USandile wayeziphilisa ngokuqhuba izinqola zabadayisi edolobheni laseSandton ukuze athole imali. Imadlana ayitholayo wayeyibeka. Kwakuthi uma kukhona umuntu odakiwe obhayizela ngalapho ayelala khona emgwaqeni ebusuku, uSandile abambe lowo muntu inkunzi. Kodwa akekho umuntu owayemxwayile ngoba wayekwenza ngobunyoninco.
Waqokelela, ebeka isenti phezu kwelinye, inele ingaba ngumthanyana ayithumele ekhaya, angadli ngisho nosheleni. Okwakhe ukulamba ekulapha ngokuma ezindaweni zokudlela, acele ukudla. Izikhathi eziningi wayeziphantela emigqonyeni imvuthuluka esale komacaphunakusale adle yona. Kuthi lingashona alale emakhathonini.
Kukho konke lokhu kuhlupheka uSandile wayecophelela ukuthi uhlanzekile. Wayeqokelela ukuthi njalo unayo insipho yokugeza, i-lotionyokugcoba kanye ne-roll on. Enyenyela ema-toilet amagaraji okuthela u-petrol ageze.
USandile uphila lempilo nje kanti kunomunye usisi ohleze embona. Kathathu esontweni uNancy waye ika ezothenga ukudla anakisise le nsizwa ehlanzekile ehlala emgwaqeni. NoSandile wayejabula uma ebona uNancy ngoba wayazi ukuthi uzothengelwa ukudla athole nemadlana.
“Igama lami nginguNancy,” kwasho uNancy ngelinye ilanga.
“Mina nginguSandile,” washo emamfuza i-cheese burger ayithengelwe uNancy.
“Ngidinga umuntu ozongenzela umsebenzi emzini wami,” kwasho uNancy emamatheka, ebuka uSandile. “Ngidinga ukulungiselwa ingadi kanye nokupendelwa isakhiwo esingemuva komuzi omkhulu. Ngizokukhokhela imali futhi uzohlala kulendlu engemuva amasonto amabili ngesikhathi usebenza. Nokudla uzokuthola khona kumina.”
USandile wayengayikholwa lenhlanhla engaka ahlangabezana nayo. Kwase kuphele izinyanga eziningi agcina ukulala ngaphansi kompheme, endaweni eyindlu. Nokudla okunomsoco okuphekiwe ekade wakugcina.
“Ngiyabonga ngiyanconcoza, nkosazane,” kwasho uSandile ngosuku uNancy amthatha ngalo emusa emzini wakhe ukuze aqale ukusebenza.
“Nonsense, Sandile,” kwasho uNancy emamatheka. “Yeka lento yakho, gcina ngci ukungibiza ngenkosazane. Igama lami nginguNancy, ngicela ungibize ngalo igama lami.”
“Uma kunjalo angithi ngiyabonga kakhulu kuwena, Nancy. Inkosi ikubusise.”
UNancy wayehlala emzini oyisithabathaba. USandile yena wahlala esakhiweni esincane esingemuva kwendlu amasonto amabili. Eqinisweni kwawona lo msebenzi okwakumele awenze wawungemningi ngaleyo ndlela. USandile wazithola esefuna ukwazi okuningi ngoNancy. Kwakuzicacela ukuthi uNancy akasebenzi ngoba ehleze elapha endlini ubusuku nemini. Futhi engaganile, engenazo nezingane, kwazihlobo lutho.
Umuntu oyedwa uNancy ayephuma ayomvakashela ukhokhovula wenyanga ekuthiwa uNaidoo. Ngelinye ilanga, uNancy elethele uSandile ukudla ngesikhathi ependa indlu encane emuva kwendlu, uSandile waqunga isibindi wabuza ukuthi uNancy usebenza nhloboni yomsebenzi.
“Ngisebenza ukuhweba nge-forex kwi-internet. Yingakho uhleze ungibona ngilapha ekhaya ingoba ngisebenzela khona lapha emzini wami,” kwaphendula uNancy.
Ngabo lobo busuku, ngesikhathi uSandile egeza, wezwa kukhona umuntu ongqongqozayo esicabheni.
Wezwa kumemeza uNancy ethi, “Your supper is ready, Sandile.”
“Ngiyabonga, Nancy,” kwaphendula usandile ese-bathroom. “Kubeke khona lapho ngase sicabheni, ngizokuthatha uma ngiqeda ukugeza.”
USandile waphuma ezisula washaqeka ethola uNancy ehlezi kuwo lo mbhede alala kuwo. Wayegqoke isigqebhezana se-nightdress uNancy. USandile engakaze ayibone into emfishane kanjena, iveze wonke amathanga.
“Ungabi namahloni, Sandile,” kwasho uNancy. “Ngiyabona ukuthi unesizungu. Kanti nami nginesizungu. Uyangidinga kanti nami ngiyakudinga.”
USandile wayengakholwa ukuthi ulala nomuntu wesifazane omdala aze ayiphindaphinde kabili iminyaka yakhe. Ingqondo yakhe yayingafuni nokusondela embhedeni kodwa umzimba wazithola usulele noNancy.
“Kufanele uzohlala nami endlini enkulu manje, Sandile. Kulukhuni ukuthola uthando uma ungumuntu wesifazane onezimali zakhe njengami. Ngizokunakekela, Sandile my love. Ngizokuthengela konke okudingayo,” kwazincengela uNancy ekhophoza.
USandile uzithola enikina ikhanda ecabanga ngalezo zinsuku njengoba ehlezi ebuka ngewindi. Uyazibuza ukuthi lwaphelelaphi lolu thando nozwelo ayenalo uNancy. Ubuka isikhathi kumakhalekhukwini, azibuze ukuthi ngempela ukuphi uNancy. USandile uzwa igazi limshiya. Kodwa ukhetha ukulinda abone ukuthi elanamuhla limuphatheleni.
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Sitshele: Ngabe uSandile uyamgxeka noma uzwelana naye? Sichazele.