Ngokuhlwa kwangoLwesihlanu ndithathe uDave ndaya kumthengela iziselo kuba ibisisikhumbuzo somhla wokuzalwa kwakhe. Akanonwabe ngako kodwa mna ndiphelile lixhala.

Njengesiqhelo, uDave akaqapheli nto.

“Ke ngoku ufuna ukwenza ntoni ngokuhlwa nje?” Ndambuza.

“Masibhiyoze. Eli kungenzeka ukuba litheko lam lokugqibela njengendoda engatshatanga, ngoko ndifuna nje icace, ndiza kufumana.” watsho xa amantombazana amabini edlula itafile yethu kwalapho erestyu.

“Owu. Ndiyaqonda ukuba …” andikwazi nokuyithetha le nto, “nguwe noLilly…”

“Hayi kwangoku. La mfazi uyakwazi ukuzulisa abe esokolisa engafuni kufunyanwa.” Waphakamisa isandla ukuze afumane iweyitara. “Kodwa uDave wasoloko eyifumana into ayifunayo. Uza kuba ngowam.”

Ndacinga ngokuya kwenzeka ukuba kuthe kanti naye uLilly unomdla. Ndingathini xa linokupatyalaka eli cebo ze ndiphele ndikhathaza uLilly?

Kodwa lonke olo loyiko lubekwa phaya kude wabe uDave esenza adume ngazo.

“Nika amanenekazi lo mjikelo kwinto yonke abafuna ukuyisela.” Wanika loo myalelo kwiweyitara. “Baxelele ndiyazalwa namhlanje kwaye ndingathanda ukuba baze kudibana nathi apha.”

“Mini emnandi yokuzalwa, mntakwethu.” Ndatsho ndimbonga.

Yiyo le into. Kwaye ndiyenzela uLilly le into, ndazicingela ngaphakathi, lo gama ndifincelela iwhiski egilasini yam.

Amantombazana aza onke saza saqalisa itheko. Njengokuba utywala bebunkcenkceza, ndaziva ndinesibindi esingummangaliso, ndikulungele ukuqhubeka neliya cebo.

“Kunganjani ukuba sibuyele phaya kwam size siqhubeke netheko eli phaya,” Ndabuza kubantu abasetafileni. UDave wandithi krwaqu wancuma.

“Ekugqibeleni!” Watsho ebetha ingalo yam kabuhlungu.

Ndancwina, kodwa obu ubuhlungu bebunexabiso.

“Bendisazi ukuba noko ikhona into eleleyo apha kuwe!”

Ndabhatala ityala saza saya kukhwela i-Uber.

Sangena endaweni yam ndaza ndavula ucango, ndakhanyisa isibane.

“Isothuso!”

Lanxakama lonke igumbi yimivuyo nemikhwazo xa singena ngaphakathi eflethini. UDave waye othukile nyani, kodwa ulusu lwakhe lucacile kukonwaba novuyo. UPat waya kuye wamxhawula ngesandla, elandelwa liqela asebenza nalo kwicandelo lezentengiso nemiboniso.

“Njandini engumyebelelana! Icetywe nguwe yonke le nto?” watsho ejika ejonga kum.

Ndancuma.

Uthe xa uDave ehamba hamba apha endlwini encokola nabantu, yakhala i-intakhom. Ndangenisa abanye abahlobo bakaDave njengokuba yena wayesaye kuzigalelela isiselo. Sele elibele ngala mantombazana besize nawo.

“Mini emnandi yokuzalwa, Dave!” NguMiranda lowo, omnye wezidala zikaDave, wabe ehamba nomhlobo wakhe.

UDave wothukile kancinci, kodwa wabuya walunga. Waya kubo waya kubawola waza wabancamisa. Yaphinda yakhala intsimbi emnyango. Abahambi abaninzi beme emnyango.

“Mini emnandi yokuzalwa Dave.” Ngoku nguCathy, nanye ngomnye wezidala zikaDave. Kwabe sele kungena uZoe, elendelwa nguThandeka, uLorcia, uThandi, uRifilwe, uRose, uNolita…. La mantombazana asuka angena aba ngathi ayathululwa, waqala ngoku uDave akayazi ukuba makenze ntoni. Simfumene.

Then the moment I’ve been dreading arrives. Lilly is at the door.

Emva koko la mzuzu bendiwiyuka wafika. Nanko uLilly emnyango.

Ndabona amanzi okubila eqalisa ukunkcenkceza ebusweni buka Dave. Zonke izidala zakhezilapha.

 ***

Umbuzo: Ucinga ukuba yintoni elandelayo eza kwenzeka?