Ngexesha amka ngalo uThato ngala mva kwemini icebo lalisele ligqityiwe. Sasiwenze wonke umsebenzi womlenze wokuqala kwaye ndandichulumancile.

“Kutheni usenza le nto? Kutheni undinceda? Ndabuza xa ndandimkhapha sisehla izitepusi.

“Kuba wena udinga uncedo,” watsho ehleka. “Kwaye ke ndiyakuthanda nje,” wongeza ngelitshoyo.

“Kodwa ukuba uyandithanda, kutheni ke…”

“Kutheni ntoni?”

“Kutheni undinceda? Le nto ayicaci nje tu.”

Wema ekupheleni kwezitepusi, wathi cwaka ebonakala ecinga isithuba semizuzwana, waza waguquka wajonga kum.

“Kulungile. Ndiyacinga ukuba ndifuna nje impindezelo.

Intoni? AYIKHO LOO NTO! Andizange ndive nokuva ngaye kwaye akakho kwincwadana emnyama kaDave. Le into andikhange ndiyicinge nokuyicinga.

“Udade wethu wathandana noDave ixeshana elincinane sisesekondari,” wachaza. “Wamonzakalisa kakhulu. Kwaye ndingathanda ukumvisa incasa yeyeza lakhe.”

UThato wakhwela ngaphakathi kwi-Uber endishiya ndimi apho ecaleni kwendlela, ndingena mazwi akuthetha. Intliziyo yam iyaphala luloyiko kunye novuyo, kwaye nengqondo yam igcwele intandabuzo. Ekugqibeleni ubomi buyiyo nayiphina into kodwa abugqolanga, kwaye ngoku ndizimisele ukuphakama ndizimele ngokwam.

NgoMvulo uPat ubeka esandleni sam uxwebhu lokuba ndiye kulungisa ikhompuyutha kwigumbi eliphezulu. Ndaba nexhala nedyudyu ndisakufumanisa ukuba yikhompuyutha kaLilly. Ndafuna ukumxelela ukuba afune omnye umntu, kodwa kungenzeka ukuba yenzeke ngabom le nto.

“Heyi unjani?” ULilly wabuza xa ndingena e-ofisini yakhe.

“Kuhle,” Yaphendula yatsho inkosi yamazwi amambalwa.

“Kulungile, ngena ngaphakathi.”

Ndathatha nje imitsi yamibini ukubheka phambili, ndema.

“Ukhangeleka udlakadlaka. Ubunempela veki exakekileyo?” wandibuza.

Ndakhawuleza ndabila ndaba mpatsha-mpatsha ngenxa yobuphaku-phaku, kodwa andikwazi ukumxelela loo nto. Ngoko ke ndaxoka.

“Hayi. Ndi…nditye into embi kakhulu.”

Uye wahleka ngeyona ntsini imnandi endakha ndayiva.

“Hayi awungomntu onethamsanqa xa unjalo.”

Ndaziva ndiphoxakele, ngoko ndayitshintsha incoko. “Ubufake isicelo malunga nokulungiswa kwekhompuyutha yakho?”

Waphakama esitulweni sakhe waza wandibiza ukuba ndize ndihlale ndijonge ikhompuyutha yakhe. “Andiyazi kwenzeke ntoni, ndiyacinga ivele yacima nje.”

Ndaziva ndikhululekile xa uLilly eshiya i-ofisi esiya kungena kwenye intlanganiso. Kundithathe iyure enesiqingatha ukufumanisa ukuba yintoni ingxaki kunye nokuyilungisa. Ndichulumancile kuba engekho ngaphakathi e-ofisini kunye nam. Xa engena besele ndiyigqibezela.

“Yhuu ungumsindisi wobomi,” watsho xa eyibona ibuyela kwakhona kubomi bayo.

Phambi kokuba ndiphendule, yakhala ifowuni yakhe. Ngekona yeliso ndiyakwazi ukubona ukuba ngubani lo ufowunayo-nguDave. Yasuka yaba nzima intliziyo yam.

“Heyi…ewe…Hayi, ndiza kutya isidlo kunye nomhlobo…hayi kulungile, ikhona imoto eza kundisa ekhaya. Uxolo andizikukwazi. Ndinomsebenzi omninzi kakhulu ekufuneka ndiwujonge. Usale kakuhle.”

Umalile! Andiyikholelwa ke le into! Le yinto ebekufanele yenzeke. Ndisuke ndamthanda uLilly ngoku ngaphezulu kokuba ndandikhe ndamthanda. Kwaye ndizimisele ukumxelela ukuba ndiziva njani na. Ukuba icebo likaThato liye lasebenza, hayi ke uLilly uza kuba ngowam.

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Umbuzo: Ucinga ukuba uThato noTumie baceba ntoni?