“Kulungile,” kusho uLayla, “uma sengiyiqedile, ungazama ukuyenza ngokushesha, sizoke sibone-ke!”
“Kulungile,” kusho uShireen, “kodwa ngizokwenza lokho kuphela uma ngithanda.”
Lapho uLayla eseqede iphazili, wayihlukanisa. Wabuyisela zonke izingcezu ebhokisini ngaphandle kocezu olunehlo lenkwazi kulo. Wase enikeza uShireen ibhokisi.
“Nanso-ke,” kusho yena, “sekuyithuba lakho manje.”
“Angithandi ukuyenza,” kusho uShireen.
“Kodwa wethembisile!” kusho uLayla.
“Cha, angizange!” kumemeza uShireen. “Ngithe kuphela uma ngithanda kanti-ke angifuni.”
“Mhlawumbe awufuni ngoba awukwazi ukwenza amaphazili,” kusho uLayla.
“Ngiyakwazi!” kuthetha uShireen. “Ngiphambili kakhulu ekwenzeni amaphazili!”
“Yenze-ke phela,” kusho uLayla.
UShireen wagxavuna ibhokisi kuLayla. “Ngizoyenza,” kusho uShireen, “kodwa kuphela uma uhamba uyodlala phandle. Ngizokubiza uma sengiqedile.”
ULayla waya ngaphandle wase edweba izithombe esihlabathini ngenduku, ngesikhathi, endlini, uShireen evula ibhokisi lephazili wase eqala ukuphendula izithombe zibe ngaphezulu.
Phandle, uLayla wathola intambo endala wase eyibophela esihlahleni sikamalukwata ukuze uma uShireen eseqede iphazili bezodlala umdlalo wokugxuma. Kodwa endlini, uShireen wayehluleka ukuhlanganisa izingcezu zephazili ndawonye. Wayefisa sengathi ngabe ubengashongo ukuthi uphambili kakhulu ekwenzeni amaphazili. Ngokushesha, wahlakaza izingcezu ezimbalwa zephazili abekwaze ukuyenza wase ebuyisela zonke izingcezu ebhokisini. Wase egijima eya phandle eyomemeza uLayla owayesegibele wayofika phezulu esihlahleni sikamalukwata ethi, “Sengiqedile!”
“Yonke?” kubuza uLayla.
“Yebo,” kusho uShireen, wase eqala ukukhwela emthini.
“Yima!” kumemeza uLayla. “Ngiyehla ngizobona.”
“Kodwa sengiyibekile iphazili,” kusho uShireen.
“Ngoba?” kubuza uLayla.
“Ukuze ungabuyiseli zonke izingcezu wedwa kamuva,” kuphendula uShireen.
“Bala bo,” kusho uLayla, “kodwa manje uthini ngalolu cezu?” Waphakamisa ucezu olunehlo lenkwazi alugcinile.
UShireen wathula wathi du. Wahlala esihlahleni ezibona ubuwula.
Ngemva kwesikhashana, uLayla wamemeza wathi, “Ake ubheke, bona ukuthi ngitholeni, ngithole amalukwata avuthiwe. Uyawafuna?”
“Yebo, ngiyawacela,” kusho uShireen ngezwi elincane kakhulu.
ULayla wehlela egatsheni elingezansana lapho kuhleli khona uShireen wase emnika amanye. Base behlala lapho, bedla amalukwata, futhi bebheka nokuthi bangaziphimisa ziye kude kangakanani izindumbuluzi.
UShireen waziphimisa zaya kude nakakhulu.
“Ungumpetha,” kusho uLayla.
“Kanti wena,” kusho uShireen, “ungumngani omkhulu ukudlula bonke abanye.”
