Emva kweentetho ezithile itheko laqhubeka labheka phambili. Wonke umntu wayejuxuza ngaphandle kwam ndedwa. Ndandime phaya ngakulaa tafile inokutya, ndingxala umlomo wam ngokutya, ndibukele uLilly. Sendide ndafana nomntu omlaleleyo ngoku, ngoko ke ndagqiba kwelokuba ndiye kwigumbi langasese.
Xa ndibuya apho ndifika uDave sele ejuxuza kunye noLilly. Yavela yabanzima intliziyo yam. Ndiyazi ukuba ndoyisiwe. Akakho umfazi okwaziyo ukungakuhoyi ukujuxuza kukaDave. Ndaya ngase bharini ndaza ndaziphokozela isiselo i-whiski. Andiqhelanga kusela isiselo esinzima, kodwa ndizama ukuba ndibe nomqolo ukuze ndikwazi ukudanisa noLilly phambi kokuba buphele ubusuku.
Le whiski yalwenza lwakhululeka ulwimi lwam kwaye ndaba neso nesibindi sokuya kuncokola nabanye abantu apha ethekweni.
“Uyahlekisa kwaye uyathandeka,” yatsho enye intombazana, “Uyazi ukuba ubungeso sitabane bendizakulala nawe ngoku.”
“Ndiyacinga ukuba ndinxile kakhulu ukuba ndibe ndimve kakuhle.
“Isitabane? Mna? Bububhanxa obucingiswe yintoni obo?”
“Wonke umntu uyazi ukuba usisitabane,” yatsho enye intombazana. “Yhuu ilahleko engako.”
“Andisositabane mna.”
“Kulungile torho Tumie. Asisoze sikugwebe ngalo nto.”
“Andisositabane!” Ndakhwaza.
“Asiyiyo into ayithethileyo leyo uDave. Ungumzala wakho, andithi? Ngoko ke uyazi?”
Andiyikholelwa le nto ndiyivayo. UDave angayithetha njani into enjalo?
“Andisositabane, “Ndatsho sendisebeza ngoku.
“Sibonise,” Yatsho lantombazana yokuqala iqala uchuku.
Ndalaqaza ndaza ndambona uDave noLilly bemi kunye, bencokola behleka. Ndasuka ndaziva ndigula.
Le ntombazana yanditsalela kuyo hayi ke nam andayinqanda.
*****
Ndavuka ndisesofeni ndisanxibe zonke iimpahla zam. Intloko yam ithi nkqe nkqe nkqe. Ndaya egumbini lam ukuba ndingene eshawareni. Tyhini nantso intombazana ilele ebhedini yam. Ngamasimba ke la.
Ndaya ekhitshini ndafika ndazenzela isidlo sakusasa esinamafutha. Le ntombazana yaphuma egumbini lokulala.
“Owu inyama yehagu. Yile nto kanye bendiyiyalelwe ngugqirha, “watsho ehleka sele ethatha iqatha le nyama yehagu epleyitini yam. “Yhuu ubulidaka izolo ebusuku ubuphele tu, bendicinga kukuphela kwakho okuya.”
Ndandifile ziintloni.
Umqala wam womile. Ndarhabula intwana kwisiselo sam seziqhamo.
Wandixelela ukuba igama lakhe nguThato kwaye wabe endichazela ngento yonke eqhubeke kubusuku bayizolo. Wathi mna ndifune ukujuxuza noThato nje ukubonisa ukuba nam ndiyakwazi ukudanisa nokujayiva nje ngaye uDave. Emva koko uthi ndachitha ubusuku bonke ndimncokolela ngoLilly.
“Kumnandi kodwa ukuba nawe! Ngesibenexesha elimnandi gqitha, mna nawe.” Wanyokonyela elinye iqathana lenyama yehagu emlonyeni wakhe.
Uyintombazana ekulula ukuncokola nayo de saphela sincokola iintsasa le yonke. Kuthe xa efowuna uLilly, andaphendula. Kodwa andiziva kakubi ngenxa yaloo nto. Ndiyakuthanda ukuncokola noThato. Mhlawumbi ndingaphuma kuLilly ndize ndibe kunye noThato. Mhlawumbi angaba ngoyena yena.
“Awukwazi ukuvumela uDave enze le nto kuwe,” watsho.
“Kumele ndenze ntoni? UnoLilly ngoku. Uphumelele.”
“Bububhanxa man obo. UDave noLilly abakho kunye. Ukuba bekunjalo, loo nto ibizakwaziwa ngumntu wonke e-ofisini.”
Wayenyanisile uThato. UDave unomlomo omkhulu kwaye ebezakuqhayisa ngokuba efumene uLilly.
“Ukuba ibingomnye wamantombi azitshomi zam lo wenze loo nto kum, bendizaku mtshabalalisa.”
“Kumele ndenze ntoni kanye?”
“Yenza nqo le nto ayenzayo,” watsho wabe etsala isiselo sam esisa emilebeni yakhe, waza wandiqobozela iliso.
***
Umbuzo: Ucinga ukuba uTumi uzakwenza ntoni ukuze abe untanganye noDave?