UZelwande uziphonsa embhedeni, azimboze ngengubo, adinde isililo. UThobani udidekile, uthule du, ubindwe yisidwa. Kujulile ukuphoxeka akuzwayo emuva kokudelela kukaSnothile nonina. Nokunye okumcikayo ukuthi bafuna ukumkhethela umuntu azothandana naye. Bafuna ashade noNoxolo kodwa engamthandi!
“Baqinisile, Thobani, angikufanele. Wena udinga umuntu ofundile oqhamuka emndenini onemali. Hhayi umuntu ohluphekayo njengami,” kusho uZelwande ngaphansi kwengubo.
UThobani ususa ingubo abambane noZelwande. “Ungakhulumi kanjalo. Ngicela wehlise umoya. Konke kuzolunga. Ngizokhuluma noMa noSnothile ngayo yonke lento.”
“Thobani, angeke sikwazi ukushada. Umndeni wakho uyanginyanya! Bafuna ushade uNoxolo! Futhi yini ungakaze ungitshele ngoNoxolo?”
“UNoxolo ungumngani kuphela, akukho okunye. Angikaze ngizizwe nginemizwa yothando ngaye. Sthandwa sami, mina nawe sazithembisa ukuthi asisoze savumela kube khona into ezongena phakathi kwethu.”
“Kuhlukile lokhu, Thobani. Umndeni wakho lona esikhuluma ngawo manje!”
“Akusho lutho lokho. Sizoyinqoba lento.”
“Angeke sikwazi ukushada ngaphansi kwesimo esinjena.”
Thobani ucweba izinyembezi. “Ungakhulumi kanjalo, sthandwa sami.”
“Singashada kanjani singasitholanga isibusiso sikamama wakho?”
“Ngizokhuluma noMa.”
“Inzima lento, Thobani. Angiboni ukuthi ngizokwazi ukuyimela.”
Babukana ezinhlamvini zamehlo, basulane izinyembezi.
“Ngicela ungayivumeli yonke lento ikudikibalise, sthandwa sami. Mina nawe sizoshada sibe nezingane eziningi ezinhle njengomama wazo.”
Uyamamatheka uZelwande noma ezwa ukuthi amazwi kaMrs Khumalo iyihlukumezile inhliziyo yakhe.
Isimo sishubile ngesikhathi kudliwa isidlo sasekuseni ngakusasa. UThobani uhamba ezihudula eqonde emsebenzini. Isamuphethe kabi uZelwande indlela uMrs Khumalo amuphoxe ngayo izolo. USenzo naye akakuthintile ukudla okuphambi kwakhe.
Kuvuleka isicabha sasekhishini siganklaze udonga. Kungena uMrs Khumalo noSnothile!
“Ya wena ntombazane.” UMrs Khumalo umbuka ngqo emehlweni uZelwande.
“Akungeni kulolugqinsi lwekhanda lakho elimbi ukuthi asifuni ushade noThobani?” kusho uSnothile.
“Senzo noAphile – hambani niye emagumbini enu njengamanje!” kusho uZelwande. Basuka ngokushesha. USenzo uyabuya enyonyoba, ame ephaseji, alalele ukuthi baxoxa ngani oZelwande.
UMrs Khumalo unqekuzisa ikhanda. Inzondo anayo isibuphendule babumbi ubuso bakhe obuhle. “Manje lezintandane zamakati sezinamagumbi emzini wendodana yami?”
“Ngiyamthanda uThobani, Ma,” kuzincengela uZelwande.
“Lalela la. Sizokunika u R100 000 uma uhamba manje unyamalale ungaphinde uthintane noThobani,” kusho uSnothile.
“Ngabe nganenzani ukuze ningizonde kangaka?” kukhala uZelwande.
“Uwena ozozikhethela. Thatha imali noma kukhona okubi okuzokwenzakalela.”
“Ngithanda uThobani, hhayi imali yakhe. Ngingamthanda noma engenalutho. Ngicela ningizwe.”
“Asiqophisani la. Thatha imali uphume uphele empilweni kaThobani. Angeke sivume ukuthi uThobani ashade nawe! Ngisebenze kanzima kabi empilweni yami ukuthi indodana yami okuyiyona yodwa ishade intombazane yasemjondolo engafundile!”
“Angeke ngihlukane noThobani. Ngiyamthanda.”
“Uyazi uzifaka enkingeni ngokuphikisana nathi,” kusho uMrs Khumalo, eganklaza isicabha.
USenzo unyonyoba aphindele egumbini lakhe. Uhlala isikhathi eside embhedeni, agcine ngokubona ukuthi uzoyibeka imali akade eyintshontsha kancane kancane kuThobani, nokuthi usezontshontsha namawashi kaThobani manje. Ngaleyo ndlela bazoba nemali uma izinto zingahambi ngendlela uZelwande afisa ngayo.
UThobani uduniwe uyavevezela ngesikhathi uZelwande emtshela ukuthi unina noSnothile bamuthembise imali uma ehlukana naye, nokuthi bamsabisile.
“Zelwande ngicela ungithembe uma ngithi ngizoyilungisa lento. Wena qala manje ukwenza amalungiselelo omshado,” kusho uThobani.
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Sitshele umbono wakho: Ngabe uThobani uzokwazi ukuguqula imiqondo kanina noSnothile?