UZizi uziphumlele phantsi komthi eMiller kwesikaXolilizwe. Umf’omkhulu ebevuke ngentseni eyolima kwaTshezi eDabane. Ngoku udiniwe kwaye unako nokozela okungabhekele phi. Kuthe xa busithi sebe-sebe ubuthongo weva lemoto idumayo. Wathi nje krwaqu ekunene, wabona kumisa iinzwakazi ezimbini. Akazinanza kuyaphi kuba wayebona ukuba yilempi yasesikolweni ingambulisiyo onxibe iigambutsi njengaye lo.
Yehla ke enye intwazana enenwele eziphothiweyo. Lentokazi yayinenyama esondele kakhulu ethanjeni, kwaye inxibe ilokhwana edlule kancinci apha emisekeleni ubufutshane obu.
“Dumela ntate! Wamo tseba Ntate Dlamini?” latsho libuza igqiyazana.
“Yhe madoda! Ntombazana. Ufika kum ndizilalele, ufuna ukunditsiba unxibe ilokhwana engaka? Uhlola ntoni umthetho lo wakho? Tyhini madoda! Ndiphupha kakubi nje kanti uzungula ukunditsiba? Gqweth’izithende ke ngoku ndingeka kudibanisi nomnqayi ngoku. Itheni na lentsathalalana madoda? Ungowaphi khona uzogeza apha?” Utshilo uZizi sele echophe ngeempundu ngoku, kucaca ukuba akayithandanga tu eyokutsitywa yilentombazana phakathi kwemithi.
Ujikile ekuthethwa naye waya emotweni, wagoba efestileni ethetha nongaphakathi. Kuphume intokazi mfondini enomfaneleko nesuzela qelele, izitho zihle ngathi ngamabolosa, izidlele zitum-tum nathi ngumsobo wasesingeni, amashiya ngathi ngumgca wenkomo enkone, watsho ngonwele olude nolufakelweyo imithika engathi livithane. Ulunwele lumnyama lutsho ngombala omthendevu bumfusa apha entla kweendlebe.
Umntwana womntu isifuba sigcwele sizibika ubuntombi, kwaye impondo zikaLeylani zithi ndilapha.
“Bhut’Dlamini! Undivile ndithini?”
Wothuka uZizi akuqonda ukuba uthathekile yilenzwakazi.
“Ninesibindi! Nifika ndizihlalele, nifuna ukunditsiba ninxibe iilokhwe ezimfutshane. Wena, uzothini? Uzawundibamba atsho anditsibe kakuhle loNonkciyo wakho?” Waphakama uZizi, “Hlalani ke kuloomthunzi wenu, uhambile uDlamini ngoku,”
“Bhut’Dlamini, mna ndinguNomava, intombi kaMbethe eCumakala kwaNobuhle. Umhlobokazi wam lo nguTumi Ntsoane waseGoodwood eKapa,”
Wema umfo wakwaDlamini ebajongile.
“Yimfundiso yakwaMbethe nakwaNzwane eyokutsiba abantu abadala bezilalele? Khona, nindazelaphi lento nikhala ngoDlamini?”
Bajongana, bajonga kuye, bajongana. “Tell him Tumz, nothing to lose,” wancuma uTumi (ibhitywazana eliya) wajonga kuDlamini, wajika wajonga kuNomava wathi “Mo joetse tsala, kea okopa,”
“Yhe Nomava naloThuli wakho, nifuna ni kanye apha kum? Ukuba nibuzisa ngendlela ephumayo kuleMiller, iseyileya beningene ngayo. Ukuba nilithunyelo, nifike inyanga ifile apha kulo kaNtozini umntwana.
“Ndicela ukukhe ndithethe nawe bucala Bhuti. Sikhangela wena Bhuti Mandla Ntozini,”
Wema uZizi ephalisa amehlo okomqalwa wenkonyana.
“Uwabize wonke awam amagama ntombi kaMbethe. Akukho kubasathini,”
Bathi gu bucala uZizi noNomava bema bejongene emehlweni kucaca ukuba umbandela ungokophuka kwephini embizeni yemithwane. UMandla uyiqwalasele lentombi ezama ukuyifanisa ebomini bakhe bakudala. ECumakala zange ndalubeka olwam unyawo, uvakele ecinga uZizi. IKapa andiyazi nokuba ijonge ngaphi na kakade.
“Bhut’Mandla, mandiqale ekuqaleni. UTsholofelo Mudau wayesebenza eKapa eCape Sun Hotel, waza ngoDecember ka1995 wathi bekhutshelwe eMonti wadibana nawe eCiti Lodge kwihotele abehlala kuyo wadibana nawe. Wathi…”
Wamnqumlela kanye apho uZizi, “Ntombi, kufuneke ndiyoqokolela iinkomo, betha koomofu,”
“Ndibethe kubani?” wabuza usisi ebhidekile.
“Thetha ude ugqibe Nomava, andikayiboni into edibanisa mna kulento. Loomntu nithetha ngaye andimazi. Khona nina nidibana njani naloonto?”
“Ndisaya apho kaloku Bhuti,”
“Nkcunkca ke ntombi liyatshona ilanga,” watsho uZizi ebucaphuka.
“Wathi kuwe unguBusisiwe waseXesi,” waqhubeka uNomava. “Ngobo busuku wamitha waze wazala umntwana oyintombi, nge28 ka June 1996. Yena usweleke ngo2012 July 08 kwingozi yemoto. Igama lakho silifumene kwincwadana yengcinga (diary) abeyibhala mihla le. Ukuba ungowaphi sifumene kulahotele wawuphangela kuyo. Besizula apha nayizolo sifunisa ngawe.”
UMandla wafane wayinkukhu esikwe umlomo.
“Uphi ngoku loomntwana sithetha ngaye?”
“Ubumbonile, igama lakhe nguTumi lo ndihamba naye,”
[Isiphelo]
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Xelela umbhali: Uva njani ngesisicatshulwa?