UModi uzulelwa yikhanda ngenjabulo ngesikhathi uKhotso emisa imoto yakhe ngaphandle komuzi kamfowabo kaModi, uJonase, ebusuku. Emuva kokusuka emzini ka-Andrew noYonayona, bamile isikhashana endaweni ethulile ngasemfuleni.
Vele kwenzekile ukuthi baqabulane, futhi bathintathintane, okwenze kwaqinisekiseka ukuthi ngempela bayazwana ngokomoya. UModi uzwa isikhumba sikitazeka, simila uhlevane, kwakhona manje, sengathi uKhotso usamthinta. Engqondweni yakhe, kubuya sona isikhathi sabo uma bendawonye.
“Ngizongena isikhashana esincane ngibingelele umndeni wakho,” kusho uKhotso, evula isicabha. “Kodwa ngeke ngihlale isikhathi eside. Uyakhumbula ukuthi ngizohamba ngebhanoyi kusasa ngiye eBloemfontein, ngihlanganise indaba yokuvula i-Excellence Conference Centre khona? Kukhona okuningana okufanele ngikudingide nabazali bami.”
“Yay! Malume uKhotso,” kumemeza uPhenyo, egijima esondela kubona, ehleka njengoba uKhotso emqubula emjikisa emoyeni.
“Bengifisa ukuthi ngikubone futhi mngani wami,” kusho uKhotso, ebeka phansi uPhenyo. “Well, hello?”
Lawa magama okugcina abhekiswe komunye umuntu ongena ebalandela lapha endlini. UJonase uhleli phansi ngaphambi kwamabonakude, uphuza ubhiya. Lo muntu ongenayo nguOmphile. Ukujabula kunyamalala ngokushesha kuModi.
U-Omphile, umamatheka ebuka uKhotso – futhi ugqoke izicathulo zikaModi azithanda kunazo zonke, uma uModi engaphosisi. Ngeke kwenzeke ukuthi u-Omphile naye wabheka, wathenga izicathulo ezicwebezela ngokumnyama nokuphuzi ezinezimbali ngaphambili.
Banezinyawo ezilinganayo, bayagqokelana, kukhumbula uModi. Ingakho zimlingana kahle kanjena izicathulo zakhe.
“Sanibonani,” kusho uJonase ezilula, esukuma njengoba u-Omphile ebingelela uModi ngokumbamba amqabule. “Khotso, lona ngumzala wethu, u-Omphile. Usanda kufika lapha, uphuma eRustenburg.”
“Kuyangijabulisa ukuhlangana nabangani baModi ngokushesha okungaka.” U-Omphile ubuka uKhotso ngamehlo akhombisa ukuhala. “Ngiyacabanga ukuthi uphila impilo emnandi uModi, njengoba engakashadi esayedwa futhi ephila endaweni enjena – indawo enabafundi baseTUKS naseTUT, izinsizwa ezinhle. Bengicabanga ukuthi nawe ungumfundi, Khotso. Kodwa ngibona ngezingubo ezinhle, ezikulingana kahle, ezibizayo ozigqokile ukuthi akunjalo. Phela nawe uyinsizwa esencane … Kodwa uJonase ungitshele ukuthi ungumqashi kaModi.”
Umthetho wakhe u-Omphile uqevuza izindaba kangaka? Kucabanga uModi.
“Ubudlelwano bethu bungaphezulu kwalokho manje.” UKhotso uphendula ngezwi elipholile, ejeqeza uModi, bemamatheka bobabili.
“Ungawuthanda ubhiya, mfowethu?” Kusho uJonase njengoba uReabiloe engena lapha egumbini.
“Mhlawumbe sizolithola ithuba lokuhlala phansi siphuze ngelinye ilanga. Ngiyabonga.”
“Kuyacaca ukuthi uPhenyo ukukhonzile, Khotso,” kusho u-Omphile njengoba uKhotso esukuma elungiselela ukuphuma.
“Nami ngimkhonzile kakhulu,” kuphendula uKhotso.
“Kusho ukuthi uyazithanda izingane.”
“Vele kunjalo. Akekho umuntu ongazithandi izingane.”
U-Omphile utshekisa ikhanda, kubukeka sengathi uyacabangisisa. Mangabe yini afuna ukuyisho? UModi akafuni ukuyizwa, yingakho esheshisa ethi, “Angikuphelezele uphume, Khotso.”
“Ngizonibona nonke maduze,” kusho uKhotso.
UModi uyanakisisa ukuthi uKhotso ubuka wonke umuntu, naye uOmphile, njengoba emamatheka evalelisa. Kodwa vele, yini engamenza angamamatheki? U-Omphile muhle, ushaya ngamehlo amakhulu nezindebe sengathi ungunodoli, futhi ubukeka sengathi ungumuntu onenhliziyo enhle.
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Sitshele umbono wakho: Kuyacaca ukuthi uModi akamethembi u-Omphile. Ngabe unaso isizathu esenza ukuba angamethembi, noma mhlawumbe umehlulela ngento engekho?