Unexpected visitor
by Davidson Goonetilleke.
Sepali’s charming features and
simplicity attracted me to her like a needle to a magnet. She was the
only child of a rich widow who owned a large bungalow in Colombo. We
both worked as legal assistants in a bank. So, in no time we became
lovers and decided to marry soon. But her mother, being an ardent
Christian, objected adamantly to our marriage, as I was Buddhist.
Marrying without her consent was also out of the question as she was an
acute heart patient.
Though heart breaking, we had no alternative but to drop the matter
for the time being.
 But Sepali’s mother, thinking that we would marry secretly, planned
hurriedly to go with Sepali to her brother in England. So before leaving
we met at a friend’s house to bid farewell. When we got up to shake
hands, Sepali holding my hand in both hers began to sob. But seeing my
tears she hysterically embraced me and hurried away.
After about a month Sepali informed me that her mother was preparing
to get her married to her cousin there and advised me also to get
married without waiting for her.
Accordingly, I got married to Samanthi, a teacher and we had a son
and a daughter. One day when I was going to drop Samanthi at her college
an army truck collided on my car.
When I awoke I noticed that I was in a hospital and learned from the
nurses that I was admitted with fatal injuries and regained
consciousness after three days. Later I was informed that Samanthi died
at the spot.
One morning I felt somebody feeling my arm and assuming that a nurse
was preparing to give an injection, closed my eyes tightly and awaited.
But instead of a needle pricking the arm, several drops of warm water
fell on my face. When I opened my eyes I was surprised to see Sepali’s
face with tearing eyes. “Amila, I am Sepali’,” she said, “when I heard
that you are in great trouble; I came to do whatever possible for you
and your motherless children’, “How Sepali, now you are a married
woman”, I said.
“No. Amila, I am not married. As I could not marry the man I loved I
gave up that idea. But I did not want you to waste your life for me. So
I had to lie for your own good. My mother also died of a heart attack.
Now I am free and can do what I wish” she said. I heard the matron
shouting, “Madam, this is the I.C.U., please now go out”, Sepali
withdrawing her hand went away wiping her tears. |
