“Qedani phela madoda, sizohamba,” kusho uDlokwakhe ebuka uPhakamani noFunukwazi betatamisa isidumbu sokuqala besibeka otshanini.
“Sizoshesha kanjani wena uqhethile lapho emotweni?” kubuza uFunukwazi ngolaka, ebuka izidumbu ezimbili ezimbozwe ngamashidi amhlophe emotweni. “Woza nawe!” esho ebamba edandi, abuke uDlokwakhe evele ngekhanda esicabheni somshayeli.
“Fakani izidumbu emfuleni, sihambeni!” kubhavumula uDlokwakhe. “Niyeke ukusebenza ngathi ningamakhehla!” esho ehleka. “Asikho isikhathi sokudlala. Nangu noMbhele esho izindaba ezicobayo,” kuqhubeka uDlokwakhe. “Akeniphuthume, kade nomadala esiyalile ukuthi siqede ngomndeni wakwaKubheka.”
“Hawu, sekwenzenjani manje?” kubuza uPhakamani, emangele. “Uthini uMbhele? Ingabe usefikile yena kwaKubheka?”
“Yebo, usefikile!” kuphendula uDlokwakhe, emngena emlonyeni. “Uthi umndeni wakwaKubheka yiwona osuzoba inkinga. Umfana wakhona unolwazi. Akeniphuthume, phonsani lezinto emfuleni sihambe.”
Bazidonse izidumbu, baziphonse ngokushesha emfuleni. Bavale isicabha se-Condor sangemumva, bangene phakathi. Lisuke ngesikhulu isivinini i-Condor.
“UMaKhumalo wayethe akakhulumi nje umfana!” kusho uPhakamani ngezwi eliphansi. “Pho usebatshela kanjani ngathi?”
Kukhale umakhalekhukhwini kaPhakamani, awukhiphe ngokushesha esikhwameni sakwesokunxele se-ovaroli. Awubuke umakhalekhukhwini ukhala esandleni sakhe sokudla njengoba esabheka ukuthi ngubani lona omthinta ocingweni.
“Mmm, ingabe selifunani lelikhehla,” kucabanga uPhakamani ebe ebuka umakhalekhukhwini. “Nalu ucingo oluvela kumkhulu wenu. Useke wanithinta uThokozani?”
“Cha, yena ebengakabuyi nempendulo kimi. Sesiside nesikhathi sihlukene naye, kufanele ngabe usebuyile nempendulo kithi,” kuphendula uDlokwakhe.
“Ngithini kuleli khehla ngoba okwethu asikakutholi?”
“Awumuzwe uthini kuqala ngoba vele sesiya kuyena!”
Achofoze inkinobho eluhlaza kumakhalekhukhwini uPhakamani, awubeke endlebeni yakwesokudla. “Shandu!”
“Madoda, kukhona okungahambi kahle,” kusho uBaba uMbatha ngale kocingo. “Nikuphi?”
“Sekwenzenjani, nyangenkulu?”
“Amakhanda enu kanti athatha kanjani vele!?” kuthetha uBaba uMbatha.
“Angisakuzwa-ke mina ukuthi lenkulumo yakho iqondephi!” kusho uPhakamani. “Ufonele ukusibuza ukuthi amakhanda ethu athatha kanjani?”
“Ngiyafunga ngiyagomela, uma ningayenzi intando yami, impilo yenu namhlanje izoshabalala. Nizohlangana nokhokho benu!”
“Hhayi bo, nansi imihlola!” kusho uPhakamani, emangele. “Sekwenzenjani Shandu? Amazwi anjena asukaphi? Waze wayikhuluma into enganawo umqondo umdala nokwenza,” kuqhubeka uPhakamani ngokumangala. “Ikuphi inkinga yakho kanti? Konke okushilo sesikwenzile!”
“Qhubeka weyise, mfana wami. Kepha elami lithi kuwe, izimpilo zenu zinemizuzwana esele kulomhlaba esikuwo.”
“Uchaza ukuthini ngalokho?” kubuza uPhakamani ngolaka. “Kanti yini inkinga yakho?”
“Lalela, ngininika imizuzu eyishumi ukuthi nibuye kimi nombiko othi kuphelile ngomndeni wakwaKubheka,” kusho uBaba uMbatha ngezwi eliphansi. “Uma ningabuyi kimi nalowo mbiko, ngizowacima lamakhandlela, kuphele ngani!” esho enyakazisa igazi elisendishini eluhlaza. “Qedani nangoMaKhumalo, nguye osezosidalela izinkinga!” esho eluvala ucingo uBaba uMbatha.
Sitshele umbono wakho: Ngabe oDlokwakhe kanye nabanye bazokwenza lokhu okufunwa uBaba uMbatha?