Omakhelwane baphuthumisa uNtombi esibhedlela. Omunye womakhelwane uthatha uNkululeko kanye noSthembiso. Izwi eliqhamuka esibhedlela lithi kungozi makhaza kuNtombi. Usehlinzwe kabili uNtombi kodwa odokotela abakabi naso isiqiniseko sokuthi uzosinda noma cha.

USqiniseko ucima amalambu emoto njengoba ebaleka ebumnyameni nje. Isisindo saleli cala alenzile usizwa ngoba ezwa igazi likaNtombi ezandleni zakhe futhi ezwa nokunuka kwalo njengoba eshayela nje. Uphelelwa umoya, ahefuzele. Akazazi nokuthi ukuphi njengoba eshayela ngobumnyama nje. Umisa imoto, aphume abaleke ngezinyawo. Uhambela kude nomgwaqo omkhulu. Uhamba endaweni angayazi futhi kumnyama. Uyakhubeka, awele emseleni, aquleke.

Lo msele aqulekele kuwo uSqiniseko ungemuva kwesonto lapho sekuhlala khona uNobuhle. Ngaphakathi esontweni uNkk Nkwanyana ukhuluma noPastor Luthuli ngodaba lwendodakazi yakhe, uNobuhle.

“Uyingane eqotho uNobuhle, Pastor Luthuli. Futhi sengibonile ukuthi uyazisola ngephutha lakhe,” kusho uNkk Nkwanyana.

UNobuhle uguqe ngamadolo phambi kukayise. Sekuphele iminyaka emine bagcina ukubonana. “Baba, ngicela ungixolele. Ngiyazi ukuthi ngikonile, ngakuhlambalaza. Wazikhandla wanikela konke ukuze mina nabafowethu sifunde. Wadayisa nenkomo yakho yokugcina ukuze ungenzele umemulo. Ngiyazi ukuthi kwakufanele ngikwazise ukuthi kwakungafanele ungenzele umemulo ngoba ngase ngikhulelwe. Ngiyaxolisa, ngicela ukuthole enhliziyweni yakho ukungixolela. Ngiyacela ngoba ekugcineni unguba-…”

“Yibambe lapho-ke, Nobuhle!” kusho uyise kaNobuhle, uPastor Luthuli, ehlehla. “Angithi wena wakhetha ukuzenzela umathanda ngibe ngikufundisile izindlela eziqotho. Ngizokutshela izinto ezimbili kuphela, Nobuhle. Okokuqala nje ukuthi phindela endodeni yakho khona nizokwenza isu lokungibuyisela zonke izinkomo zami engakukhulisa ngazo. Okwesibili, ngifuna wazi ukuthi ayikho indawo yakho emzini wami. Ilungelo lokuba yingane yakwaLuthuli walilaxaza phansi ngesikhathi ubaleka nendoda yakho. Buyela kuyo leyo ndoda yakho. Nguwe owayikhetha le mpilo, manje yiphile!” usho ezesula umjuluko ngeduku uyise kaNobuhle.

UNobuhle ubheke phansi, uphoxekile. Izinyembezi zakhe ziqathakela lapho eguqe khona.

“Hawu, Pastor Luthuli! UNobuhle angabuyela kanjani endodeni yakhe? Buka nje ukuthi yamenza waba njani!” uNkk Nkwanyana etshekisa ubuso bukaNobuhle ukuze ubaba wakhe abone izibazi. “Pastor, ngisho nendodana yolahleko yazilahla yaxolisa yaxolelwa. Inhliziyo yekholwa ide ixola, Pastor. Lokhu engikukhulumayo kubhaliwe kuyona le ncwadi esiphila ngayo,” ukhomba iBhayibheli elisesandleni sikaPator Luthuli.

Kwabe uyihlokolozile inyoka emgodini. UPastor Luthuli usondela kuNkk Nkwanyana efuthelana, “Akungathi uma kunguwe ogqoka ibhulukwe emzini wakho ucabange ukuthi uzolawulela mina ukuthi ngenzeni ngengane yami, Nkk Nkwanyana. Ngeke ngizwe ngawe mina!” Aphendukele kuNobuhle, “Wena, Nobuhle, phindela endodeni yakho ngoba ngizifuna zonke izinkomo zami. Uma uhluleka ukwenza lokho uze wazi ukuthi ngeke uwubeke umcondo wakho emagcekeni akwaLuthuli. Akukho okunye engizokukhuluma nani. Ngiqedile lapho!” usho ethatha ibhantshi lakhe ehamba.

UNobuhle ulala edangele futhi ephoxekile. Uvuka ekuseni aqale umsebenzi wakhe wokuhlanza isonto.

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Sitshele: Ngabe uyise kaNobuhle unelungelo lokungaxoli, ikakhulukazi njengoba engumfundisi nje? Noma uNkk Nkwanyana uqinisile uma ethi ikholwa kumele lixole?