Ivenkile enkulu yayizele ngabantu, bonke bethengela iKrisimesi. Umculo weKrisimesi wawukhwaza uphuma ezipikeni: “Ulonwabo elizweni…”
URefilwe wayeme ethilini yakhe, epakisha izinto ezityiwayo zabathengi. Walahlekwa ngabazali bakhe xa wayeneminyaka elishumi elinesithathu, ngengoko iKrisimesi yayingelo xesha lalonwabo kuye.
Ngelo xesha kwabonakala uSam. Usebenza kwisitalato esinophahla sevidiyo esikufuphi nabo kwaye ungumfana othandekayo: Ulungile kwaye uzolile. Waye waya ngakuye kwaye lonto yayenza lentombazana yaziva ingcono ngoko nagoko. Lomfana wayekwaphethe isipho ezandleni zakhe, ibhokisi encinci, ende esongelwe ngephepha elihle elimthubi. URefilwe wiye wayeka ukupakisha izinto ezityiwayo. Yayisisipho sakhe esi?
USam wancuma ungcumo lwakhe oluhle. “Esi sisipho seyona ntombazana ithandekayo kwihlabathi liphela”, waye watsho.
Ubuso bukaRefilwe beye bashushu. “Kwaye ngubani lowo?” waye wanako ukubuzo. Mhlawumbi le yayizakuba yeyona Krisimesi imnandi?
Impendulo kaSam yaba yeyothusayo. “Le yeyeNtyatyambo yam uDeyzi, engubani,” utshilo. “Ndiyathemba uzakuyithanda. “Refilwe, ungayigcina ikhuselekile, ndide nditshayise ngentsimbi yesihlanu?”
URefilwe wazama ukukufihla ukudana kwakhe. Ngubani lentyatyambo uDeyzi, uSam ayithengela esisipho? URefilwe wasifaka ebhegini yakhe isipho.
Yonke imihla ngexesha lesidlo sasemini, uRefilwe noSam bazinya bobabini izonka zabo. Zange akhe athathe nto malunga nalentombazana, uDeyizi. Kwaye ngoku uyithengela isipho seKrisimesi! UDeyizi onethamsanqa!
“Kukho umjayvo weKrisimesi endlini yama kuhlwanje,” utshilo uSam. “ESixth Avenue. Inombolo ngamashumi amabini anesihlanu. “Kutheni ungezi?”
“Uzakubakho uDeyzi?” wabuza uRefilwe.
USam wanqwala, esancuma olongcumo lwakhe oluhle. “Kodwa kunjalo! “Andingekhe ndibenomjayvo ngaphandle koDeyzi.” Uye waphindele kwisitalato esinophahla sevidiyo. URefilwe uye waphindela ukupakisha izinto ezityiwayo. Wanqwena ngathi ubani angacima umculo weKrisimesi.
Ngentsimbi yesihlanu, uSam akakabuyi ukuzakulanda isipho sikaDeyzi. URefilwe waya kwisitalato esinophahla sevidiyo esinezibane ezidanyazayo kunye nomculo okhwazayo. Kodwa uSam wayengekho. Uphathi waye wathi sele egodukile.
Kufanele asise esisipho endlini kaSam?
URefilwe wasiphatha ngesandla esisipho, wasishukumisa. Senza ingxolo ekhencezayo. Ngaba mhlawumbi yibreyiselethi yetsheyina legolide? Ubone elinye ngefesitile kwivenkile yezihombo zentsimbi kumanyathelo angentla. UDeyzi onethamsanqa, ucinge watsho uRefilwe kwakhona. Angavuya ukuba yonke lento yeKrisimesi ingadlula.
Refilwe wayifumana indlu kaSam eSixth Avenue. Umculo ugqumza uphuma ngeefesitile. Abantu babehleka bejayiva eyadini.
USam wambona ngoko nangoko .
“Tsezi!” watsho njengoko ethatha isipho. “Bendinxamile, ndalibala.”
URefilwe wajikeleza wajonga. Amantombazana amaninzi amahle ayephakathi eyadini. “Ngomphi onguDeyzi?” wabuza.
USam wagona uRefilwe wamsa ngaphakathi. “Ndiyacinga useKhitshini. Yiza uzekumbona. Ndiyathemba nina nobabini nizakuthandana.”
Ndibesisidenge kangakanani, wacinga uRefilwe, ukucinga ukuba kukho into enomehluko phakathi kwam noSam! Ebecinga ukuba ethubeni uSam uzakuyenza ibeyiKrisimesi elungileyo le kuye.
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Kwakungekho bani ekhitshini, kuphela iyinja emhlophe evukuvuku.
“Jonga Deyzi,” utshilo uSam. Wavula isipho ngaphakathi kwakukho ikhola yenja enentsimbi ejingayo kunye ngegama likaDeyzi kulo.
USam wagona uRefilwe wamsondeza kufutshane. “Ndilinde ixesha elide ukwenza lento, Refilwe,” utshilo. “Uyonwabele, uyonwabele iKrisimesi!”
Laphela ibali