UMarcus wavulela uGertrude umnyango. Wayebukeka ekhathazekile.
“Ingabe kukhona okwenzekile kuMama?” kubuza uGertrude ngokushesha. “Awuchazanga lutho ocingweni, Marcus. Ukuphi uMama?” UGertrude wayelokhu eqalaza njengoba ekhuluma nje.
“Kulungile, sisi.” kusho uMarcus. “UMama usacambalele kancane. Sizokhuluma kuqala ngaphambi kokuthi simbize.”
“Uqinisekile ukuthi awuguli noma kukhona okungahambi kahle?” Kubuza uGertrude ehlala phansi etafuleni. Wahlala eceleni kwakhe. Wabheka udadewabo okwesikhashana nje ngaphambi kokuthi akhulume.
“Kwenzenjani, Marcus? Uyangethusa.”
Wabe eseqala ukukhuluma. Akazange ame kwaze kwaba yilapho esetshele udadewabo konke. UGertrude walalela ngokucophelela igama ngalinye ayelikhuluma. Akazange amphazamise nakanye.
“Mtshele ukuthi akulona iqiniso lokho,” kusho uMama ngemva kwabo. “Angimukholwa nakancane.” Akekho phakathi kwabo owayebonile ukuthi uMama wayesevukile. Wayezwe konke uMarcus ayekushilo. Wayeyigqolozele ngentukuthelo indodana yakhe.
UGertrude wanikina kancane ikhanda. Wayazi ukuthi konke lokho uMarcus ayekushilo kwakuyiqiniso. Wayazi ukuthi umfowabo wayengeke azame ukumlimaza. Wayazi ukuthi lokho kwakudinga isibindi ukuze uMarcus akwazi ukukhuluma ngakho. Wayebona ukuthi uphatheke kabi kakhulu.
Indoda ayehlele ukuyishada yayiyisela nomqambimanga. UGertrude wahlala ethule isikhathi eside. Kancane, nangezwi eliphansi, wase eqala ukukhuluma.
“Mama,” esho embambatha isandla sikanina. “Kumele ngikutshele ukuthi uMarcus akaqambi manga. Kufanele ngabe bengazi ukuthi kukhona okungahambi kahle. Kodwa uma usothandweni, njengami, uvamise ukuzishaya indiva izinto ezithize ezincane. Inhliziyo yakho iyenqaba ukwamukela izinto ezithize nakuba ingqondo yakho ikutshela okuthize okwehlukile.”
Bobabili uMarcus noMama wakhe babheka uGertrude kodwa akekho owathi vu. “Kumele ukuba bengazi ukuthi kukhona okushaya amanzi. UJonathan uhlale njalo enemali eningi. Angikaze ngithole ukuthi usebenza kuphi. Uthi usebenza ezweni lonke; uyisisebenzeli samabhange ahlukahlukene okuzalisa imali. Ngosuku okwaphangwa ngalo edolobheni, wanyamalala amahora ambalwa. Akazange angitshele ukuthi wayekuphi. Lapho ngimbuza ngalokho wangitshela ukuthi ngibheke izindaba zami.”
UMama wafaka ikhanda lakhe ezandleni zakhe wakhala kabuhlungu. Kwaba yisikhathi eside n lowo kuwukuphela komsindo owawulokhu uzwakala endlini.
UMarcus wasukuma wenza itiye. Wayephatheke kabi ngokwenza usisi wakhe avume zonke lezo zinto. Wayecabanga ukuthi unina wayengasoze amxolele. UGertrude naye wayengase angamxoleli. Ekuzameni ukwenza into efanele wenze kwaba khona ukudumala nosizi kulo mndeni.
“Ngitshele into eyodwa, ngane,” kusho unina. “Ngabe kade wazi ngalokhu kuphanga?”