UKebonye uhleli yedwa esiseleni setrongo.
“Khange ndiyibulale,” yatsho lentombazana ngayo yonke indzondo enokuyifumana ngaphakathi kuyo. “Esasihiba Somcuphi Mhloli kufanele sijongo ubugqina baso.”
UKebonye wafaka intloko yakhe phakathi kwezandla, ejongeka engenathemba. Yilonto ababefuna ukuyibona – ukumbona engenathemba! Kwaye wayeziva ephelelwe lithemba. Ikakhulu ngenxa yobubi bempahla e-orenji yasetrongweni ekufuneka ayinxibe.
Itshomi yakhe uMagda wayezakumhleka xa ebona esosinxibo. “Wena si-aram, tsheri engenathamsanqa!” Yilonto ezakuthethwa nguMagda.
Icango eligqindilili lentsimbi lachachamba livuleka. UKebonye wajona, gqho phakathi kumehlo amahle kaLawrence Katse. Wayerhalela ukumncumela, nokumanga ngezandla zozibini. Kodwa lonto yayizokumfaka engxakini embi.
Kengoko wanyanzelisa umlomo wakhe ukuba usineke. Wathetha ngelizwi elikhohlakeleyo. “Ubusuku benzolo, Mcuphi Mhloli! Uzokundivuyelela? Ucinga ukuba uhlakaniphile, ngokulivula genge elityala!”
Asiyonto aweyefuna ukuyithetha le. Into aweyefuna ukuyithetha ngenene yile, “Lawrence, awusaboni ukuba ndiyakuthenda?”
Kodwa uLawrence Katse soze abenomdla kuye. Wayengengomntu apha. Kwakukho amantombazana amahle le kuye apha. Anje ngoTumi Tladi kwisicocombela sakhe setyhuniki. Njengowexabiso uLindi Kwehan – okwiTrongo 155F. UKebonye wayeyazi ukuba akaliboni ithuba!
ULawrence wavala icango emva kwakhe waya kuye ngqo. UKebonye wafumanisa kunzima uphefumla. ULawrence wazithatha zombini izandla zakhe wazibeka kwezakhe ezomeleleyo. Ingaba mangaphi amatyeli uKebonye ephupha ngalomzuzu? Kodwa wahluthuluza izandla zakhe zombini gadalala. Yinto ekwakufuneka ayenze.
“Ungakhe ulinge, Mcuphi Mhloli! Into endiyifunayo bubulungisa. Uyayazi yolonto ukuba zange ndimbulale uSimon.”
Kwakhona uLawrence zange asuke. Endaweni yoko waye wagoba ze wamcamisa ngobulali, ngqo ezinyekeni. Ithathe kuphela imizuzwanawa embalwa ezukileyo.
Itshomi yakhe uMagda wayezakuphambana xa efumanisa lento! UKebonye wayeyazi into ezakuthethwa nguMagda: “Tsheri ndini enethamsanqa , Kebonye! Ubomi bakho bonke ungatsho ukuthi wakhe waphuzwa nguye kuphela uLawrence Katse!”
Kodwa uMagda wayengaziqondi indlela izinto ezingayo apha. Oku kuncamisa kwakungathethi nto. ULawrence mhlawumbi wayengasakhumbuli negama lakhe lenyani! Ngokuhlwa, uzakube engephandle edolophini kunye namantombazana amileyo kwaye akazokundicinga nokuba uKebonye uyaphila.
“Uzakubufumana ubulungisa bakho, ndiyathembisa, Palesa,” yatsho inzwana uLawrence Katse. Ze waphumela ngaphandle kwesisele setrongo. Kwakukho ingxolo yezitixo ezazibetheka kwiqhaga elisindayo.
UKebonye wasala yedwa kwakhona. UKebonye wafaka intloko yakhe phakathi kwezandla ze waqala ukukhala, amagxa akhe ashukuma. Yinto ekwakufuneka ayenze.
“Sika” wakwaza uMax. WayenguMongameli webali elitsha, Amavili oBulungisa. “UMbono omhle, bantu! UMdlali wesiqhelo , uLawrence! Ayikho mbi, Kebonye. Uyakuba ngumdlali olungileyo ngenye imini.”
Laphela ibali
