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| Sunday, 26 September 2004 |
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Part 1 Fatherless! by Aryadasa Ratnasinghe
Kusala was a Buddhist and she knew that death was certain and it would take any person, either expectedly or unexpectedly. But she never thought that death would come upon her father so suddenly, leaving her fatherless, and cast a gloom over her home. Her father had told her many times, that he wished to see her married to a suitable person, before he closed his eyes. Attack Her father had spoken to her of his possible death, in the not too distant future, because he had been hospitalised once when he got an attack of myocardial infarction. One day, he spoke to Kusala and said "Duve! I feel something in my chest. I don't think I will be able to see you married, because I may die at any moment". Kusala was unable to control her emotions and said: "Thathi! Don't speak like that and give unnecessary worries. I have already lost my mother, and if you die, I would be an orphan." Serious A fortnight later, Kusala's father fell seriously ill and was in a coma. Kusala, with the help of Shelton, rushed her father to the Colombo National Hospital. Shelton was her uncle who lived next door. At the hospital he was immediately admitted to the Intensive Care unit (ICU) as his condition was bad. A few hours later he died while holding his daughter's hand, with no words spoken between them. Tears rolled down her rosy cheeks, like drops of water falling from a lily leaf. Shelton rushed to the scene and tried to console her. After the funeral was over, Shelton asked Kusala to come and live in his home. One day, she clasped her hands and in a fit murmured over and over again "Fatherless! Fatherless!!" Daughter The kind and warm-hearted Niluka, daughter of Shelton, in order to pacify Kusala, entered her bedroom to talk to her. As Niluka walked into the room, her brother Nimal followed and seeing the weeping Kusala, said "Now don't cry. It will only ruin your health. My only advice is that you should forget the past and be happy until everything returns to normal". Destined Addressing Nimal, Kusala said "Aiya! I never thought that I would be destined to suffer like this. I am now an orphan under your roof. I feel it is better to die rather than lead a solitary life". "Don't think of suicide. It is the most foolish act one might contemplate. To face the consequences is the best method and most courageous act," said Nimal looking at her melancholy face. Speaking further, he said "this is like your house. After all, you are my farther's sister's daughter, and our relationship is very strong. Don't worry because I'm there to look after you." Thoughts That night, Kusala was unable to sleep because various thoughts engulfed her mind. In the morning, she had recovered from her delirium and remembered Nimal's words which pierced her heart. In a way, his words soothed her emotionally disturbed mind. The over-powering sense of loss, of pain and desolation, haunted her. Nimal, who knew Kusala from her childhood never had an idea of marrying her, but now things began to change because both were able to understand each other. Kusala too was longing for Nimal. Kusala slept in the same bedroom where Niluka slept. Niluka soon realised that her brother had fallen in love with Kusala, and supported it. Niluka was two years younger than Kusala and six years younger to Nimal. The two girls loved each other as sisters. Turn After sometime, events took a different turn, when the affair between Nimal and Padma who was working in the same office, began to take a fresh turn. Padma was Nimal's stenographer, and therefore, she had to be with him most of the time, and even after office hours, to satisfy Nimal's amorous feelings as is the usual case in most offices. One day, Kusala discovered a change in Nimal's moods towards her. Without ignoring it, she asked Nimal the reason. "Nimal! You have changed. There is something sinister in your behaviour and your approach. Now, tell me frankly what is worrying you. Don't cause me to suffer mentally, Nimal. From the day I offered my heart to you, I have not changed". |
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The sudden shock of her father's untimely death, at the age of 48 was
like a bolt from the blues to Kusala. When she was a little child, she had
seen her mother die, and remembered how she fondled her, caressed her and
embraced her with immeasurable affection. The memory of that tragic scene,
the severe loss and great pain of mind faded with the passage of time, as
is usual.
