“Cha,” kusho uLayla. “Ngidlalile ukuthenga esitolo. Manje masenze iphazili yami.”
Noma kunjalo uShireen, ngesizathu esingaziwa, wayengafuni ukudlala iphazili, ngakho-ke wathi, “Make sidlale izibhedlela manje bese senza iphazili ngemva kwesidlo sasemini.”
Benza kanjalo-ke.

“Ngizoba ngudokotela,” kusho uShireen.

“Ngeke, ubungumninisitolo,” kusho uLayla. “Yimi ozoba ngudokotela.”

“Angeke ukwazi,” kusho uShireen, “ngoba mina ngifanele kakhulu ukuba ngudokotela.”

Ngakho-ke, uShireen waba ngudokotela uLayla waba isiguli!

Lapho uDokotela uShireen eqala ukuxilonga isiguli, wakitaza isiguli isiguli sabe sesiqala ukugigitheka, singasakwazi ukulala singanyakazi. Ngakho-ke uDokotela uShireen wasithethisa wathi,

“Yeka ukunyakaza, uma ungayeki angeke ngisadlala nawe.”

Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba uDokotela uShireen athukuthele nakakhulu, umama kaLayla wababizela isidlo sasemini.

“Ngiyethemba ukuthi ninesikhathi esimnandi mantombazane,” kusho umama kaLayla.

“Yebo,” kusho uLayla owayesezoluma uroti wakhe omnandi ofakwe ibhotela lamantongomane, izaqathi ezihhahlaziwe namasulthana. “Sizokwenza iphazili yami ngemva kwesidlo sasemini.”

“Angiyifuni iphazili yakho,” kusho uShireen.

“Kodwa bewethembisile,” kusho uLayla.

“Yebo kunjalo, angisafuni-ke manje. Ngifuna ukuhlobisa ngombala,” kusho uShireen.

Ngalesi sikhathi, uLayla wayesekhathele uShireen othi, “Ngimuhle ekwenzeni yonke into” futhi wayemthukuthelele ngokwephula izethembiso. Ayikho into eyayizomvimba ukuthi enze iphazili. Ngakho-ke ngemva kwesidlo sasemini, uLayla wanikeza uShireen incwadi yokuhlobisa ngemibala ukuze uShireen ahlobise izithombe ngombala ngesikhathi yena enza iphazili. Kodwa kwakusele isithombe esisodwa esizofakwa umbala kanti uShireen wasiqeda kungaphelanga sikhathi. Wase esiphakamisela phezulu ukuze akhombise uLayla wase ethi, “Awuve wenza kancane!”

“Yingoba le phazili inzima,” kusho uLayla.

“Ngingayenza ngokushesha ukudlula wena,” kusho uShireen.