UZine uphaphama ekuseni kubuye konke ukukhathazeka. Ucabanga ukuthi uzothathani ahlanganise nani. Lento yokuthi izingane zakhe kungenzeka zilale zingadlile imphatha kabuhlungu. Uzibona eyisahluleki somzali.
Uma ebuyekeza ngempilo yakhe akazikholwa izinguquko ezenzekile eminyakeni eyisishiyagalombili edlule.
Izinto zazihamba kahle phakathi kwakhe nesola lakhe, uJabu. Wagcina ngakho ukumlobola bashada. Imindeni yajabula kwakuhle kwadela. Akubathathanga isikhathi esingakanani beshadile bathola umntwana wabo wokuqala. Kuthe sebenezingane ezintathu waqala uJabu wajola emsebenzini. UZine wabekezela khona kunjalo.
Ngelinye ilanga uZine wayengaphilile kahle. Ngakho waya kwadokotela. Wathi efika emzini wabo wafica uJabu nentombi. Esikhundleni sokuthi uJabu axolise wavele wamkhomba indlela. Kwaba ukuphela komshado wabo. UZine wakhetha ukuphindela ekhaya akhulise izingane zabo ngoba uJabu wayengasondli. Ukuntula kwemisebenzi eThekwini kwamenza ukuba aqabele ayotohoza kwaNdongaziyaduma. Wayehlala nobabekazi wakhe kodwa wagcina esehlala nabanangi bakhe.
Ubona kugcono azijube afonele uJabu amazise ukuba izingane zilambile.
“Ufunani?” kubuza unkosikazi kaJabu omusha uXolile ocingweni.
“Sisi, angizile ngempi ngicela ukukhuluma nobaba wezingane zami kuphela, kukhona udaba olubalulekile okumele siludingide,” kuphendula uZine ngokuzithoba.
“Uma kukhona into ofuna ukuyikhuluma nomnyeni wami yikhulume phambi kwami uma uhluleka ilokho angeke ukhulume naye,” kuphendula uXolile ngezishiqe.
“Ngidinga imali izingane zilambile ekhaya,” kusho uZine.
“UJabu akawona umshini okhipha imali sisi. Uthi imali akayithathephi phakathi nenyanga?”
“Ngenkulu inhlonipho ubengeke aziphendulele yena njengobaba wezingane?”
“Yimina unkosikazi wakhe ngakho nginelungelo eliphelele lokumela umyeni wami. Wena ucabanga ukuthi uJabu akanazo ezinye izingane uhlezi umfuna imali.”
“Ngimfunaphi imali njengoba engondli nje?”
“Okunye uyeke ukusibangela isicefe. Hamba uyosebenza wondle izingane zakho!” kusho uXolile evala ifoni.
Kumcacela bha uZine ukuthi kuzomele aboleke imali kumphathi wakhe, uMnumzane Buthelezi.
Ufika emsebenzini ngehora lesishiyagalombili ekuseni. UNkosikazi Buthelezi usehambile waya emsebenzini. Aqonde ehhovisi likaButhelezi ngoba isikhathi esiningi usebenzela ekhaya.
“Mnumzane Buthelezi, nginenkinga ekhaya bafuna imali bathi bashoda ngokudla. Bengicela ungiboleka noma uR800,” kuncenga uZine.
“Mina angimboleki umuntu imali engingazi noma engingenaso isiqiniseko sokuthi uzongibuyisela ngempela yini imali yami,” kuphendula uButhelezi ehlisa izibuko.
“Ngiyakucela bandla, ngingenza nanoma yini. Ngiyayidinga ngempela lemali.”
“Ungenza nanoma yini?” kubuzisisa uButhelezi.
“Yebo.”
“Ngizokunika lemali oyifunayo kodwa kuzomele kube khona into ongenzela yona. Nawe uyazi ayikho into yamahhala.”
“Ufuna ngikwenzeleni Mnumzane?”
“Angifuni into enkulu. Lemali ngizokunika ungayikhokhi.”
“Ngiyabonga kakhulu mphathi kodwa awukakaphumeli obala ukuthi wena ufuna ngikwenzeleni.”
“Ngifuna ucansi,” kusho uButhelezi.
“Ini? Kanjani Mnumzane ngoba unomfazi ushadile.”
“Ungamfaki umfazi wami kulento. Kuzoba imfihlo phakathi kwami nawe,” kusho uButhelezi.
“Ngiyasaba ngizothini uma esibamba bese ngiphelelwa umsebenzi?”
“Ungazikhathazi ngalokho umfazi wami akekho usemsebenzini futhi usekude ukubuya.”
Ukuxakeka kukaZine sekumphendule into angayazi naye. Uzibona eseqedile ukwenza ucansi noButhelezi, eseyofakela unina imali.
“Kazi ngizombhekelwa ubani uLuyanda njengoba sengilale nomnyeni wakhe?” kuzibuza uZine.
“Mama sengiyifakile imali ngithembe izokwanela,” kusho uZine ocingweni.
“Ngiyabonga mntanami inkosi ikubusise. Sizolala sidle ukudla okumnandi nathi,” kusho unina.
“Kuyangijabulisa ukuzwa ukuthi kukhona engikwazile ukukwenza ukuze nisizakale.”
“Ugcine uyitholephi imali?” kubuza unina.
“Ungazikhathazi ngalokho mama,” kusho uZine lumuthi thwansu uvalo.
Sitshele umbono wakho: Wena ungenzenjani uma ungase uzithole usesimweni esifana nalesi akusona uZine?