“Ngiyekeleni! Hlukanani nami ngyanicela ningasithathi ngyanicela bobhuti musa…ni ukuhamba naso. Hawe malo kodwa baba ngenzeni kuwe,” kuzikhalela u Nokuphiwa ephaphama umzimba uphansi nezinyembezi zigcwele amehlo.
“Bengiphupha lishoni leliphupho.”
Ngawo loyomnyama kungqongqoza uZikhona, asukume ngokushesha uNokuphiwa evula umnyango.
“Sawubona mngani ukhalelani?”
“Ey sisi ngifikelwa yiphupho elingelihle emini nje, ngyasola inyongo kumele ngichathe.”
“Haibo mngani ungalithathi kancane iphupho kungenzeka likuxwayisa ezintweni eziningi, futhi ke uyakhumbula uziba iphupho kuqala kwenzakalani?”
“Ey uqinisile mngani,” esho elandisa uZikhona ngephupho lakhe.
“Yazi mngani kuzomele ubheke ungabhekani nalobunzima.”
“Zikhona angingakubambezeli angisule ubuso sihambe.”
Endleleni eya ekhaya uNokuphiwa ucabanga lento ebishiwo ngu Zikhona ukuthi kumele azibheke. Esajulile aphazanyiswe ngu Velani nomunye nje umfana omeshelayo, avele abhoke ngolaka uNokuphiwa.
“Musa ukungibamba kanjena!”
“Ngyaxolisa bengingaqondile, ukuthi nje kudala ngikumemeza kodwa ujule kakhulu ngomcabango.”
“Ngyaxolisa angikuzwanga,” sekuxolisa uNokuphiwa.
“Ngyakuzwa ntokazi kodwa Nokuphiwa ungizonda ngaleyo indlela? Phela sekuphele iminyaka emithathu ngikushela kodwa awungifuni awuzenzisi.”
“Haawu! Kanti uyangibalela, ngyaxolisa bhuti sekuzomele ujike.”
Ngokuphoxeka ajike uVelani.
*****
UVelani ungena endlini ufile ukuphoxeka.
“Cha mfowethu, uyabona lokulokhu ungiduduza uthi lengane iyangithanda akusasebenzi, manje ungizonda ngempela lomntwana.”
“Shenge angeke ngikulahlekise. Yintombi leya noma ungaxoxa umlando ngayo kodwa uyogcine uyitholile, kusho mina uCelani.”
“Ngyakuzwa Shenge athi ngyolala.”
*****
Ethi evuka nje uNokuphiwa wageza. Mayethi uvula umnyango nangu uZikhona emnyango.
“Asisale sesiphuthuma mngani singaze sifice iphepha seliqalile.”
Endleleni bahlangana namantombazane axoxa ngoVelani bedlule, uZikhona emnyonkoloza ngehlo umngani wakhe. Ambuke uNokuphiwa.
“Yini mngani wangibuka kanje?”
“Nokuphiwa sisi uzolahlekelwa okukhona ngokungekho. Uyabona ukuthi baningi kanjani abantu abafuna uVelani?”
“Ayi kahle mngani, abamfune uzobashela. Mina ngisabheke imiphumela yami ka matric, kwazise bengibhala iphepha lami lokugcina.”
“Kulungile mngani ngizokubona kusasa,” kuvalelisa uZikhona.
Ethi esahamba u Nokuphiwa ahlangane nobhuti ababili bamasudi.
“Sorry sdudla, awuthi i-foni lapho.”
“Angiyena usdudla nginegama, manje ngoba nilokhu ningikhumbuza ngobumina nizongishintsha.” Asho ngokucasuka uNokuphiwa. Iqhume impama alahleke phansi u Nokuphiwa.
“Udelela kabi wena ngane, angikaze ngidelwe yi cherry mina. Yoh mfwethu lengane ifake I necklace yegolide.”
“Ngyanicela bhuti ningayithathi, isipho sikamama leso wangishiyela yona,” kuzikhalela uNokuphiwa.
Ethi uyadlula uVelani haibo phela u Nokuphiwa loya, anikele khona ngokushesha.
“Kwenzenjani Nokuphiwa?”
“Naba bayabaleka ne necklace yami, bahamba nesipho sikamama.”
Abaphuthume uVelani ashise ingqindi koyedwa, lo nomunye avele amnike I necklace. Aphenduke uVelani. Ethi esaseceleni kuka Nokuphiwa amnike isipho, bavele bamdubule uVelani. Esekhala kakhulu uNokuphiwa kuqhamuke uZikhona. Ngenhlanhla uphethe ifoni, befonele I ambulance. Ifike ngokushesha. uNokuphiwa usekhalela ukuhamba noVelani bembambe emthembise uZikhona ukuthi bazoyilandela I ambulance ngemoto kamawakhe.
Beqale ko Velani bethole uCelani. UZikhona emlandise ngokwenzekile ethi uzohamba nabo. Befike esibhedlela kuthiwe akungene oyedwa acele uNokuphiwa, bevume ukuthi kungene yena. Angene athole uVelani. Uyakhala, aqonde kuye Velani.
“Ngyaxolisa ukomosha impilo yakho, ngyacela Velani ngicela ungangishiyi bandla ngiyakuthanda. Velani akukona ukuthi ngiyakuzonda, bengifuna ukuqeda isikole kuqala, ngyakucela Shenge ungangishiyi.”
Avule amehlo uVelani abuke uNokuphiwa, amoyizele abambe isandla sakhe asiqabule.
“Ngyabonga ma Nxumalo,”
Kungene uZikhona noCelani bejabule bonke.