Akugqiba wawuphakamisa ebonisa uLayla waze wathi, “Awusacothi nje!”
“Kungenxa yokuba le phazili inzima,” watsho uLayla.
“Ndiqinisekile ukuba ndingayenza ngokukhawuleza kunawe,” watsho uShireen.
“Kulungile,” watsho uLayla, “xa ndiyigqibile, uzukhe uzame ukuyidibanisa size sibone ke!”
“Kulungile,” watsho uShireen, “kodwa kuphela ukuba ndiyafuna.”
Wathi emva kokuba egqibile ukuyidibanisa iphazili uLayla, wayichitha kwakhona. Wafaka onke amaceba ayo ebhokisini ngaphandle kweceba elinye elineliso lokhozi kulo. Waza wanika uShireen loo bhokisi.
“Nantsi iphazili,” watsho, “lithuba lakho lokuyidibanisa ke ngoku.”
“Andifuni kuyidibanisa,” watsho uShireen.
“Kodwa ubuthembisile nje!” watsho uLayla.
“Hayi, khange ndithembise!” wakhwaza uShireen. “Bendithe nje ukuba ndiyafuna kwaye ke ngoku andifuni.”
“Mhlawumbi awufuni kuba awukwazi kudibanisa iiphazili,” watsho uLayla.
“Ndiyakwazi!” wakhwaza uShireen. “Ndiyincutshe ekudibaniseni iiphazili!”
“Ukuba kunjalo yidibanise kaloku,” watsho uLayla.
UShireen wayithi hlasi loo bhokisi esandleni sikaLayla. “Ndiza kuyidibanisa,” watsho uShireen, “kodwa ndiza kuyidibanisa kuphela ukuba uyaphuma uye kudlala phandle. Ndiza kukubiza xa ndiyigqibile.”
ULayla waphuma phandle waze wazoba imifanekiso entlabathini ngoluthi lo gama, phaya ngaphakathi endlwini, uShireen evula ibhokisi yephazili ze aqalise ukuguqula amaceba ephazili ukuze kubonakale eli cala linemifanekiso.
Phaya phandle, uLayla wachola umtya waze wawubophelela emthini womgwenye ukuze xa uShireen eyigqibile iphazili, badlale ugqaphu. Kodwa phaya ngaphakathi endlwini, uShireen wayesokoliswa kukudibanisa amaceba ephazili ukuze enze umfanekiso opheleleyo. Wayenqwenela ukuba akwaba ebengatshongo ukuba uyincutshe yokudibanisa iphazili. Ngokukhawuleza wayichitha indawo yephazili ebesele eyidibanisile waze wafaka onke loo maceba ayo kwasebhokisini. Wabaleka waphuma, wakhwaza uLayla owayesele ekhwele phezulu emthini womgwenye. “Ndiyigqibile!”
“Uyidibanise yonke?” wabuza uLayla.
“Ngqo,” watsho uShireen waza waqalisa ukugwencela, esenyuka apho emthini.
“Yima!” uLayla wamkhwaza. “Ndiyehla ndifuna ukuzibonela.”
“Kodwa sele ndiyichithile, ndawaqokelela amaceba ndaza ndawabeka,”watsho uShireen.
“Kutheni?” wabuza uLayla.
“Ukuze kungabikho mfuneko yokuba uyiqokelele sakugqiba ukudlala,”waphendula uShireen.
“Owu,” watsho uLayla, “kodwa uthini ngeli iceba?” Waphakamisa iceba elineliso lokhozi awayeligcinile.
UShireen wathi cwaka, akathetha. Wahlala kuloo mthi eziva esisidenge.
Emva kwexeshana, uLayla wakhwaza, “Hee, qashela ukuba ndifumene ntoni, ndifumene iingwenye ezivuthiweyo. Uyazifuna?”
“Ewe, ndingavuya,” watsho uShireen ngelizwi elincinane nelinkwinizayo.
ULayla wehlela kwisebe elingezantsi emthini waya apho uShireen wayehleli khona, wamnika iingwenye. Bahlala apho bobabini, besitya iingwenye, bethifa iipete, bejonga ukuba ngubani phakathi kwabo ozitshicela kude.
UShireen watshicela kude kakhulu.
“Uyincutshe,” watsho uLayla.
“Wena ke,” watsho uShireen, “ungoyena-yena mhlobo wam ndimthandayo.”
