Xa ndijonga ifoto kaSihle ndiyengezelisa iinyembezi. Ndiyishiyile ilali apho ndadlwengulwa khona, kodwa ndikwashiye noyena mntu ndimthandayo. Inxalenye yam ibingafuni ukuhamba ekhaya ndishiye usapho lwam endiluthandayo, kodwa ndifuna ukulibala ngentlungu endehleleyo. Ndibashiyile abo babaluleke kakhulu ebomini bam. Xa ndandixelela uSihle ukuba ndiya eKapa ekholejini yayiyeyona nto inzima endakha ndayenza.
Xa bendihamba ekhaya ndisiya esixekweni kwakunga ndingena kumhlaba ongakukhathalelanga ukufika kwam. Ndandisazi ukuba kwakungazi kuba lula ukutshintsha ubomi bam, kodwa ndandinethemba kwizifundo zam, yaye ngazo ndandiza kudibana nabantu abatsha. Andizange ndikwazi ukuzibamba iinyembezi ngexesha ndindingena ebhasini eya eKapa ndiphakamisa isandla ndibulisa uSihle.
Sele ndinenyanga ndiseKapa ngoku. Ewe, ndifumene umhlobo oyintombazana ekholejini, uSandy, neqela lakhe, kodwa ndisamkhumbula uSihle nabahlobo bam ekhaya. Yaye ndisenamaphupha amabi ngokudlwengulwa. Ndivuka ebuthongweni ndilila ndibetha ndiphakamisa iingalo zam ngokungathi ndizama ukususa umntu kum. Kodwa andikhumbuli nto tu. Akukho nto ndiyikhumbulayo enokuba luncedo: andiboni buso, andiva mazwi. Inga ndingakhumbula nto. Ndingazi ke ngoko ukuba ingaba le nto kanye ndiyoyikayo yiyo ngenene. Ingcingane endizasoloko ndizama ukuyingcwaba kude. Kuba uyabona, ndicinga ukuba umntakwethu ngqo, uSabelo, wayekho ngoba busuku. Kodwa andifuni kugxila kule nto ngexesha lasemini.
Xa ndityhila i-albhamu yam yeefoto ndiyema kwifoto ethile ekhethekileyo. Ngumzuzu endingenakuwulibala lo. Yifoto yam noSihle sonwabile, sihleli phantsi komthi phandle, lishushu ilanga.
U-antie wam endihlala naye eKapa, ungqiyama kum abeke isandla sakhe kum emadolweni.
“Yifoto entle ke le. Kutheni ngathi ukhathazekile?” wandibuza.
“Le foto indikhumbuza izinto ezidlulileyo.”
Wahlala ecaleni kwam esetini. Ndiyabuva ubushushu nenkathalo emzimbeni wakhe. “Khawuthi ndibone.”
Ndimnika i-albhamu.
“Ukulibala abo sibathandayo kudlangokuthatha ixesha elide kodwa kuza kulunga wena,” wazama ukundomeleza, watsho wandanga. “Ndiyazi ukude kakhulu. Kodwa nisathandana neh?”
Ndiza kumchazela njani ukuba andizange ndikwazi ukuvumela uSihle andiphathe emva kodlwengulo? Besingaqhubeka njani xa imeko inje? Kuloko kuye kwafuneka ukuba ndilishiye ikhaya.
“Ewe Antie, sisathandana,” ndiyamxelela. Asiyonto intle ukumazisa ngezinto zam zokuthandana. Kaloku mdala, usondele kumama ngeminyaka, ngoko akanakuyiqonda le nto. Kodwa ndiyaphazama.
“Akukho nto ekumele ukuba ube neentloni ngayo kule nto. Ndiyaqonda,” watsho ngelipholileyo.
Wangena egumbini lakhe xa aphumayo wandinika imali engamashumi amahlanu eerandi. “Khawuleza uye evenkileni uthenge isonka esipheleleyo esimdaka nepakethe yeswekile.”
Ndathatha imali ndabaleka ukuya evenkileni. Ndandilinde etyhwini xa ndava ilizwi eliqhelekileyo emva kwam. NguSandy.
“Hee, awusemhle chommie! Ndichazwa yilokhwe yakho.” Ndicinga ukuba undithambisela elinye lamaqhinga akhe aphambeneyo – usoloko enawo, okoko safika ekholejini. Kwaye ndinyanisile. “NgoLwesihlanu ebusuku siyaphuma singamantombazana kuphela. Kufanele ubekho.”
“Ndiza kubona,” ndathandabuza njalo, ndamshiya apho evenkileni.
“Antie, khawuqashele?” Ndatsho xa ndifika endlwini.
“Andikuthandi ukuqashela mna,”watsho ehleka.
“NgoLwesihlanu siyaphuma singamantombazana. Ndicela ukuhamba neetshomi zam. Ndiyacela torho? ”
“Kulungile kum, kodwa uyazi kuza kufuneka ucele kumalume wakho,” watsho, ondele kum. “Ndiyazi ukhathazekile, Noni, yaye andithandi xa ukhathazekile. Mhlawumbe le nto iza kukonwabisa. Ok – libala ngomalume wakho. Ungahamba, kodwa ungandilindisi ubusuku bonke ungabuyi.”
“Enkosi, Antie.” Ndamanga kakhulu.
Undibale chomie
Ndathumela i-sms ku-Sandy.
Kwiintsuku ezingaphambi koLwesihlanu ndiye ndazama ukungacingi ngoSihle, okanye ngelali yam. Makafike uLwesihlanu, ndandizicingela ndodwa.
“Awusemhle – ingathi uya emtshatweni,” watsho u-Antie ngoLwesihlanu ebusuku xa ndandisendinxibele ukuhamba.
“Ndifuze u-antie wam ke phofu!” Ndatsho ndincume olukablankethi.
Ndandisoloko ndijonga ixesha edongeni. Kusemva kwentsimbi yesithandathu ngoku. Uphi uSandy?
Ekugqibeleni, u-antie uyamvulela kumnyango ongaphambili.
“Yhey! Uyatshisa chommie,” watsho uSandy, esihla enyuka ukundijonga.
“Ndinifuna apha emnyango ngentsimbi yeshumi namhlanje ebusuku. Niyandiva?” Watsho ngelizwi elingqongqo u-antie.
“Ngokucace gca,” ndavuma ngelo. Wanqwala intloko uSandy.
“Yima kancinci Sandy – andikwazi ukushiya ifowuni yam ngasemva.” Qhwaku! Qhwaku! Qhwaku! Qhwaku! Ndabaleka ukuya kuthatha ifowuni yam. Ndabuya ngephanyazo: “Masambe, chommie . Ndiyifumene.”
Sahamba sonwabile. Kuvakala kamnandi xa ndikhe ndilibale ngeengxaki zam ubusuku obunye nje.
Phambi kokuba sifike etavern siva umculo usitsho. Kula ndlu yama-Italian sele kujuxuzwa kakade.
“Tjo! Akusegcwele maan apha. Akusegcwele apha,”ndatsho xa singenayo.
“Uyashiyeka chommie, ziyawa apha. Uyashiyeka chommie, ziyawa apha
“Chommie yizani ngapha!” siva iichommie zethu zisibiza.
“Molweni mantombazana.” Xa ndandibulisa wonke umntu ndeva ngathi wonke umntu ujonge mna, kuquka netyendyana elime phaya ebharini.
“Wow! Uyatshisa Nonyaniso,” watsho uNosie no-Zia, bendijikelezisa befuna ukundibona. Ndinxibe ilokhwe eblue ende, izihlangu ze-wedge ezimnyama ezichophileyo ndifake iinwele eziyi-boy’s cut.”
“Banyanisile. Umhle kakhulu,” latsho eli tyendyana lisebharini, lisiza kum. Andizange ndimhoye ekuqaleni ndajonga kwiichommie zam.
“Enkosi mantombazana,” ndabaxelela.
Ubomi buyaqhubeka, ndazixelela emva kokusela iglasi yokuqala. Ndifuna ukulibala ngobunye ubomi bam basezilalini yaye ukusela kubonakala kuyindlela ekhawulezayo ukuya apho.
Emva kweglasi yesibini ndaqalisa ukujayiva. Eli tyendyana belindincoma nalo yinzwana, kodwa ngendlela eyahlukileyo kuleyo kaSihle. Uyabengezela – unxibe impahla kanokutsho, iwotshi ephucuke njani. Unomtsalane yaye ndiyanxila ngoku. Ndiva umculo ndivale amehlo am. Ujuxuzela kufuphi nam.
“Ndingakuxelela enye into? Hayi apha, kwenye indawo ezolileyo?” wandisebezela ngelo.
“Kulungile.”
Wandikhokela ukuphumela phandle. Ubusuku babushushu. Abantu babeselela ngaphandle esitratweni.
“Okoko uthe wangena oko ndikujongile. Uwudlwengule umphefumlo wam ntombazana.”
“Hayibo, bhutiza. Asazani nokwazana ke. Ungayithetha njani into enjalo?” Wandipha ukuba ndisele kwiglasi yakhe. Ibhotile ye-Red Label whiskey, isesebhokisini yayo, uyivalele phakathi kwengalo neembambo zakhe.
“Hayi enkosi,” ndatsho ndityhaIela iglasi yakhe kuye.
Kodwa uSandile unento ethile ngaye ngenxa yoko ndazibona sele ndimnika iinombolo zam zomnxeba ngaphambi kokuba uSandy nam sihambe sigoduke.
“Une swagger la mfana ubume naye, ,” wahleka watsho uSandy xa sasisihla ngesitrato kunye.
“Ubonakala emncinane kodwa,” watsho uNosie, naye ehleka. “Usese-high school, ndiyafunga…”
“Mna, ndiyabathanda abafana abancinane,” wahleka kwakhona uSandy. “Uyakwazi ukubaxelela uba benze ntoni. Uyabona,? Ndiyayithanda lo nto. Kungcono ke kuwe Nonyaniso. Awunamntu kwaye uyatshisa.”
Andikabachazeli ngoSihle. Andikabachazeli ukuba ndimthanda kangakanani. Andikabachazeli indlela ekuye kwanyanzeleka ngayo ukuba ndihambe ezilalini. Bendingahlala ndiphile njani phaya, yonke imihla, nabantu abaziyo ukuba ndadlwengulwa? Ndandineentloni. Ngokungathi oko kwenzekayo yayilityala lam. La mantombazana akazi kwanto ngobunye ubomi bam basezilalini.
USandy wahamba nam de saya kufika esangweni kwikhaya lam elitsha.
Ngomzuzwana nje kwatshintsha yonke into – ukusuka kwintsini nokugigitheka nabahlobo bam ukuya kwintlungu endingakwazi ukumelana nayo. Xa ndivula ucango, yagaleleka kum. Bendingayilindelanga ke le nto.
Ndiva ilizwi likaSihle ekude kanye ngalo mzuzu, licace njengesibhakabhaka ebusuku. “Nonyaniso, siya kwahlulwa kukufa ndiyakuthembisa. Adisoze ndikukhathaze.”
“Yintoni ingxaki Noni? Ulilela ntoni?” Wabuza ekhathazekile u-Antie.
“Bendicinga ukuba ukuzonwabisa epatini kuya kundinceda ndimlibale. Kodwa kundenze ndamkhumbula kakhulu.”
I-sms evela kuSihle ifike kanye emva kwentsimbi yeshumi elinambini ezinzulwini. Ndinombono wakhe elele ebhedini yakhe endibhalela.
Uziphathe kakuhle yaye wazi
Andisoze ndilahle ithemba kuthi.
Ndicinga ngomama esebenza kwisitiya sakhe semifuno. Ndicinga ngabahlobo bam ekhaya ezilalini – indlela ebesidla ngokuhlala ngayo sincokole ngamakhwenkwe emlanjeni.
Ndikhumbula usuku lodlwengulo. Ndandiye edolophini noSihle, apho wandithengela impahla entsha – isiketi esifutshane esinemigca , itop emnyama ka-Sissy Boy neembadada ze-Reebok.
Ngalo njikalanga ekhaya ndapheka kwangethuba ndaqoqosha izitya ngeendawo zazo. Ngokuhlwa ndandiye kuloNosiviwe ukuya kujonga ipati awayenayo. Emva koko ndaya kuloSihle ndiye kulindela nje ukuba kude kube sebusuku. Eyona nto endandithetha ngayo noSihle yayipati kaNosiviwe. USihle wayezama ukufunda elungiselela ikhosi yexesha lasehlotyeni awayeyenza. Esidaleni wajonga kum wathi, ehleka, “Phindela epatini.”
“Andiyi ungekho wena.”
“Hamba, uye kuzonwabisa.”
Watsho njalo. Akwaba ndandihlale naye ndikhuseleke ezingalweni zakhe ndibe andizange ndileqeke ndonyuke induli ndisiya epatini kaNosoviwe. Akwaba…
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Khawusichazele ukuba ucinga ntoni: Ingaba uNosi ufanele ukuba azibeke ityala?