“Lereko? Bendikhangela wena,” watsho uXikosi.

Ukuxhuma kuka Rhandzeka kwamenza noLereko waqonda ukuba le ntombi yothuke kanye njengaye. UXikosi ekhangela yena, hayi uRhandzeka?

Wabe noXikosi sele emvezela uncumo lwakhe olufudumeleyo olude, enye yezona zinto eza zimenza abe nomtsalane, ngoku ngathi wayengenazo ezinye ezilikhulu.

 “Ewe, Xikosi?”

Hayi bo! Yintoni na emenza abe ngathi akasakwazi nokuphefumla, asuke abe ngathi lusana?

 “Umke msinya emva kweklasi, ubungekho xa umyalezo ufika. Olwahambo luya kwaMatsulu lurhoxisiwe namhlanje, abaqhankqalazi bebevale indlela…yingxaki ke le, heyi?”

Kwabakho usizi elizwini lakhe xa eqaphela ukudana eluswini lwakhe, kodwa lwaphinda lwaqaqamba olwancumo lwakhe. “Kodwa umyalezo ibingowokuba sibe silindile kude kufike iveki ezayo.” 

“Enkosi ngokundazisa,” watsho uLereko.

URandzeka wabheka phambili ngomtsi omnye, ebeka isandla kwingalo kaXikosi. “Kwakuhle oko, masihambe ngoku simke kule khampasi sikhe siye edolophini sifumane okumnandi okutyiwayo.”

Basuka bafanelana njengokuba beme kunye nje, basuka baba ngathi sisibini esithandanayo esenza intengiso yento exabiso likhulu.

UXikosi wayemde, enomzimba owakhelwe ukuba yimbaleki kodwa engenazihlunu kakhulu kodwa yayingeyombonakalo yakhe eyayimenza abaluleke kuLereko. Kodwa yayizizinto ezazichazwa luncumo lwakhe, kanti nendlela awayencokola ngayo ngezinto ezibalulekileyo kuye, njengokhuseleko ekutyeni. Wayebonakala ngokungathi- uthene nca nelizwe lonke, ngandlela ithile.

“Uxolo Rhandzeka, hayi namhlanje.” Wasusa ingalo yakhe kuye ngokuzolileyo. “Kukho into endidinga uncedo lukaLereko kuyo.” 

“Olwakhe? Yatsho yaphala ingqondo.” Watsho uRandzeka equthe umlomo. “Ayisakwazi nokulinda?” 

 “Ayisakwazi ncam. Mamela, ndiza kukubona ethubeni. Sowulibele na ukuba usapho lwakho luyeza lonke ukuza kuvuyela umhla wokuzalwa kuka mama ngokuhlwa nje?”

ULereko wothuka kakhulu akuva ukuba uXikosi udinga uncedo lwakhe ukufunda ubuso bukaRhandzeka, kodwa wabonakala engathi uyakwamkela ukuphoxwa.

 “Ndiyathemba awukhathazeki?” Watsho uXikosi kuLereko ngelixesha esimka uRhandzeka ezijija isinqe, ebhabhayisa ngesandla.

 “Hayi…um, akunjalo.” Wazilungisa kancinci, ehleka. “Nangona ndingenakuze ndiqalise nakancinci ukuqikelela ukuba ingaba ncedo luni onokulufumana kum.”

Wahleka naye uXikosi. “Musa ukude uzithobe kanjalo. Ucinga ukuba andikhange ndikuqaphele indlela oqiniseke ngayo kwizifundo ezifana nezenzululwazi kwizifundo zezilwanyana nokufuya? Mhlawumbi nawe awukhange uqaphele ukuba mna ndiyasokola kwezo zinto. Ubuza kuyiqaphela njani phofu? Ndazicingela nje – Ndizama ukuthi, bendizithembisa ukuba ungandipha amacetyana athile, ugcwalise ezi zikroba zikhoyo kulwazi lwam.”

Yayi yinyani, uLereko akakhange amqaphele ukuba uyasokola kwezinye izifundo. Wayebonakala engumntu opholileyo, obonakala ezithembile ngesiqu sakhe, kuzo zonke iiklasi.

“Ngokuqinisekileyo ndingavuya ukukhe ndizame,” Impendulo yakhe yayithambile kwaye ingaqinisekanga.

“Ndatsho ndakhululeka.” Ngokwenene wayevakala ekhululekile, watsho waphefumla. “Kwaye, ngaphezu koko, nawe ndikubonile ukuba awuqinisekanga kakhulu ngezifundo zezolimo nemihlaba, ezona ke mna endiyincutshe ngazo, uthini ke? Masidibane.”

Khawusixelele: Ngokucacileyo uXikosi wayemqwalasele kakuhle uLereko ngaphezu kokuba wayecinga yena, kodwa angazenza isibhanxa anyuse amathemba akhe, lo gama uRhandzeka esekho embonisweni?