“Baba kunomoya engiwuzwayo lapha ngaphandle,” kusho umaNdlela ebheka phansi, eshalaza sengathi inkosi iyambona ukuthi uzokhuluma amampunge.

“Khuluma nkosikazi. Uzweni?”

“Ngizwa kuthiwa uThobile akaseyona intombi nto.”

“Uyithathaphi leyondaba? Uhambe ukholwa wonke amanga lawa. Phela abantu bayamzonda uThobile ngoba esezoshada,” kuphendula inkosi.

“Baba ingabe uhamba naye yonke indawo uThobile njengoba umphikela?”

“Cha, nkosikazi.”

“Mina ngicela ulifakele izibuko loludaba. Mina uThembelihle wami uyintombi nto. Phela mina ngiyasifaka isiyalo, angidlali. Kahle kahle empeleni baba uThembelihle nguyena okumele ashade noBhekani ngoba nguyena omdala.”

“MaNdlela, angifuni ukulokhu ngikhuluma into eyodwa. Ngizokhuluma nondlunkulu ukuba abize wonke amakhosikazi ukuze kuhlolwe izintombi.”

Nebala, agcwala indlu amakhosikazi enkosi, kuzohlolwa wonke amadodakazi enkosi. Kwashintsha ukudla epuletini, nakhu sekutholakala ukuthi uThembelihle akasiyona intombi nto. Konke lokhu kumdalela amazinyo abushelelezi enkosini uMaNdlela. Inkosi iyamusola ngokuthi ungumphehli wamanga ngoba kutholakala ukuthi uThobile usagcwele. Yaphinda yamusola ngokuthi nguyena owathuma uThembelihle ukuthi ayoganga.

UMaNdlela uyazisola ukuthi ubekade ethi wenzani. Ucasuke ubhodla umlilo ngesenzo sikaThembelihle. Hhawu yaze yamhlaza ingane! “Waze wangiphoxa Thembelihle! Kodwa umthetho wakho ungenwe yini?”

“Ngiyaxolisa mama kodwa nawe ubuqambelani amanga ukuthi uThobile akayona intombi? Buka sekuvele mina manje,” kuchiphiza uThembelihle.

“Thembelihle, ngubani lomfana okwenze nje?”

“Mama, ngiyesaba ukukutshela. Ngicela ungangicasukeli ngiyakucela,” kuzincengela uThembelihle.

“Khuluma!” kuphendula unina ngolaka.

“Mama ngomunye wezigijimi zikababa.”

“Waze wazishibhisa! Usungaqoma isigijimi pho? Ekhona amakhosana amakhosi la ngaphandle!”

“Mama, akupheli lapho. Mama, ngikhulewe,” kusho uThembelihle kuqathaka izinyembezi.

“Uzongibulala uyihlo! Hawu ngaphela induku! Ngempela ungenwe yini Thembelihle?”

“Mama, ngiyaxolisa. Bengingaqondile ukukuphatha kabi.”

“Angeke ukwazi ukuyigcina leyongane!”

“Ini?”

“Kukhona lapho engizokuyisa khona. Gqoka sihambe.”

Uyalunga uThembelihle, bangene indlela. Yize noma yena engafuni ukuyibulala ingane kodwa ucabangela unina ukuthi uyoba yini enkosini.

Nendlela abayihambayo yinde. Baze bahlale ngaphansi kwesihlahla, baphumule. Bancenga kancane bagcine befikile lapho belibangise khona. Kulomuzi kunolawondi bodwa futhi kuyaphithizela.

Bafika bahlale ebhentshini eduze kwabanye abantu abalindile njengabo. Eceleni kwabo kuhlezi intombazanyana oyibonayo ukuthi isencane. Yize isisu sayo sisincane kodwa sekuyabonakala ukuthi izithwele. Eceleni kwayo kuhlezi umuntu wesilisa okubonakala sengathi nguye uyise wengane. Lentombazanyana ilokhu ikhale njalo okukhombisayo ukuthi ayifuni ukuzokhipha isisu. Hhawu kanti abafana banjani?

Aphume umuntu obekade engenile. Ingene lentombazane kanye nalona wesilisa ehamba naye.

***

Sitshele Umbono Wakho: Ngabe uyazwelana noThembelihle kulesimo azithola ekusona?