UZinhle ufika eZimbali emuva kwehora. UScelo nomkhulu wakhe bazihlalele babuka umdlalo webhola kumabonakude. Iyakhala i-intercom. UScelo ubukisisa kumabonakude wayo i-intercom abone uZinhle nendoda angakaze ayibone besondela esicabheni.
“Unjani nje, Scelo? Unjani uBaba?” kusho uZinhle eshwibeka edlula kuScelo.
UScelo ufuna ukubingelela le ndoda elandela uZinhle kodwa amehlo nemicabango yakhe ithathwa iwashi elibizayo elisesihlakaleni kule ndoda. Iwashi liyi-Rolex. Imibala obomvu noluhlaza okotshani esiphikeni sebhantshi lakhe lo mlisa ikhombisa khona ukuthi i-Gucci lena ayigqokile. Ithule sengathi icabanga lukhulu le ndoda.
“Umfundisi wethu omusha lona. UPastor Daniel udabuka e-Nigeria. Uyi-True Man of God,” kusho uZinhle.
Akakhululekile uPastor Daniel. Uqala ngokunyakazisa umzimba kancane, agcine esevevezela.
“Ngizwa umoya omubi kule ndlu! Ngidedeleni,” kusho uPastor Daniel ngezwi elikhulu elithusa wonke umuntu ngaphandle kukaZinhle. “Ngithi ngidedeleni, ngegama likaJesu! Ngizwa isidingo, ngegama likaJesu, isidingo sokukhipha lo moya omubi! Ukhona lapha endlini! Ngingawuthola u-Amen?”
“Amen!” kusho uZinhle.
UZihle ubuka uPastor Daniel ngamehlo agcwele ukukholelwa kuyena. Uphenduka abuke ubaba wakhe.
“Uyamvumela, Baba? Ngiyakucela bandla umvumele!” kuncenga uZinhle.
Uvuma ngekhanda uMnumzane Msomi.
Izandla zaPastor Daniel ziphezulu njengoba ehamba lapha endlini.
“Phuma moya omubi! Phuma njengamanje!” umemeza ekhoneni lalapha e-lounge.
Ugijima afike kwelinye ikhona, “Ngikukhipha njengamanje ngegama likaJesu! Phuma kulo muzi njengamanje!”
“Yebo, Pastor Daniel! Yebo Jesu!” kumemeza uZinhle elandela emuva kwakhe uPastor.
UScelo usekhexe umlomo ebuka lokhu. UZinhle ulandela uPastor Daniel, bangene kwamanye amagumbi. Kuthatha imizuzu embalwa ngaphambi kokuba uScelo akhulume. Uxakekile. Uyazi ukuthi umkhulu wakhe akayena umuntu ukholwayo. Uyazi nokuthi umkhulu wakhe le nhlobo yokukhonza enokumemeza nokuvukwa imimoya akayithandi.
“Mkhulu uyavumelana nalokhu okwenzekayo? Awunayo inkinga?” kubuza uScelo.
Kukhona into ethile ayibona ebusweni kumkhulu wakhe – ubukeka ekhululekile, emamatheka. UScelo ukwazi kahle lokhu kumamatheka ngoba ujwayele ukuzibona kwayena enakho lokhu kumamatheka uma ezibuka esibukweni ehlezi nendodakazi yakhe, uNosipho. Kuyamcacela uScelo ukuthi umkhulu wakhe uvumelana noZinhle ngoba eyindodakazi yakhe yokuqala yokugcina. Ujabuliswa ukuthi indodakazi yakhe inaye manje.
“Khululeka Scelo, hamba. Mina ngikahle kakhulu,” kusho uMnumzane Msomi.
UScelo uhlehla ngemoto. Uyama uma efika esangweni abuke umuzi. UPastor Daniel noZinhle bamile ku-balcony. Sekungathi bayahlanya manje – izandla zabo ziphakeme, bazijikijela yonke indawo, imzimba yabo iyavevezela. UScelo ucisha umsakazo emotweni, alalelisise.
“Sathane ngiyakukhipha manje! Phuma manje moya omubi!” kumemeza uPastor Daniel.
“Phuma Sathane!” kumemeza uZinhle.
UScelo unyathela imoto, ayishaye izule. UZinhle noPastor Daniel babuyela kuMnumzane Msomi.
“Baba, uPastor Daniel ucela ukukubusisa,” kusho uZinhle
“Kulungile,” kusho uMnumzane Msomi.
UPastor Daniel ubeka izandla ekhanda kuMnumzane Msomi. Uyavevezela njengoba ethandaza. Ukuvevezela kwakhe kwenza naye uMnumzane Msomi avevezele esihlaweni esihambayo. UZinhle ubeka izandla zakhe emahlombe kubaba wakhe ukuze angavevezeli kakhulu esihlalweni. UMnumzane Msomi ubambelela aqinise ezandleni zendodakazi yakhe njengoba yona noPastor Daniel bevukwa imimoya. Baqala bakhulume ngezilimi. UMnumzane Msomi ubambelela aqinise ezandleni zendodakazi yakhe.
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Sitshele: Uthini umbono wakho ngohlobo olunjena lobuKrestu?