Chapter Eleven

The next day Sanuri woke up before Mandari. Without disturbing her sister's sleep, she went to the bathroom, washed her face and tied her hair up, and stared blankly at her picture in the mirror. After a while, she came out to the bathroom and went to the bed.

"Hey, idiot wake up.. it's very early in the morning…:" she tried to wake Mandari but it was not successful and she went to the kitchen alone.

By the time Sanuri went to the kitchen, Nilwala had finished preparing breakfast. Sanuri gave a kiss on her mother's forehead and went straight to her grandmother's room. 'Dingiri Hamine'11 who was ill and lying down, on her chair looked at Sanuri who entered the room with a smile.

"Nanny.. here's your tea…"

Sanuri held her grandmother's cup of tea and looked at her with loving eyes. Mandari also entered to room while Dingiri Hamine was drinking her tea.

The twin sisters spent some time with their grandmother because they always liked her grandmother's interesting stories.

Taking the finished cup of tea that Dingiri Hamine drank Mandari and Sanuri left her room, leaving her grandmother to be free.

Both looked at the different types of food their mother had prepared at the same time, after washing the cups Mandari raised her voice.

"When Aunt Anne said she was coming, why did you cook like for a party…"

"Oh, my pretty girl.. there's nothing you don't need… both of you go and study now.. I'll bring your breakfast to the room…"

Nilwala said this to her daughters for fear that her secret would be revealed if they stayed longer.

The twins went into the room, opened their books, and began to study lightly. They were focused on the lessons and did not feel the time passing. When Mandari raised her head and picked up the phone it was nine o'clock in the morning.

"I feel hungry Sanuri.."

As soon as Mandari looked at her sister Nilwala took her daughter's breakfast and laid them on the table in the room.

"Wow what a meal.."

After her mother left the room Sanuri yelled as she looked at the food. Hungry sisters stared at the hot string hoppers, potato curry, and coconut sambal. Then Mandari opened her voice.

"Okay.. you start eating. I'll come too.. give me a second."

Mandari picked up her phone and called her brother Deeptha, but he did not respond and she felt heartbroken.

Sanuri raised her voice as she watched Mandari's face turn into sadness.

"Why.. is there a problem.."

"I called our brother.. but he doesn't answer…"

Sanuri came to her sister with her advice and put her arm around Mandari's shoulder to comfort her as she knew that Mandari would always be annoyed by small things.

"Come on Mandi, brother must be busy…I think that's why he didn't answer the phone.."

Mandari felt that what Sanuri said was true and she put the phone aside and shared the string hoppers as she was feeling very hungry at that time.

After breakfast, the twins went to the kitchen and washed all the dishes, and returned to their room to study. It was never boring for the two of them to spend hours discussing what they did not know, doing practical exercises, and finding solutions to problems. Their attention was diverted from the book by the sound of the vehicle entering the garden.

"Aunt Anne has come.." Sanuri told her sister.

As Sanuri's voice faded the sisters heard Nilwala's voice.

"Sanuri, Mandari come here and see who is here…"

Her voice filled the sister's heart with curiosity as their mother had previously said that her friend Anne was coming, but now it seemed that stranger had arrived. Keeping the curiosity in mind, Mandari and Sanuri went to the living room to see the person present.

When the two sisters saw the figure of Deeptha standing with a smiley face near the door of the house, they ran to him and hugged him affectionately.

"Oh god.. these two girls.. how can you two not even let me in.. " he said in a bright tone.

With Deeptha's arrival, the house was filled with joy. Nilwala was relieved when his son told her that he was not going back to Japan and was working from Sri Lanka.

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As the day before Deeptha had arrived in his motherland from Japan and felt tired. So, he was asleep.

He awoke to the sound of a car horn. While laying on the bed Deeptha listened to the sound of the gate opening and the sound of a car parked in the yard and the sound of several people getting off.

After a moment later Mandari entered his room,

"Bro.. they have come to see you.." she said.

Hesitantly he went to the living room after putting on a T-shirt with the shorts he had worn. Deeptha was overwhelmed when he saw Lashani sitting on the sofa.

"Lashi You.. Where is Sansali…"

Those words came out of Deeptha's mouth without him even knowing. After seeing the Deeptha, Lashani got up from her seat and walked towards him with a smile.

"Why are you surprised Deeptha.. we came to meet you for a little work.."

Lashani said looking at Deeptha. Deeptha did not find it difficult to identify Thanuja from the other people.

"Take a seat Lashani.." Deeptha said to Lashani and sat down on the sofa next to her.

"How are you Deeptha…" Thanuja opened his voice.

"I'm fine Thanuja.. I came to Sri Lanka yesterday, So feeling a little bit tired.. How about you.." Deeptha froze the words.

"We're also fine too.. that's not it this is Nisal, Sansali's brother…" Thanuja introduced Nisal to Deeptha.

Deeptha looked at Nisal and greeted him with a smile.

"So Deeptha.. when are you going back to overseas.." Nisal who was silent start the conversation.

"I'm not going back, brother… I got a job in Colombo12 so, I am in Sri Lanka…" Deeptha replied.

As soon as his words were over, Sanuri and Nilwala came to the guests with tea and cookies to comfort them.

"Are you children's friends of Deeptha ?..." Nilwala asked placing the cookie dish on the stool.

"Yes, Aunty.. we were on campus together.." Lashani opened her voice.

"You must have come in the early dawn.. I prepared the breakfast for you…let's eat some more…" Nilwala said.

It is no secret to Deeptha that her mother has always been better in hospitality.

"Come on Aunty.. you have been so much worried about us.. yup aunty, we came from Colombo at around 3 in the morning.." Nisal said looking at Deeptha's mother.

"No problem darling.." Nilwala said and went towards the kitchen with Sanuri without interrupting their conversation.

After being silent for a while, Thanuja opened his voice to reveal the fact that they had arrived.

"Really Deeptha we came suddenly today to an important thing.."

Deeptha looked with questioning eyes and waited.

"Wait a minute Thanuja.. I need to know something before that…"

Lashani said and Deeptha looked at her. Thanuja and Nisal remained silent allowing Lashani to continue.

"Deeptha you know that Sansali fell in love with you.. at that time who was the girl you walked holding hands in the Galleface..?"

Lashani asked in a slightly angry tone. Those words brought a stir to Deeptha's mind.

"Wait a minute.. who told you such a lie Lashani…" Deeptha spoke with a sigh of relief.

"It's not a lie, Deeptha.. and this is not what anyone said… what Sansali and I both saw with our own eyes. From the day we saw it.."

With a long sigh, Lashani told Deeptha how Sansali tried to forgotten Deeptha and how she had attended weekend lectures to forget home, and also how Sansali had become accustomed to living a lonely life away from family.

It was not difficult for Deeptha to understand that they were in a misunderstanding. Slightly silent Deeptha began to speak.

"Lashani… what you saw was right.. but it wasn't just a girl.. it's my sister Mandari and it was her first time to Galleface.. that was the day you must have seen me.. to be honest with anyone I didn't love any girl Lashani.. I loved Sansali but I did not tell her those feelings because I was in a tuff situation those days.. I did not want to give grief to someone like Sansali who grew up in luxury to my hell…" Deeptha said, throwing up.

After hearing everything, Thanuja opened his voice.

"Okay now those things are over.. does Deeptha still love Sansali.."

With a long sigh, he got up from the couch and went to his room. Shortly afterward he returned to the living room with his wallet. Deeptha took a small photo out of it and put it in Nisal's hand. Nisal stared at it stoned. Deeptha opened his voice sadly.

"It was with me everywhere I went.. I felt like Sansali was with me when I have that picture.."

He let out a deep sigh and relaxed his chest. He began to speak softly again.

"The only girl I ever loved in my life was Sansali.. and it is still the same until today…"

It was then that Nisal who had been silent until now opened his voice.

"It's amazing Deeptha.. Do you remember the photo you gave to Sansali…"

Deeptha shook her head to say yes.

"Looking at that photo my sister is still teasing Deeptha.. our mother brought her some proposals.. but she didn't like any of it… she loves you Deeptha…"

Nisal expressed his thoughts in a broken tone and looked at Deeptha's face. It was an emotionless, thoughtful face. While Deeptha was thinking so, Nilwala came and served the breakfast to Nisal and the other two.

The group finished their meal without talking. Before boarding the car to go back to Colombo, Nisal went to Deeptha's mother and left her an invitation.

"Aunty, my wedding is next week.. come with everyone.." he said and bowed his head with respect.

Nisal who had gone neat Deeptha tapped him gently on the back and began to address him.

"I will not force you to make a decision… think well and make your decision and let me know.."

Nisal, Thanuja, and Lashani left for Colombo with hope wishing everything well for Sansali.

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Although it had been a few days since Deeptha had returned to his homeland from Japan, Nilwala realized that Deeptha was in a state of shock.

Deeptha was struggling with his thoughts to make a decision for Sansali. His heard always told him,

"Sansali somehow forgets me.. I don't want to hurt her.. Sansali will make up her mind…"

Unable to wait for his son to be disturbed Nilwala approached him and asked him why he was upset to give him some relief.

"Honey.. I've been waiting for days now looking at you.. Are you in a problem…" Nilwala asked rubbing Deeptha's hair gently.

Deeptha could not hide his frustration from Nilwala because of his mother's gentle loving caress. Deeptha revealed everything to her mother as a small child.

Nilwala listened intently to Deeptha's words and opened her thoughts with her son.

"Honey.. if that's your decision, you can meet the Nisal and tell him your decision.. you can go to that child's wedding… we can not leave the grandmother alone at home.. So, honey, you should go alone and clarify this problem before it gets more complicated…"

After thinking about what his mother had said, Deeptha finally decided to meet Nisal and tell him his final decision.