The Divorce by Kanchana Priyakantha

Rajika got into her new vehicle proudly. It was a Honda Accord. It’s a busy day for her as she has several court appearances scheduled. She meticulously combed through all of her paperwork as is her custom to make sure nothing had been overlooked. One is a case of divorce. The accused’s causal relationship has been discovered by the complainant, who has access to the accused’s phone records. The plaintiff can easily obtain a divorce in light of that evidence. Despite the fact that she had no reason to feel this way, she couldn’t help but be repulsed by the defendant. She understood that acting out of emotion went against her sense of professionalism. This is yet another instance like the many others like it.  Nonetheless, she finds this case to be exceptional. Many of her divorce cases have been decided in her favor. Her reputation for nailing opponents is well-known. Consequently, not everyone could afford her services. Well-off clients could only reach her.  

“Why am I acting like this? Exactly why am I ruminating over this case so much? Do I feel anything for this man? No… No. Obviously, that’s not going to happen.” With that realization, Rajika’s heart begins to ache with a new and unfamiliar sensation.  

The name of this client is Shanta. His demeanor is as pleasant and calm as his name suggests. It’s true that he’s a father of two and in his forties, but she found herself drawn to him because of his inherent dignity and the politeness with which he carried himself in conversation. He also has plenty of cash since he is the manager of a private company.  

“A man with that type of personality is not suited to be with a woman of that kind He is a man with  many gifts.”  

She feared what she would think.  

“Where did this come from? What do I even know about this man? What if this man discovers that I  have started to develop feelings for him? I don’t want him to see me as a woman without morals.  What will my reputation be like then?”  

An unseen dog darted in front of her car just as her mind was about to wander off into a tumult of  thoughts. She slammed on the brakes to avoid having her new car desecrated by the dog.  

“A crazy dog! Where exactly are they going? Bad enough if it wrecks the car.”  The dog suddenly appeared out of nowhere and dammed the stream of her thoughts.  

“Oh my God, I completely forgot to put on my wedding ring for this job. Now there is nothing else that  can be done.”  

The ring, in her opinion, wasn’t all that significant. The man she married is a lawyer as well. On occasion,  he also skips the ring. People who had recently gotten married exhibited a devoted attitude toward their rings. With a wry grin, she recalled the time the ring was lost during a picnic and the ensuing mad dash

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to retrieve it from the pool. She cried enough that day to fill a swimming pool. Kamal, her husband was at a loss for words, unable to console his young wife.  

“I want my ring somehow.”  

Rajika sobbed uncontrollably. Kamal made multiple dives into the swimming pool that day. After  spending so much time in the pool, he was beginning to wonder if he still cared about the marriage.  Rajika was a nuisance to the hotel staff and passers-by, as her constant sobbing gave them a headache.  After a long search, the ring was located. It was not in the swimming pool. They found it hidden under a  table in their hotel room. When she thinks back on it, she bursts out laughing.  

Kamal would say, “My head hurts even when I remember that incident,” whenever the topic of the incident came up in conversation.  

“But you must realize how much I love you.” Typically, Rajika would give a glib response in such a  scenario 

“I understood it perfectly. I nearly froze to death in the pool while searching for a ring, and it was all  because of a ring.”  

Kamal’s tone betrays his displeasure at the thought. These exchanges are constants in their conversations, regardless of the context. However, the memory of that event does not fade away like a  weed that grows to be removed.  

Thinking along, she went to the court grounds. Seeing her, her clients immediately began to follow her as she had about five or six cases to appear that day.  

However, she still could not make out his face. She forgot his face as she chatted with other customers and kept harping on the importance of remembering one’s case number to keep things moving along.  

“What on earth is going on with this person all of a sudden? I should call and see how he is doing.”  

She made an effort to reach him via her Apple smartphone. No one answered the phone after several tries, and the call eventually ended. Her chest felt weighed down as if it were bearing the burden of a  lost case. Her phone rang at that precise moment, and she answered it as hastily as if she had been racing to appear in a case number she had just heard.  

“Madam, I had a problem. My daughter fell at school and broke her leg. I took her all the way to the nearest hospital. I’ll deposit your payment in the evening. You can do today’s job without me, right?”  

There is anguish in his voice.  

“Okay. Sure. I have not even seen your ex-wife yet. She also hasn’t shown up yet.”  

It was clear that she was emphasizing the word “ex-wife” on purpose despite the fact that she was aware it was improper to do so before the divorce was finalized.

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“ Ma’am, my wife and I are here together. The school had also contacted her.”  The pain in Rajika’s chest was as acute as if a sheet of paper had slashed through it.  

“You may find that those things work against you. Forget about it. I have to go now. Bye,” she said as she slid her phone into her bag and walked into the court.  

All the cases were postponed while she looked completely out of it as if she had been sedated. She left work and went home feeling sick, leaving her clients in a bad mood. Her husband was waiting for her when she returned home. He’s also a lawyer. He had to be in another court today. She recalled being informed in the morning that her two children would also be attending an extra class at school.  

The husband had a very serious look on his face.  

“If you are not tired, I would like to speak with you.”  

Kamal exclaimed as he emerged from his office.  

“Let’s talk later, Kamal. I’m exhausted now . Damn,” she snarled at Kamal, sounding like a sunburned traffic cop yelling at a motorist who has been ticketed for parking illegally.  

Kamal found it annoying. 

“I didn’t say anything to make you so angry. What’s that bullsh*t?”  

He attacked her while acting out the part of the frustrated motorist who has had it with the frustrated police officer. This sort of heated English debate is common in the lawyer’s home. However, their  Sinhalese neighbors do not grasp a lot of what they are saying. They can hear the neighbors’ Sinhala arguments, and some of them don’t even bother to hide their profanity.  

“Dumbasses who don’t know anything. Fighting is their job. They’re out of options.” The haughty statement was typical of how Rajika reacted whenever she overheard them arguing.  

Instead of trying to make peace with Kamal, Rajika started behaving like the police officer who had taken possession of the driver’s license, which infuriated Kamal even more.  

“Unlike you. I’ve appeared in many court cases doing much more work. You think you’re a great  lawyer, but you don’t have nearly as much work or clients as I do.”, she said as she tossed her file onto the coffee table in the middle of the living room, implying that she was too good for him.  

Kamal, like an impulsive driver who attempted to assault the police officer, hit Rajika on the cheek with his clenched teeth.  

“You’re not the type of woman I could ever be with. I am divorcing you.”  

All the villagers could hear him as he yelled it out in Sinhala.

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Rajika, acting in a demonic fashion, smashed the corner of her phone into Kamal’s face and forehead multiple times. Kamal covered his face with his hands and ran towards the gate like a driver trying to escape the angry policeman’s baton because he couldn’t take the suddenness and pain of Rajika’s unexpected attack. Rajika slammed her phone to the ground and began sobbing loudly, as if she had just lost a case she was sure she would win.  

About the Author:
Kanchana Priyakantha, a Srilankan author and an educator turned entrepreneur, currently lives in close proximity to Colombo. She was born on October 3, 1986, in Kalutara and attended Sri Sumangala Girls School in Panadura. She graduated from the Open University of Sri Lanka with an honors degree in English. She joined the government sector to serve as an English teacher in 2010. She co-founded KBOOKS in 2017 and then resigned from teaching in 2018 as she realized what her true passion is. Currently she is the head of publishing at KBOOKS and engages in writing while studying for her master's degree at the University of Colombo. She is a director of KAgroo Exports and Plantations Pvt. Ltd. She has been composing literature since school days and has authored eleven books in different genres, both in Sinhala and English. Some of her works have been shortlisted for literary awards, and her latest collection of short stories, Dream Catchers, won national literature awards. Her works have been translated into English, Tamil, and Nepali. She is an advisor and coordinator of the Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature (FOSWAL) in India for Sri Lanka. Her educational publications are included in the curricula of international schools and semi-government schools.