Short Story

Renu's adoption

by Davidson Goonetillake

When I got a transfer to the Bandarawela branch of our Bank, I had to stay at a boarding house a little distance away from the heart of the town. On a Sunday, to get rid of boredom and loneliness I thought of going to the fair. Having gone around I stopped at a mango seller, an old woman and bent to choose some mangoes.

The woman looking intently at my face said, "Sir, I had a son just like you. He had the same curly long hair, pointed narrow nose, calf like eyes, pearly teeth and golden skin. He was my only son who died at twenty two, three years ago".

Seeing that she was close to tears, to console her I said, "Auntie, my mother and father had died in a car accident when I was just an infant. I had been adopted by my mother's only sister. Life is like that, nobody can help death".

Gift

After listening to me, the woman began to choose some mangoes and putting them into a bag offered it to me saying, "Sir, accept my humble gift in memory of my deceased son."

Again she in a motherly way said, "Sir, you seem a stranger to this place; are you living here with your wife and children?"

"No auntie, I am not married yet. I got a transfer to the bank near the bus stand. I am staying at a boarding house", I said.

"I have a savings account in that bank. Whenever I go there I like to see you. May I know your name Sir"?

"I am Sampath Bandara". So saying when I turned around to go I noticed a pretty, young woman in a plain frock and wearing a beautiful hat who had been just behind me. She smiled at me. I bowed in response and turned to move away quickly fearing to engage in any conversation with her.

Hindrance

"Please Sir, I know you are trying to avoid me thinking that I am an undesirable. I am Renu, a lawyer and the only daughter of Mr. Vishwanath Adikaram, the owner of the biggest estate in Bandarawela. I followed you, feeling that you're a special person. From your conversation I learned that you are still a bachelor, So, I think your girlfriend must be a very lucky one", she said jokingly.

I was a bit annoyed. "I have no girlfriend, nor do I wish to make one soon as it will be a hindrance to pursue higher studies."

Hearing me she burst into laughter saying, "Mr. Bandara, you got caught to one of my feminine guiles. But if I be lucky enough to be your girlfriend I will try my best to help you do your higher studies without being a hindrance to you and also be a 'motherly wife' to you."

Although she seemed awaiting a reply I moved on without a word.

"Mr. Bandara, honestly speaking I fell in love with you at first sight. I think I can understand you.

If you can't love me at least try to sympathise with me," she said. Feeling for her honest ways, I stretched out my hand. She took it with both hands and shook it warmly. To avoid further involvement, I moved on without looking back.

On the following day she came to the bank to meet me, showing others that I was a cousin of hers. Thereafter she never failed to come looking for me.

One day she requested me to meet her at the entrance of the fair. As arranged she arrived driving a brand new car with her friend Samanthi and along with me drove to Samanthi's place. Thereafter we made it a habit to meet there. A few weeks later Renu told me that her father had come to know that she was having a love affair with a poor banker and warned her to put a stop to it immediately. She also advised me to be careful as her father would attempt to harm me.

Knives

One evening when I was riding home on my bicycle three men stopped me and lunged at me with knives. When a driver of a passing car stopped to see what was going on, the assailants ran away. The driver, seeing me with bleeding wounds, admitted me to the hospital. The bank manager along with the general manager visited me and seeing me lying unconscious, had got me transferred to the general hospital for better treatment and safety. Later I learned that I had been stabbed on my shoulder blade. When I was discharged after about two weeks I heard that I was given a transfer to our London branch for reasons of safety, as Renu's father was a terrifying man.

Renu wrote me several letters begging for forgiveness for dragging me into a tragic situation. But I was feeling angry and did not reply to any of them.

Thinking that she had totally lost me, she had written two letters, one to me regretting the unfortunate incident that befell me and the other to her father blaming him for attempting to kill an innocent man she loved so much.

She had then driven her car over a roadside barricade into a precipice with the intention of ending her own life. But miraculously she had been thrown out of the car on to a shrub before the car crashed.

Hearing of her attempt at suicide and feeling pity for her, I returned home. By that time she had regained her consciousness and was recovering and seeing me she began to shed happy tears. Her father had been making arrangements to take her home. But Renu refused to go home without me. Though her father apologised profusely to win my consent to go with them, I adamantly refused.

Customary

As it was not customary to take a bride without a lawful marriage we had to proceed from hospital to the Kachcheri and after registration I was allowed to take her to my place on the promise of having a wedding ceremony on an auspicious day. In the meantime Renu's father had gifted all his properties to both of us.

On the night of our wedding day in the hotel room just before going to bed Renu seated by me began to address me saying, "My dearest boy.

"Today is the happiest day of my life. I wanted to marry a good boy. I found him, I won his heart by tactful means, to win my father's consent I had to fight a terrible fight, and thank God I have achieved my ambition. Now it is my duty to look after the treasure I achieved undergoing immense pains. To do that I decided to give up my legal practice and become a housewife and a good mother."