“Sawubona, Mama,” washo ngenkathi engena ngaphakathi. Unina wayefunda iphephandaba. Wayethokozile.
“Yebo, mfana wami,” ephendula. “Lalela lapha-ke. Kuhle lokhu. Umgwaqo uLong manje usuzohamba uze ufike enxanxatheleni entsha yezitolo. Ekugcineni sekuzoba namabhasi nezitobhi zamabhasi. KODWA …” kusho yena, “lokhu futhi kusho ukuthi ngeke kusaba bikho ukudlala emgwaqeni.”
“I-NI-I-I?” inhliziyo kaSonny yavele yawa yafika ezicathulweni zakhe. Umdlalo ubusuvele uhleliwe! Wahamba waphumela phandle qede wahlala esitebhisini esingaphambi kwendlu evungama. Umsindo omkhulu wamenza waphakamisa amehlo. UMnumzane Peterson wayephezulu elelini, enza uthango lwangaphambili lomuzi wakhe lube lude kakhulu ngokungeza izitini.
“Ahha!” kuhonga uSonny ngentukuthelo. “Ngiyazi ufuna amabhola ethu angalweqi uthango lwakhe, kodwa manje akusamele azihluphe.”
Khona manjalo wafikelwa umcabango othile – uma ngabe bonke abangani bakhe bengahlangana bacele bonke abazali babo, emva kwalokho … mhlawumbe … bangaba nomdlalo wokugcina wekhilikithi. Wahamba ngokushesha eyobheka uSimon.
NgoMgqibelo olandelayo kwakunentokozo enkulu ngoba isu likaSonny noSimon lalisebenzile! Namuhla kwakuzoba wumdlalo wokugcina – omkhulu, omuhle umdlalo UKWEDLULA yonke! Zonke izingane ezakhele lo mgwaqo zazizodlala. FUTHI kwakuzoba nemiklomelo! Abanye abazali babenza okokwehlisa amathe ukuze wonke umuntu ezokwabelana ngakho ngesikhathi sesidlo sasemini. Ubaba kaThumi wayezonikezela ngemiklomelo ekupheleni kosuku.
Nakuba konke kwakwenzelwa ukuzithokozisa nje, uSonny wayezizwa enovadlwana. Iqoqwana lezibukeli lashaya ihlombe ngenkathi ibhola lokuqala lishwitshwa nguThumi.
UJack washoshela phambili. QHUUU! Walishaya ibhola ngamandla ngendlela yokuthi lahamba laya phezulu emoyeni.
USonny waya phambili ukuze ayobamba ibhola, kodwa ilanga lalikhanya liqonde ngqo emehlweni akhe. Waligqolozela, walinda wayesema ngaphansi kwalo. Wonke umuntu wayeseshaya ihlombe. Ngenkathi eqala ebuyisa izandla ukubamba ibhola kahle, lavele laphuma futhi. Lagqoma kanye lase ligingqika laqonda ngaphansi kwesango lomuzi kaMnu Peterson. Inhliziyo kaSonny yavele yacwila.
“MANJE sizokwenzenjani?” kubuza uThumi.
“Ngeke sikwazi ukuqhubeka nomdlalo wethu!” kusho uJack.