UMarcus akazange alale ngalobo busuku. Imicabango yayilokhu izulazula ekhanda lakhe. Ngizokwenzenjani? elokhu ezibuza. Noma wayesezama kangakanani, wayengakucabangi ukutshela amaphoyisa ngodadewabo. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, uMarcus wayemkhonzile udadewabo. Wayenomusa, enothando futhi enesihe. Wayengeke amfise omunye udadewabo ongcono kunaye.
“Kwenzenjani, Marcus?” UMama wambuza ngakusasa ekuseni. Wayelokhu ezulazula endlini. UMarcus wabheka unina wezwa izinyembezi zigcwala emakhoneni amehlo wakhe. Wayengase akwazi yini ukubhidliza injabulo encane unina ayenayo ekuphileni kwakhe? Kodwa wayazi ukuthi kumele athathe isinqumo. Kwakuzoba isinqumo esinzima kakhulu okwakumele asithathe empilweni yakhe.
“Ngicela ungitshele,” kuncenga unina. “Ukutshela omunye ngenkinga kusho ukuthi isiyasonjululwa.”
Kancane kancane, uMarcus wahlala phansi. Wacela uMama wakhe ukuthi ahlale phansi eceleni kwakhe. Ngaphambi kokuthi ashintshe umqondo wakhe wamtshela konke.
“NguJonathan engangimbone ebhange ngalolo suku. Bengizama ukuzitshela ukuthi akuyena, Mama.”
UMama wambheka sengathi wayebone isipoki.
Waqhubeka wathi, “Ngiyaxolisa ngokukutshela lokhu Mama, kodwa ngicabanga ukuthi uGertrude nguye owesifazane owayeshayela imoto yokubaleka.”
“Ungayisho kanjani kodwa into efana nale!?” UMama wagxuma ngokushesha kangangokuthi isitulo sawa phansi. “Angikukholwa. Unenhliziyo embi futhi unonya. Ngicabanga ukuthi unomona ngempumelelo kadadewenu.”
“Ngiyaxolisa, Mama. Kodwa uyazi ukuthi akulona iqiniso lelo. Ngimthanda ngenhliziyo yami yonke uGertrude.”
“Pho ungayisho kanjani into enonya futhi engamanga kanjena ngodadewenu imbala? UJonathan uyindoda elungile. Wena uqamba aluhlaza amanga!” UMama wabe esegijimela ekhishini, ehayiza.
UMarcus wabeka ikhanda lakhe etafuleni. Waphefumulela phezulu, ngokujulile. Wayengazi ukuthi enzeni. Uma engaya emaphoyiseni lokho kwakuzohlukanisa umndeni wakhe. UMama no-Gertrude babengeke bamxolele.
Wazumeka khona lapho etafuleni, ngoba wavuka sekusemini lapho evuswa isililo. Wasukuma wabheka unina. Wayelele ngohlangothi egoqe izinyawo zakhe, ekhala.
UMarcus wanyonyoba wangena ekamelweni lakhe wathatha umakhalekhukhwini wakhe owawuseceleni kombhede wakhe. Wayazi ukuthi manje yini okumele ayenze. Wayengeke ashayele amaphoyisa ucingo. Kunalokho wayezoshayela udadewabo ucingo amcele eze endlini. Wayezozwa lokho uGertrude ayezokusho kuqala. Okungenani yilokho ayengakwenzela udadewabo.
Ngemva kwamahora amabili uMarcus wezwa umsindo wemoto ima ngaphandle. Waqalaza efasiteleni waphefumulela phezulu ngenxa yokukhululeka ngenkathi ebona ukuthi uGertrude wayehamba yedwa. Wayemtshele ukuthi uMama wayemdinga ngokushesha kakhulu. Ngenxa yokuthi wayeyindodakazi ethandekayo, washiya konke phansi wagijimela ekhaya.
UMarcus wayengaphezi ukuzibuza ukuthi: ingabe udadewabo onjena wayengakwazi ngempela ukuphanga amabhange?