“NGOKU siza kuthini?” kwabuza uThumi.
“Asikwazi ukuqhubeka nokudlala umdlalo wethu!” watsho uJack.
“SOZE siphinde siyifumene ibhola yethu!” wagxwala watsho uSimon.
USonny watsala umoya onzulu. “Ndiza kuyikulanda ibhola yethu,” watsho.
“Kodwa uMnumzana Peterson uza kukungxolisa,” watsho uThumi.
“Akazukukunika ibhola … kwaye noShikisha inokuba sele eyombele, wayingcwaba!”
“Akunani, kodwa kuza kufuneka ndizamile,” watsho uSonny. “Ngumdlalo wethu wokugqibela lo kwaye besisaqala ukudlala. Asisokuze siphinde silifumana elinye ithuba elinje.”
Ngobukrotikazi obukhulu, uSonny wavula isango leyadi kaMnumzana Peterson wangena. UShikisha wayengabonakali ndawo. USonny waxuxuzelelwa ngamathumbu. Wayesoyika. Wayengafuni kungxoliswa nguMnumzana Peterson. Nje phambi kokuba afike kwisango elingaphambili, lazivulekela ngamandla. Gqi ngoMnumzana Peterson. Wayekhangeleka emkhulu kakhulu xa ukufutshane naye. Izidlele zakhe zazibomvu, oku komntu onomsindo kakhulu.
Xa kanye uSonny eza kuvula umlomo athethe, uMnumzana Peterson wabhomboloza ngelo lizwi lakhe likhulu wenjenje, “Sonny! Kubonakala ngathi ndigqibe kanye ngexesha.”
“Khawuphinde Mhlekazi?” watsho uSonny.
“Yiza,” watsho uMnumzana Peterson, baza baya esitiyeni sakhe esingasemva.
USonny wawuvula ng’a umlomo.
Yayisesona sitiya sikhulu kwisitalato sonke. Ingca kwanemithi yayichetywe kakuhle, iheji le nemithi ijikeleze kakuhle ngathi sisangqa. UMnumzana Peterson wayebophelele intambo ebhijelayo ngasesitiyeni, ngokungathi libala leqakamba lokwenyani kanye. Phakathi, embindini webala kwakukho amaphini okuqhokra nezinti zeqakamba.
USonny waphakamisa amehlo wajonga kuMnumzana Peterson waza wancuma. UMnumzana Peterson wancuma naye ngovuyo. “Ndiyaxolisa kuba khange ndikwazi ukunilumkisa nokunazisa ngeenguqu eziza kwenziwa apha esitalatweni. Ndiphangelela ikhansela, kodwa bendingavumelekanga ukuba ndithethe nto ngezi nguqu KODWA … ikho into endinokuyenza.” Wayothula phezulu intsini. “NGOKU KE … babize bonke abantu bangene ngaphakathi, sidlaleni iqakamba.”
Ngoku uSonny nabahlobo bakhe banendawo yokudlalela iqakamba. UMnumzana Peterson uyavuya xa bemtyelele kwaye uyakonwabela ukubukela yonke loo midlalo yabo. Uwarekhodisha kakuhle kakhulu amanqaku ebhodini. Kwaye xa ibhola ithe yaqhokrwa, yaya kuwa kude kakhulu, ukhona uShikisha, ubaleka ayilande!
