There was no sign of ceasing rain. It rained cats and dogs. Lightning and thundering increased gradually turning the rain into a violent one. There was a huge lightning behind the bungalow with a deafening sound. The lightning flashed the entire area for a moment frightening almost everybody. Nandana Menike screamed as loud as she could vibrate the walls of the bungalow. Hearing that screaming, Bernard rushed to the second floor to see what really happened.
"Nanda… Nanda…! Got scared…?" Bernard standing on the door step, inquired. He barely saw curled up Nandana Menike on the bed trembling with fear through the dim light of the kerosene lamp. Bernard went closer to her and stroked her head to calm her down. She clasped his right hand firmly as that lightning had sent shivers down her spine.
"Shall I call Periyavar to come here if you are sacred…?"
Without responding to his words, she clasped his right hand cuddling up against him. The fragrance of perfume blended with the smell of liquor brought an instant temptation. The warmth he felt through his right hand in no time traveled through his entire body awakening and tempting all senses, which made him oblivious of everything around him. The lightning, which flashed from time to time, peeped through the window panes unveiling the hidden beauty of the teen age. The feelings that crept into the mind of Bernard went beyond control. Thundering and lightning brought such temptation, which both didn't feel what was really happening to them.
Around five o'clock, Nandana Menike woke up and tried to understand the difference she felt in her body. The rain had ceased no lightning or thundering. The environment was so quiet and serene. Still darkness reigned in her room. The warmth of Bernard and unfamiliar experience she experienced for the first time in her life, cuddling up against Bernard's chest, when trembled with fear because of lightning and that fear turning into an inexplicable sensation flashed back awakening her heart and soul again. The previous night she went to bed as a maid and the following morning she sat on the bed as a woman – an unexpected transformation, which she had never dreamt of, and which could never be readjusted or reversed. She glanced at the reflection of her naked body from the huge mirror, which had been fixed to the dressing table near the bed. She remembered her mother, how she was lying on Kapilasena's bed before she left home without telling anybody. Nandana Menike realized, within a fraction of a moment, all bonds could be scattered. She thought, she wouldn't be left alone.
Bernard walked to the balcony with an utter confused mind. He was disgusted with himself and didn't feel the comfort of the cool breeze that blew through the Dumbara valley. He looked down and noticed the entire area had been washed away by the heavy rain that fell in the previous night. He questioned himself, not once, but many a time as to how he could face that loving young girl, who was under his custody, to whom he was supposed to provide love, affection and protection – all had been violated in a way both had never expected. He thought and thought and remained unanswerable to all enigmatic questions; the questions with none in this world could be discussed.
* * *
"Aha… Chuti Menike… woke up early morning…?" Periyavar said seeing Nandana Menike preparing bed tea in the kitchen.
"Yes… awakened early morning… Since you were asleep, I boiled some water and prepared tea…" Keeping the kettle aside, she said gleefully.
Periyavar stepped towards the garage to see Rover as it, from time to time, signaled its presence in the kennel. She had such alacrity, that she had never felt to see Bernard. At this juncture, she was totally oblivious of Sandra.
"Finished preparing tea Chuti Menike…?"
It was Periyavar's part of duty to prepare tea and take it to Bernard. Nandana Menike observed how Periyavar placed the cup of tea and a glass of water on a tray and carried it to Bernard's room. Nandana Menike surely knew that from next day onwards, it would be one of her duties to satisfy Bernard with morning bed tea. Bernard was not found in his room in the third floor. The servant came down to the second floor and checked the vehicles in the portico.
"Why uncle…?" She could read the change on Periyavar's face.
"Hamu is not to be seen… The two vehicles are also there… in the portico… I don't know where he is…"
Through the kitchen door, Periyavar went out to see whether Bernard had gone to the garden. The bungalow, once shone like a royal palace, with full of activities, now looked like a desert. Nandana Menike sat on the stool placed in front of the piano to get rid of boredom. She couldn't run her fingers rhythmically on the key board for long as her mind was in a state of agitation. She learnt that Bernard had evaded her being unable to face her. She felt like urging that caressing again as she sensed a mild pain on her breasts because of Bernard does strong hold. She went to the bathroom to get a shower, as she wanted to refresh herself before Bernard came. Though she opened the tap, not a single drop of water came through the tap.
"Uncle… uncle…! No water…" She called out Periyavar, as she wanted him to switch on the water motor to pump water to the tank.
"Just fetched two buckets of water from the well…" Periyavar grumbled his discomfort glancing at the motor switch.
Nandana Menike couldn't realize the problem at once as there was no electricity to pump water. She reached the well down the garden and had a bath from fresh cool water. She felt happy to see that Bernard was not at the bungalow. The reason was that she had ample time to put on the frock he had bought for her.
Nandana Menike recalled the short frock, which had been put on to a dummy at the shopping mall. That dummy came to her mind as Bernard had chosen a similar frock for her. She put on that frock, of which the border was two or three inches above her knees. Wearing that, she stood in front of the mirror of the dressing table and glanced at her own reflection with a self-evaluation of her own beauty. She spread the perfumes that she could randomly select from the collection on the dressing table. She sat in the living room from where she could see the main entrance of the second floor. She impatiently waited expecting Bernard's return.
"Chuti Menike… Chuti Menike…!" Periyavar came up to the second floor to see Nandana Menike as she didn't go down for lunch.
A distinct difference in her behavior was observed by Periyavar. She was deep in thought with a magazine in her hand, keeping an eye out at the entrance.
"Hmmm… what a smell…! Just like Sandra Hamu is back… "
Nandana Menike looked at Periyavar like a small girl as if she had committed an offense.
"Hmm… that's how you should be Chuti Menike…! Hamu would highly be pleased to see you like this… of course…!"
"Where has he gone… uncle…?"
"When you went to the well, Kapilasena came asking for the store key… Bernard Hamu has sent him…"
Kapilasena should have come to remove the roofing sheets of the house. Bernard had decided to empty the store and give the roofing sheets of it to Kapilasena. Nandana Menike overheard a special announcement being made through loud speakers tied to a moving vehicle in the distance. She turned her ears to it. She noticed the water level had considerably gone up due to the heavy rain.
"Please listen… This is the Resettlement Unit of Mahaweli Authority… This special announcement is for the residents of Senarathgama, Ududekada and Wewegama… This is the last chance you are given to transport your belongings from your homes to Medagama, Ulhitiya. Tomorrow, day after tomorrow and the next day a few trucks will be available at the Bambaragala temple premises. Those who wish to get this facility will have to list out all the items in two copies and one copy should be handed over to the Resettlement Officer… And also, if you have farm animals such as chickens, cows, goats, pigs, please report to the Community Service Officer. For family members, a special bus service has been arranged. Thank you. Please listen…"
The repetition of the announcement died down gradually as the vehicle moved on.