UThobani ungena nezicabha emzini wakubo eDurban North. Ufica unina ephuza itiye ekhishini.

UMrs Khumalo uzenza umuntu omangele uma ebona ukucasuka okugcwele emhlweni kaThobani. “Kwenzenjani, Thobani? Ikwenzeni leya ntombazane?”

“Kanti ngempela ungumuntu onjani, Ma? Ungumama onjani? Awufuni ukungibona ngijabulile?”

“Ngikufisela injabulo kuphela mina, mfana wami.”

“Injabulo yami ilele kuloya muntu wesifazane ohlala emzini wami! Efundile noma engafundile, kufanele ukufake ekhanda lakho ukuthi ngizomshada uZelwabnde uthanda ungathandi.”

UMrs Khumalo unikina ikhanda. “Wena ufanelwe uNoxolo, hhayi uZelwande.”

“Ngizokutshela kangaki ukuthi angimthandi uNoxolo?”

“Bazothini abangani bethu, nabangani bakho, uma ushada nomuntu ongafundile?”

“Angifani nawe mina, Ma. Anginendaba nokuthi abantu bathini. Lena impilo yami futhi ngizoyiphila ngendlela engifuna ukuyiphila ngayo!”

“Kodwa, Thob–”

“Awukho u ‘kodwa’ kulento engikutshela yona! Enye into: tshela lomthakashana onguSnothile ukuthi aphume ezindabeni zami! Angifuni niphinde nisondele kuZelwande! Uyezwa?”

UThobani akalindi impendulo kunina. Kukhala ithayi eshaya imoto iphuma ngesango.

UMrs Khumalo uyahefuzela etafuleni lasekhishini. Uyaqala ukubona uThobani edinwe futhi edelela kanjena. Kuyacaca ukuthi uzomshada uZelwande noma kanjani.

“Kwenzenjani, Mama?” kubuza uSnothile.

UMrs Khumalo ulokhu ekhuluma yedwa. Akaboni ukuthi uSnothile umile eceleni kwakhe.

USnothile umqhweba ehlombe. “Kwenzenjani, Mama?”

“Angikaze ngidelelwe kanjena selokhu ngazalwa. UThobani ungibize ngawo wonke amagama amambi ongawacabanga. Imshintshile lentombazane. Kufanele siqhamuke necebo likuyilungisa lendaba yalentombazane.”

“UThobani ukhetha isihlupheki kunathi singumndeni wakhe?”

“Yebo, mntanami, kunjalo.”

“Kuzokwenzeka ngifile lokho! Ngeke ngivume bashade mina, Ma.”

“Sengiphelelwe amaqhinga mina manje, mntanami.”

“Mina nginalo icebo, Ma.”

“Ngilalele.”

Izinhliziyo zimnyama kuSnothile noMrs Khumalo. Bayasondelana bahlebe, bakha itulo lokumisa ushado kaThobani noZelwande.

* * * * *

UZelwande uyamangala uma ebona uSnothile eciphaza i-intercom yasesangweni eHilary. Uyamamatheka uSnothile kwi-camera ye-intercom. UZelwande iciphiza inkinombo esodongeni, livuleke isango.

USenzo unyonyoba afike ephaseji, alalele ukuthi bakhuluma ngani.

“Zelwande, ngize ngoxolo. Singakwazi ukuhlala phansi sikhulume?” kusho uSnothile.

“Uzongithuka futhi? Ngenzeni kuwena, Snothile?”

“Ngicela ukuxolisa kuwena ngendlela engiziphathe ngayo, Zelwande. Sikhulumile singumndeni sabonisana. Ngicela ukuxolisa ngendlela engikuphathe ngayo. UMama usaba ngisho ukukubuka emehlweni ngendlela azisola ngayo. Ngiyaxolisa, dadewethu,” kusho uSnothile enyobozela.

“Angikukholwa,” kusho uZelwande.

“Ngicela ungikholwe, dadewethu. Ngicela ukuthole enhliziyweni yakho ukuba usixolele sinoMa,” kuncenga uSnothile.

UZelwande ubuka uSnothile emehlweni. Ubheka izimpawu zamanga kodwa inhliziyo yakhe enhle ayizitholi.

“Sonke singabantu. Sonke siyawenza amaphutha. Ngiyakuxolela, Snothile,” kusho uZelwande, ukumamatheka kunyonyoba ezindebeni zakhe.

***

Sithele umbono wakho: UZelwande unenhliziyo enhle, uyashesha ukuthemba abantu. Ngabe kuyinto elungile ukuba nenhliziyo enhle nokuthemba abantu?