Kuphakathi kwamabili, kuthule cwaka endlini. Izingane zithathwe udadewabo kaSbongile. Endlini kusele uBhekani noSbongile. USbongile uzivalele egumbini lakhe noBhekani, wakhiya. Akaze amkhulumise uBhekani selokhu kuphume ithilagi nezimpahla. Ulokhu ekhalile nje.
UBhekani uhlezi phansi ebumnyameni ekhishini. Imicabango iyamnakashela. Uzizwa engendoda yalutho. Uzizwa engemsebenzi walutho.
Kufika umcabango angakaze acabange ukuthi uyomfikela empilweni yakhe. Ucabanga ukuzibulala manje. Ukufa ukubona kuyisisombululo sazo zonke izinkinga abhekene nazo emhlabeni.
Usukuma abheke umuthi wokubulala amagundane ekhishini. Uwuthola masishane, awugandaye awufake enkomishini athele amanzi. Uyagoqoza, imicabango iyagijima.
Ucabanga ngezingane zakhe ezizokhula zingenababa. Ucabanga ngoSbongile ozoba umfelokazi emncane kangaka. Ucabanga nonina kanye nomndeni wakhe ozolamba emuva kokuzibulala kwakhe. Uyayeka ukugoqoza.
Kodwa uvele akhumbule usizi olumgqibayo njalo uma ehola. Wonke umuntu usuke emfuna imali. Usuke engazi ukuthi anike bani ayeke bani.
“Ngiyakuzonda mali. Uyintshontshile injabulo empilweni yami. Ukuntshontshile ukukhululeka kwami,” kusho uBhekani.
Uphuza ushevu ngokushesha. Emuva kwemizuzu engamashumi amathathu uyopha emlonyeni futhi uyadlikiza. Ukhahlela amakhabethe njengoba edlikiza, okwenza umsindo omkhulu endlini.
USbongile uzwa umsindo oqhamuka ekhishini, avuke ezobheka ukuthi kwenzekani. Uzithela kuBhekani edlikiza phansi ekhishini. Ukhanyisa ugesi uSbongile.
“Bhekani!” uSbongile uguqa eceleni kwakhe. Uyamubambisisa ezama ukunqanda ukudlikiza komzimba wakhe. “Bhekani vuka! Ungayenzi lento Bhekani! Ungangishiyi, ngisakudinga! Izingane zethu zisakudinga!”
Inhliziyo kaSbongile isho ukuma ngoba uBhekani uvele ayeke ukudlikiza. “Cha! Cha! Cha! Ungafi Bhekani!”
USbongile uthinta uBhekani emqaleni, ezama ukuzwa ukuthi umthambo wegazi usanyakaza yini. Uphuma egijima ehayiza uma ezwa ukuthi uBhekani usaphila. Omakhelwane bamuzwa ememeza uSbongile, baphume bazosiza. Baqubula uBhekani, bamfake emotweni. Omunye womakhelwane, uNathi, ushayela imoto kaBhekani baqonde esibhedlela esise-Mariannhill.
Njengoba uNathi eshayela, uSbongile ulokhu enyakazisa uBhekani. “Ngiyakuxolela, sthandwa sami! Ngiyakuxolela ngakho konke okwenzile! Ngicela uvuke silungise umshado wethu! Phila uphilele mina nezingane zethu nomama wakho! Ngiyakucela! Singaba yini kodwa ngaphandle kwakho!”
USbongile ulinda e-reception area ngesikhathi odokotela bexilonga uBhekani. Unina kaBhekani kanye nodadewabo bafika esibhedlela ngokushesha. Amehlo abo abomvu, agcwele ukukhathazeka.
“Usenjani kodwa uBhekani?” kubuza unina.
“Nami ngisalinde ukuzwa udokotela,” kusho uSbongile.
“Kodwa ngomntanami!” kukhala unina kaBhekani ethwala izandla ekhanda.
“Thula, Mama. Konke kuzolunga. UBhekani uzodlula kulesi simo abhekene naso,” kusho uKhethiwe.
Sitshele umbono wakho: Ucabangani ngokuzama ukuzibulala kukaBhekani?