ULayla wayewathanda amaphazili akhipha umfanekiso othile. Wayethanda konke nje ngawo – kusukela esithombeni esisebhokisini ukuya esikhathini lapho efaka ucezu lokugcina endaweni yalo. Wayethanda nomsindo kanye nendlela okuzwakala ngayo izingcezu lapho ezinyakazisa etafuleni. Ngakho-ke njalo ngoMgqibelo ekuseni, lapho umama emhambisa emtatsheni wezincwadi ukuze ayoshintsha izincwadi zakhe zasemtatsheni wezincwadi, uLayla wayethatha nephazili.

Manje-ke, umsizi wasemtatsheni wezincwadi wayegcina wonke amaphazili eshalofini elingemuva kwedeski lakhe futhi njalo ngoMgqibelo lapho uLayla ecela ukuboleka amaphazili, umsizi wasemtatsheni wezincwadi wayethi, “Ncinci, Layla, kodwa uyazifela ngamaphazili!” NoLayla wayengenandaba ngoba WAYEZIFELA ngawo!

IMigqibelo eminingi ngemva kokuya emtatsheni wezincwadi, uShireen, umngani omkhulu kaLayla, wayezodlala. Empeleni, wayecisheabe ngumngani kaLayla omkhulu, ngaphandle kwento eyodwa – uShireen kwakumele kube nguye ohamba phambili ezintweni zonke.

Ekuseni ngomunye uMgqibelo, uLayla waboleka iphazili yeNkwazi yase-Afrika emtatsheni wezincwadi. Lesi sithombe sasikhombisa inyoni iphezulu esibhakabhakeni ivule amaphiko ibambe inhlanzi ngamazipho ayo. Iphazili yayinezingcezu eziningi kunamaphazili uLayla ake wawenza. Kwakungekhona lokho kuphela, izingcezu zazizincane kunazo zonke ezamaphazili uLayla ake wawenza. Wayengajabule nje uLayla! Kodwa uShireen wayengathokozile neze ngoba into nje uLayla ayefuna ukuyenza kwakungukuqala ukwenza iphazili.

“Angifuni ukwenza iphazili eyenza isithukuthezi,” kusho uShireen. “Okungcono masidlale ukuthenga esitolo.”

“Kulungile,” kusho uLayla, “sizobe sesenza iphazili yami.”

“Ngizoba umninisitolo,” kusho uShireen, “ngoba ngimuhle kakhulu ekubeni umninisitolo, wena-ke ungaba yikhasimende lami.”

Kungaphelanga sikhathi eside uLayla wayesesebenzise imali yakhe yonke. UShireen wabe esethi, “Make sidlale izibhedlela.”