WILL HE RETURN

                    I was in a great ecstasy to meet my love who had gone into the sea months before.  The  gaiety was because we expected a new arrival. I was in a boundless happiness to share this with my husband. The boat glided into the port like the setting sun. My eyes searched for him rapidly but my beloved did not allow any glimpse of him. My husband's friend Das broke the ice which landed into my ears as a thunder-bolt

                  "Oh! Pleasant moon do you shine brightly to see my dismal state? Oh!  Majestic sea don't you have the wish to see me first sharing that delight to my husband before you." groaned I

                    Das my husband's friend consoled me and said "he will be released as quickly as possible". Then Das was informed by her parents about the girl whom they have chosen for him. Bidding adieu to me he vanished quickly.

                      My lonely days went on and my child grew but I in solitary grave without my husband at the bed side.

                      While musing about my husband a tapping at my bed door I heard. It was Das and his newly wedded wife Leela.

                        After a happy and an unhappy moment of sharing "how many months passed?" asked Leela.

                          "Alone I was for the last eight months" said I.

                          "No I didn't mean that I asked about your gestation" said she

                          "For both, the answer is the same" said I.

                          "Don't worry before the child sees the world,  he will return" said she. Having shared soothing words they left.

                            One early morning Das wearily came to my house and pronounced the happy news that he had heard from the radio news about my husband/s return that evening.

                            For nearly ten months in Sri Lankan prison my husband along with some fisher folk suffered for no crime. My joy knew no bounds and my fetus too reflected its joy by the assorted movements

                            My mind was in a hurry to reach the shore but my body unable to coop with. I walked slowly and reached the shore. I saw a boat rushing to the shore but it seemed to me to move as slow as the mid-day sun. Finally my exhausted husband got down from the boat. I longed to run and reach him but walked slowly for my physical condition did not allow me to do so. He reached  the shore and said "how unlucky am i  to find you in this status". "Forgive me,  love" said I with tears rolling down my eyes. A hundred words choked at my throat and none even whispered.

                          I gave birth to my daughter and she resembled her father very much. Das visited us with his wife.

                          Many days later Leela and I stood in the shore waiting for our fishermen folk from the sea.

                        "The boat comes like the mid-day sun" said I

                        "No the boat comes like the setting sun" said She

                          The boat reached the shore and my husband along with others came down but not Das.

                          "This time it is  Das" said my husband

                          Desolate Leela cramped on the shore with a tempestuous cry. I consoled her "Hope for the best for hope is the only wealth we poor have".