Sekuhlwile, uSqiniseko ubuya emsebenzini. Udakwe unya amaphepha. Namhlanje uvele akangangqongqoza nakungqongqoza. Gulukudu! Ephonseka.
“Sengikhona, owenyanyayo akaphalaze!”
Azithulele nje uNobuhle. Namhlanje uzimisele ngokuthi balale ngokuthula. Neminjunju yezibhakela zangayizolo isebuhlungu. UNobuhle usapheke lona i-rice namazambane ngoba yikho kuphela ukudla okukhona lapha endlini.
“Uphekeni mama kaSthembiso?” ubuza njalo akamile uSqiniseko, uyadiyazela ubheke emabhodweni. “Nx! Upheke amazambane futhi? Mina uzongishisela nali iqatha lenyama engibuye nalo. Nakhu nokudla kwengane, angifuni iSthembiso sami sidle le nsambatheka yalapha endlini. La mazambane azodliwa nguwe.”
UNobuhle uthatha u-plastic ofike noSqiniseko, akhiphe inyama. Kuba ukuyiphonsa epanini kuthaphuke iphunga elihalisayo. Kudala bayigcina inyama lapha endlini. Ilunge inyama, ayiphake ayibeke etafuleni phambi kukaSqiniseko. Ulungisela noSthembiso i-Purity maqede aye ekamelweni ayomfunza. Uqeda ukufunza umntwana abuyele ekhishini, ageze izitsha. Uthule njalo uSqiniseko, ubuka uNobuhle.
Kuthi kungazelele muntu uSqiniseko asukume ngolukhulu udlame, aqonde kuNobuhle. “Nobuhle, ukufakeni ukudla ongiphakele khona?”
“Hawu!” kukhuza uNobuhle emangele. “Sqiniseko, angifakanga lutho.” Usho ngezwi elivevezelayo, izandla usezibeke ebusweni, ulindele ukuvika impama noma isibhakela.
“Uma ngabe ungakufakanga lutho, yini ebangela ukuthi ungakudli wena? Ngabe ulele phezu kwamuphi umqondo, Nobuhle?”
USqiniseko usesondele kuNobuhle, umbuka ngqo ezinhlamvini zamehlo.
“Kodwa Nkosi yami! Ucabanga ukuthi sengingakufakela umuthi, Sqiniseko? Ngeke min-…”
Akabange esaligwinya umntanomuntu, kwasuka lokho. Imdubula ngenkulu inqindi insizwa lena, avuke phansi. Kube sengathi nengqondo iyalahleka kuNobuhle. Uvuka ephaphatheka, athathe ibhodwe ngokushesha efuna ukuphaka ukudla. USqiniseko uhosha umshiza ngemuva kwesitofu. UNobuhle ubona umshiza esandleni sikaSqiniseko, aphume nezivalo ebaleka.
USqiniseko umlandelisa ngawo umshiza, amnembe intamo, avale isicabha. UNobuhle udiyazela abaleke, awuzwe umshudo wesicabha uvaleka. Uyazihudula eqonde e-toilet elingaphandle elalisetshenziswa ungakakhiwa lo muzi omkhulu omusha abahlala kuwo. Kuba ukungena nje e-toilet, athi gilikidi phansi. Kuthi nya.
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Sitshele: Ngabe ubudlelwano bukaNobuhle noSqiniseko busengalungiseka uma sekufike kulesi simo?