USandile Nxongo ubuka ifoni yakhe ikhala. Ayiwubangi umsindo ifoni ngoba vele iku-silent Uphenya ingubo kancane abheke ukuthi uNancy uzumekile yini noma cha eceleni kwakhe. Uzumekile uNancy, ugaxe ingalo yakhe esifubeni sikaSandile. USandile ngeke akwazi ukusuka embhedeni ngaphandle kokuba uNancy amuzwe ukuthi uyavuka. Usukuma samuntu oxinwe umchamo, athathe ifoni aphikelele e-bathroom.

“Uyaphi, Sandile?” kubuza uNancy ekhulumela ekujuleni kobuthongo.

“Ngisaya e-toilet., Nancy. Ngiphuze amanzi amaningi sengizolala,” kusho uSandile.

“Uhleze u-up and down. ushayana ne-toilet, umosha amanzi. Ngiyawakhokhela lawo manzi owamoshayo njalo. Ungakhanyisi futhi, ubiza kabi kabi ugesi these days..”

Kuthi ngesikhathi uSandile esaqala ukuphendula nge-SMS kulo muntu okade efona, lukhale ucingo lwasendlini. USandile ugijima azephule ejahe ukubamba lolu cingo kungaze ukukhala kwalo kuvuse uNancy. Lukhala kanye abe esefikile kulo uSandile. Ufike alubambe ngesinono alubeke endlebeni ucingo. Ulokhu ejeqeza kaninganga ephaseji ebheka ukuthi uNancy akaqhamuki.

“Hello,” esho sakuhleba uSandile.

“Ungenzani kodwa, Sandile? Kunini ngikufonela ungalubambi ucingo?” kuthetha uXolile.

“Ngiyaxolisa, Xolile, bengisalele sithandwa sami.”

“Ubusalele? Pho uyicimeleni iselula? Futhi kwenzenjani wakhuluma ngokuhleba nje? Usuqonyiwe Sandile? Usune ntombi lapho eGoli?”

“Cha, baby.. Ukuthi beng-”

“Hhayi ngeke Sandile. Angiyizwa lento ozama ukuyichaza. Usukhohliwe ukuthi waphuma ekhaya uyosebenzela ingane? Usukhohliwe ukuthi ngaxoshelwa wena ekhaya njengoba sengiphenduke umfazi wakini nje?” kuthetha uXolile. “Wena ulibele izi-”

“Xolile akunjalo, uyazi nawe ukuthi ngizama konke okusemandleni. Uma ngithola imali njalo ngezimpelanyanga ngikuthumelela yona.”

“Namali yini Sandile uR200? Ukhona umuntu okhulelwe ongaphila ngo-R200? Lalela-ke ngitetile, kudingeka izingubo zengane.”

“Ngizama ukuqongelela imali ukuze ngikwazi ukubuyela lapho kuwena, Xolile.”

“Kuyobe kuyinini lapho?”

“Maduze, Xolile. Ngizoyithumela ima-”

Akabange esaqedela uSandile. Uthuka sengathi utitinywa ugesi. Uma athule aqonde ngoba lokhu kukhwehlela akuzwa kuqhamuka emuva kwakhe kuvela kuNancy. USandile uyibeka ngesinono ifoni, uXolile esathetha kanjalo. Usaba nokuphenduka. Uyazi ukuthi alufakwa lubuya nodaka lapha kuNancy.

***

Sitshele: Uthini umbono wakho ngobudlelwano buka Sandile noNancy?