UVusi uqeda ukubhala aphume egijima esikoleni, amabombo ewabhekise emtholampilo. Nasendleleni uhambisa okohlanya, edlwathuzela. Umngani wakhe, uPatrick, umshayela ikhwela agcine encamile ngoba uVusi uhamba ebheke phambili, engaqalazi. UPatrick ugijima amlandele umngani wakhe. Afike amthinte ehlombe uVusi. Uphenduka ngenqindi uVusi, alahle phansi uPatrick. Ubamba umlomo emangazwa isenzo sakhe.
“Eish! Phephisa, Patrick, mfowethu. Ikhanda lami liyazula,” kusho uVusi emangele, esukumisa umngani wakhe oselele bhu, obhuqwini.
“No its fine bra yami,” kusho uPatrick ezithuntutha. “Ngiyayazi inkinga yakho. Empeleni iphutha elami ngoba ngikwethusile. Sinjani isalukazi? Unjani uGogo?”
“Hheyi, kuyabheda mfowethu. UGogo ugula kakhulu, ngijahe e-clinic ngoba simhambise khona ekuseni sekunzima. Yisisho nje nokuthi ngibhalile ngoba angisabazi ubuthongo. Angiyikhulumi-ke eyokutadisha. Ayikho nje into engiyibhalile.”
“Lalela, Vusi, mfowethu. Wonke umuntu uyazi ukuthi ukhaliphile. Uzophasa noma kanjani, don’t worry.” UPatrick ummbambatha ehlombe, emduduza.
“Ukhuluma ngoba ungazi, Patrick. Inzima impilo yami.”
“Ukudla ninakho, Vusi?”
“Kuyabheda mfowethu, kunswempu. Sesiphila ngephalishi. Kwampuphu yakhona iphelile. Into efike ingiqede nya ukuthi akekho umuntu ozwelana nathi. Obaba abanye bazihlalele nabantu babo, abazi nakwazi. Angiyikhulumi ekamama wami. Sewakhohlwa ngami, uzitika ngobumnandi basemshadweni,” kusho uVusi echiphiza izinyembezi.
“Thula, bra yami. Kwamina ungizwisa ubuhlungu ngale ndaba. Uma ngempela engashona uGogo wakho nizoba yini?”
“Sizoba yimitshingo ibethwa ngubani,” uVusi usula izinyembezi.“Umbuzo wami nje ukuthi kanti mina ngingowakwabani?”
“Ungazihluphi ngalokho…”
“No! No! No! Patrick, ngikhathele abantu abalokhu bethi ngingazihluphi ekubeni ngivele ngihluphekile. Kumele ngimthole ubaba noma kanjani!”
“OK, ngiyakuzwa, Vusi. Vele bakufihlelelani? Eish! Bayahlupha abantu abadala nezimfihlo zabo.”
Ngasemtholampilo, babona esinye sezidakwa zangakubo, uSomdali, ephuma e-tarven. Uqonde ngqo kubo. USomdali uphakamisa isandla aphethe ngaso ubhiya, ebabingelela. Esinye isandla sisephaketheni. Bavume oVusi noPatrick, baqhubeke nendlela.
“Hhayi bo! Ngize kinina bafana! Nangiziba nje! Yimani, boswayini!” kumemeza uSomdali.
USomdali udiyazela eza kubo, emoyizela kancane.“Niyazi nginibuke nganifanisa. Nguwe lona Vusumuzi? Uphi unyoko?”
“Umama uhlala kwaHlabisa,” uVusi uphendula ngokushesha, ekhombisa ukuthi uyaphuthuma.
“Heee,” amamatheke uSomdali, “Sasithandana nonyoko. Kwakungesilo uthando loluyana! Kwakungamalangabi uqobo lwawo! Abantu babesivusa kuzo zonke izikhotha lezi. Ngangimbambel-…”
Akaliphimisanga elokugcina uSomdali, wahlala izithonto uVusi. “Awungiphindele, baba uthini? Uthi kwakunjani?” kubuza uVusi engasahleki.
Wabalamula uPatrick. Wamdonsa umngani wakhe wathi, “Khohlwa ilesi sidakwa, Vusi. Uyahhema lo, nawe uyamazi.”
Wabalandelisa ngamagama uSomdali. “Noma ungathini unyoko kwakuyizinto zami!”
***
Sitshele umbono wakho: Kungenzeka uSomdali abe ubaba kaVusi?