Emva komngcwabo mna nomama sabuyela eKapa.
Esikolweni ndandingakwazi kubamba nto; ndandonganyelwe kukucinga. Ngenye imini xa kuza kuphuma isikolo, uMnumzana uZondwa, utitshala wam wesiNgesi, wandicela ukuba ndisale ngasemva xa kuphuma abanye.
“Ndiza kulinda phandle ke, Ntini,” watsho uThulani-sasisoloko sihamba kunye qho.
“Kulungile, Thulz,” ndaphendula.
Umnumzana uZondwa wavala ucango besakuba bephumile bonke abanye. Wahlala edesikeni yakhe esonge izandla zakhe.
“Uziva njani?” wandibuza.
“Ndiphile nje kakuhle, mnumzana,” ndatsho.
“Ukuphulukana nomntu obesondele kakhulu kuwe kubuhlungu kakhulu. Kunzima ukwamkela ukuba akusokuze ube uphinde umbone lo mntu umthandayo. Kufuneka womelele, Phumlani. Hayi nje ukwenzela isiqu sakho kodwa ngenxa kamama wakho. Uyakudinga kakhulu ngoku. UZanoxolo angabe akakho phakathi kwethu ngokwenyama, kodwa unathi ngomoya. Ucinga ukuba uZanoxolo ebengafuna ukuba ubengowokugqibela eklasini kuba nje ukhathazwe kukusweleka kwakhe?”
“Hayi mnumzana,” ndatsho.
“Ingaba ikhona into owawunokuyenza ukusindisa ubomi buka Zanoxolo?”wabuza.
Ndathula ndathi cwaka.
“Ingaba unendawo ozisola ngayo ekuswelekeni komntakwenu?” Wabuza kwakhona umnumzana Zondwa.
“Hayi, mnumzana andinabutyala ngokusweleka kwakhe.” Ndaphendula.
“Xa kunjalo ke yeka ukusoloko uzibeka ityala. Akukho nto wawunokuyenza. Yaba yintando kaThixo. Yiba ngulaa Phumlani umntakwenu ebemazi.” Watsho umnumzana Zondwa endijonge ntsho emehlweni. “Ungahamba ke ngoku.”
“Enkosi mnumzana.”
Ndaphuma phandle ndamfumana uThulani esandilindile apho. Sahamba kunye ukugoduka.
“Ebefuna ntoni umnumzana uZondwa?” wabuza uThulani.
“Akho kwanto. Ebendibonisa nje iimpazamo zam kwesa sincoko ebesisibhale kwiveki ephelileyo,”Ndatsho kuye.
***
Ndathi xa ndifika ekhaya wabe umama engekabuyi emsebenzini. Ndaya kungqengqa nje ukuba ndiphumle phambi kokuba ndilungiselele isidlo sangokuhlwa. Njengokuba ndingqengqe apho, ndacinga ngala nto ibithethwa ngumnumzana Zondwa kum. Ndazama kangangoko ukungqinelana naye ukuba ngenene ndandingasoleki ekufeni komntakwethu, kodwa azange ndikwazi. Angathini ukuthi ndandingasoleki ekubeni uZanoxolo wabulawa esendleleni evela ukuya kubukela mna ndidlala iqakamba? Ingaba ikhona enye into engendandiyenzile ukumsindisa?
“Phumlani, Phumlani! Vuka! Ubusazi ukuba ndiza kubuya sekuhlwile, kodwa ndaweni yokuba uqalise ukupheka ulele.” Latsho ilizwi lika mama elirhabaxa.
“Uxolo mama,” Ndaxhuma ebhedini ndathi krwaqu ixesha kwiselifoni yam. Kuthe kanti bendilele ngaphezu kweyure yonke. Xa ndingena ekhitshini ndandiwubona umsindo ebusweni buka mama.
“Beka loo pani phantsi. Ndiza kuziphekela. Ukuba uZanoxolo ebesaphila, ngendingafikelanga kwikhitshi elinje ukuba mdaka. Ukuba naye wayendiphula phule xa ndandisithi makayeke ukuya kobuya bubhanxa bemidlalo yeqakamba,” watsho.
Ndayiwisa imbiza endandiyiphethe, ndaphuma endlwini ndikhwitshiza.
“Phumlani! Yiza apha Phumlani!” wakhwaza emva kwam, kodwa azange ndijonge ngasemva. Ndasula iinyembezi ngomva wesandla sam njengoko zazigeleza ukuhla ngezidlele. Akukho nto ilungileyo kakade endakhe ndayenza emehlweni kamama; into endandiyizisa ludano nentlungu. Ndandingagqwesanga ngakuphumelela phambili esikolweni, kwaye kwakungenxa yam njengokuba elahlekelwe ngunyana wakhe oyintanda.
Ukusukela ngalaa mini, koluya hambo lwam, uPhumlani omtsha wazalwa.
* * *
Khawusixelele: Umama kaPhumlani uthetha esentlungwini, engacingi ukuba amazwi akhe amhlaba njani uPhumlani. Ukhathazekile naye, aphinde ave umama wakhe esithi akakho ntweni. Ingaba ikhona indlela obona ukuba bangaphumelela ngayo kule meko?