Kusenjalo, o-Alex nonina bafika esitolo. UMama wathenga ufulawa wokwenzela uBaba ikhekhe losuku lokuzalwa. Wase ethenga namakhandlela amancane azowabeka phezu kwekhekhe.
Uma befika ekhaya, uMama wabhaka ikhekhe losuku lokuzalwa, u-Alex wase ekhipha amanathi ephayini kanye nembali eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka esikhwameni sokufaka okuthengiwe.
“Awu, he! Awubheke-nje,” kusho u-Alex, “imbali encane seyigoqene, kanti nobuso bayo sebuvalekile.”
“Yebo,” kusho uMama. “Izimbali zasendle ziyathanda ukubhekisa ubuso bazo elangeni,futhi ziyathanda ukuhlala emhlabathini.”
“Ohho,” kusho u-Alex.
“Kungani ungadwebeli uBaba isithombe njengesipho sosuku lwakhe lokuzalwa?” kusho uMama.
“Yisu elihle,” kumamatheka u-Alex. Walanda amakhrayoni akhe kanye nephepha ukuze adwebele uBaba isithombe. Wadweba indlu enophahla olubomvu. Wase edweba isihlahla esikhulu esiluhlaza okotshani eduze kwendlu. Wase efaka nendlela yezinyawo ehamba engadini esuka emnyango ongaphambili ize iyofika ekupheleni kwekhasi, wase edweba izimbali eziluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka eceleni kwendlela yezinyawo. Wadweba isibhakabhaka esiluhlaza phezulu ekhasini kanye nelanga elikhulu eliphuzi futhi. Wase edweba utshani obuluhlaza phansi nekhasi. Ekugcineni wadweba uBaba, uMama kanye naye bemi phezu kotshani.
UBaba wabuya ekhaya evela emsebenzini.
“Usuku lokuzalwa oluhle, Baba,” kusho u-Alex, wase emnika izipho zakhe. Waqala wanika uBaba amanathi ephayini. “Ngiyawathanda amanathi ephayini,” kusho uBaba.
Walandelisa ngokunika uBaba itshe elinsundu elibushelelezi. “Laze langelekhethelo leli litshe!” kusho uBaba. “Ngizoligcina ekhukhwini lami ukuze lingenzele inhlanhla!”
Wase enikeza uBaba umdwebo. “Hawu!” kusho uBaba. “Lena yindlu yethu kanye nesihlahla sethu, kanti silapha thina! Nguwe, uMama kanye nami. Kanti ngizithanda ngempela izimbali eziluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka eziseceleni kwendlela yezinyawo eduze nengadi.”
“Lezo zimbali eziluhlaza zinobuluhlaza obufanayo nobesibhakabhaka,” kusho u-Alex.
“Ngiyabonga ngezipho zami zosuku lokuzalwa, Alex,” kusho uBaba, wase ewola u-Alex kakhulu. “Ngicabanga ukuthi kuzomele sitshale izimbali zasendle eziluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka eduze nendlela yezinyawo esengadini yethu, njengezimbali ezisesithombeni sakho.”
“Yicebo elihle lelo!” kusho u-Alex. “Ngizokusiza ukuzitshala, Baba!”
Ngemva kwesidlo sakusihlwa uMama wakhanyisa amakhandlela ekhekheni likaBaba. UBaba wacima wonke kanyekanye! U-Alex noMama baculela uBaba u-“Mini emnandi kuwe!”
“Ngiyathanda ukukutholela izipho, Baba,” kusho u-Alex emamatheka kakhulu.
