. I'll spend any amount." Solve "Wait!....who do you think you are? This is our problem. We'll solve it. We don't want your money or your advice" Ralahamy was unyielding. He never liked others barging in to his affairs. "Thatta Kapila came to help me. It's I who asked his assistance. You separated us once and married me to a drunkard playboy. This is the result of it. Please let me get out of this my way." Menike had never seen her daughter talk to her father this way. She knew the time had come for them to quit. She dragged her husband inside the house. "Ralahamy, calm down. We had our turn and now it's theirs. Give them a chance to solve it their own way." Menika hid her secret desire of seeing Rajini married to Kapila, even from her husband. She was relieved to hear that Sumane was still living. She knew that Dalupotha and Kapila were clever enough to rescue her daughter from this mess. She felt angry with her husband for his useless pride which has brought them only hardship. She knew they had a big battle ahead. Sumane's family would take their revenge. Only Kapila's money and his influence over the area as the honourable philanthropist, could fight them. She was angry that Ralahamy was too arrogant to see it. Remanded After producing Rajini to the Matale magistrate, Kapila came home with an emptiness he never felt before. She was remanded for fourteen days. He threw money everywhere necessary, to make sure that Rajini was treated well inside the remand prison. Her pleading still echoed in his ears. "Kapila, please get me out of this. I had to do it because he beat the child every day and refused to give me the divorce." Kapila Handunetti was just six years old when his father died in a road accident. He knew his mother took lot of trouble to bring him up. She bought vegetables from chenas and sold them to the villagers and the people living in the nearby towns. He was good in his studies and won the grade five scholarship to the Central College. It was there that he met Rajini, who was the former village headman's only daughter. She helped him whenever he was short of money, and even bought him clothes and books. Theirs was not a love at first sight. It was a deeper bond which built-up through the years. He promised to marry her after his University education. He was sure of a good job. But, things didn't turn out as he expected. After waiting for about a year, looking for a job, Kapila decided to cultivate the bare land behind his house. He knew the villagers laughed behind his back. They were happy that he wasn't able to find a good job. He knew they envied his University education. But, he was determined to succeed. His drive was Rajini. He knew she had to lie to her parents to dodge the marriage proposals they brought her. He knew her time was running out fast. But, everything changed, when Ralahamy got to know about their affair. Rajini was given in marriage to Sumane without delay. Collapsed Kapila's whole world collapsed. He felt useless. But, it was his mother who steered him. She urged him to carry on with what he started. He knew his mother would be always there for him whatever happened. After about a week from Rajini's marriage, she sent him a letter. She had told Sumane everything! But, he was not a man to let her go so easily. It had taken lot of struggling for her to elude his advances. But, she was determined not to give into him. This made Kapila to have new hopes. Kapila knew Rajini was treated badly and Sumane openly had paramours, treating them like queens and asking Rajini to find her own living. Rajini's plight drove him to expand his business more successfully in the hope to provide her with every comfort when she belonged to him. Every weekend when Rajini came home, they met secretly. The result was the son. Sumane knowing very well that the child was not his, treated both, the mother and son beastly. Rajini was careful not to divulge the truth about Kapila to anyone. Up to date even Sumane didn't know who the child's father was. His refusal to give her the divorce made her angry. That night she couldn't control herself after he beat her two year old son so mercilessly, that she took the knife and stabbed him till he fell unconscious. She had waited till day break and fled home with her son. Her only consolation being Kapila. Kapila knew that Rajini would be sentenced severely if Sumane dies. He knew that Sumane's family wouldn't let them go easily, being the powerful politicos of the area. They had to concoct a story. He was somewhat relieved that the Police didn't question her strongly at this point, Thanks to his money! Rohana amidst threats to his life appeared for Rajini. He managed to collect enough evidence from the neighbours against Sumane, who had died two days after the incident. Even a paramour came to give evidence, not heeding the threats from Sumane's brothers and their goons. All this, thanks to Kapila's generosity. In the end they were able to get a mild sentence for Rajini. She was given five years imprisonment for manslaughter in self defence. Kapila watched Rajini taken to the Bogambara prison with mixed feelings. Now he had only five years to wait, to get together with her. Till then he had their son. Kapila made sure that she had a comfortable life inside. He would never forget how she helped him during his difficult years. "That's it!" Chamara said with a sigh. "Do you remember your mother?" "Vaguely. She was no beauty as such. But father said she used to be. She was always in distress over something I was never happy with her. To tell you the truth, my real childhood started after I came to live with my father. He made my life worth living. In fact, when I came to know that the rascal who beat me day and night was not my real father and it was uncle Kapila, who was, I felt elated! Even my mother's death couldn't mar my happiness. To tell you the truth, when I heard that mother was shot dead while coming out of the prison gates, I somewhat felt relieved. Actually, I was worried about my father. I still remember....I was so happy to see him in one piece, I ran to him and hugged him with all my might. Father said that was the day he saw me really happy." "Your father must have loved your mother very much, not to think of marriage." "Yes....They both loved each other truly. But they were never able to live under one roof." Chamara closed his father's diary and left the room with his wife. The last line written still echoing in his mind..... "Fortune never calls on idlers. Determination drove me to success. Today, I have gained wealth and a family, because I wasn't a freeloader. My only regret in life was my inability to save Rajini from the injustice of the society." For the first time in his life, Chamara felt sorry for his dead mother. by Inoka Makalanda |
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