Ngakusasa ekuseni uSisanda wavuka neqhinga!

“Ngabe ngingaya nawe emsebenzini namhlanje?” ebuza uyise. “Nginesipho senkonyane yendlulamithi.”

Abazali bakhe babukana bemangele, bamamatheka base bethi, “Yebo, ungahamba nathi.”

Kwakuwusuku olufudumele kodwa lunamafu. Yonke into esiqiwini yayizwakala ithule ngendlela engejwayelekile.

“Ngicabanga ukuthi ilanga alikhanyi namhlanje ngoba nalo liphatheke kabi ngenkonyane yendlulamithi,” kusho uSisanda.

Indlovu enkulu yabuka umndeni ngenkathi wedlula.

“Mhlawumbe izibuza ukuthi kungani intombazanyana iya emsebenzini nabazali bayo,” kusho unina kaSisanda.

USisanda wanqekuzisa ikhanda. “Izomangala uma isithola ukuthi kungani,” kucabanga yena.

Bathola inkonyane yendlulamithi imi yodwa. Intamo yayo encane ende yayilenga nje, futhi amehlo ayo amakhulu ayebukeka egcwele usizi. USisanda wama eduze kwayo ngendlela ayengakwazi ukuthi enze ngayo. Wavula isikhwanyana sakhe wase ekhipha incwadi. Abazali bakhe bamangala nje lapho eseqala ukufundela inkonyane yendlulamithi. Yaphendula ikhanda layo ibheka ngalapho okwakuphuma khona iphimbo lakhe, futhi yalalela sengathi iqonda igama ngalinye. Ekuqaleni, abazali bakaSisanda bacabanga ukuthi ukufundela indlulamithi kwakuyinto exakile umuntu angayenza, kodwa bashintsha imiqondo yabo ngesikhathi sebebona ukuthi yayibukeka inokuthula kanjani – amehlo ayo amnene ebheke uSisanda.