U-Nzwaki wavula ifriji wajonga izinto ezimbalwa ngaphakathi kuyo ezingamniki mdla. Kwakunebhotile yobisi, amaqanda, itumato kunye netswele; izinto ezingalingananga ukuba inkosikazi ingazisebenzisa ukwenzela yona nomyeni wayo isidlo esiphucukileyo. Umyeni wakhe wayethembise ukuthenga igrosa edolophini, kodwa sekudlule iiveki ezimbini. Kwakungasekho nto uJoe wayezimisele ukuyenza apha endlwini tu. Kwaye uNzwaki waselezifundise ukungaphikisani naye okanye ukumbuza – kuba kwakungancedi nto oko. Wavala ifriji leyo enesingqala waya kuthabatha isipaji sakhe esasiphezu kwesofa kwigumbi lokuhlala.
Wayengaphathanga mali ininzi kuye; yayilingene nje ukuba afumane amaqathana enyama yenkukhu neetapile. Unceda ntoni umyeni ongenakumthemba ukuba akunyamekele, watsho ezicingela. U-Joe wayengungantweni nje ngoku. Kuphela nje kwento wayeyenza kukuya emsebenzini nokuchitha ixesha lakhe nabahlobo bakhe eshibhini. Babefike njani kule meko? Indlela ababethandana nababehlala bonwabe ngayo. Kodwa ngoku, emva kweminyaka engamashumi amabini anesithathu omtshato, kungekho namntwana, into ababenayo nje ngamacwaka angonwabisiyo kwaye uNzwaki wayesoloko eyedwa ekhaya.
“Oh, Mam’Bhele, uzifihle phi? Ubuzifihle phi na ntombi?” wabuza uMamSophie, umninivenkile yasekuhlaleni. Wayebiza bonke abantu ngeziduko zabo kodwa engathandi ukubizwa ngesiduko yena. Loo nto yayimoluphaza, wayehlala ekhalaza.
“Ndikhona, Mam’uSophie,” waphendula uNzwaki. “Ndicela ithreyi yamaqanda torhwana?”
U-Nzwaki wathenga ngokukhawuleza, ezama ukuphelisa le ncoko ukuze agqibe kwangoko ukuthenga. Xa unika uMamSophie ixesha elininzi, wayeza kukuxelela ngalo lonke ulwimi ngokwenzeka eZithulele. Enye into kwakhona, uMamSophie wayengalindi kumenywa nolwimi lwakhe.
“Iphi leya ntwazana ohlala usiya nayo esikolweni?” Wathumela umbuzo wakhe wokuqala uMamSophie, lo gama ebeka iithreyi ezine zamaqanda zeRainbow Chicken phezu kwekhawunta ukuze uNzwaki akhethe kuzo. Wenza ngokungathi uNzwaki yintwazanyana yesikolo kwaye ubuza ngeye intwazana atshomene nayo. Kwakucacile ukuba kukhona into uMamSophie ayivileyo afuna ukuyiqinisekisa okanye ukongeza ezakhe izimvo ngayo – ndifung’Ophezulu nguqalazive lo!
“Yiphi yona?” Wazibuzisa uNzwaki. “Ndisebenza namakhosikazi amaninzi esikolweni, ukuba yiloo nto oyitshoyo.”
“Lo maan, lo ubethandana noMkhize? “Ngubani na kanene, biza?”
“Bendingazi ukuba uMkhize uyathandana.”
“Ufanele kaloku ntombi ukungazi. Kaloku bebeyifihla le nto ekuqaleni. Kodwa ngoku ndicinga ukuba abasevani ngoba …” waqhubeka uMamSophie nokuchaza indlela uMkhize abesela ngayo nomyeni wakhe ngephezolo, nomyeni wakhe ebuza uMkhize ngetitshalakazi encinane yasesikolweni apho uMkhize athandana nayo. Yona kanye le awayesithi uMkhize xa eshushu angxolele wonke umntu ukuba uza kuyitshata ngenye imini. Kodwa ngoku uMkhize wayemxelele ukuba yena ‘akanaxesha loonopatazana’.
UNzwaki wayengafuni kuyiva ke le nto. Wakhetha ithreyi enye wanika uMamSophie imali. Waqhubeka yena uMamSophie nomgosi wakhe ngelixa abalela uNzwaki itshintshi yakhe. Okomzuzwana nje uNzwaki wayeselefuna nokuyishiya naloo tshintshi azithathele inkukhu aphel’emehlweni. Kodwa wayengaphethanga ngxowana yeplastiki ukuyifaka, kwaye engakwazi ukuhamba nayo injalo. Naleyo yayiyakumenza isisulu sokuhletywa nguMamSophie.
“Sekudlule iintsuku kungekho mntu umbonileyo. Abantu bathi uMkhize umfumene nomnye ngoku uhamba emthetha kakubi embiza nangamagama angaphucukanga kuye wonke ubani omameleyo. Kodwa yinto engaske ithiweni ukuba uMkhize umbulele? Akukho mntu waziyo ukuba kwa inkosikazi yakhe yasweleka njani, ukhona ke?” UMamSophie wayesongela inkukhu ngephepha-ndaba.
“Oh hayi ke noko MamSophie!” Watsho ngokucaphuka uNzwaki edikwe sesi sibindi singaka le nkosikazi enaso sokuhleba. “Akukho nto anayo uNora. Uye emngcwabeni kamakazi wakhe kwilali yaseTsolongo. Uza kubuya kungekudala kwaye uza kubona ukuba akafanga.”
Sekunga kungabe kunjalo, watsho ngentliziyo uNzwaki.
UNora wayeseleneentsuku ezintathu enyamalele ngoku; wayegqibele ukubonwa esikolweni ngoLwesibini. Utitshala omkhulu wayethe ufowunile wathi useTsolongo kuba umakazi wakhe wayesandula kusweleka. Wothuka uNzwaki xa esiva ezi ndaba kodwa wazibamba. Wayesazi ukuba uNzwaki wayengena zizalwane eTsolongo, okanye naphina eMpuma Koloni. Wayevela eRhawutini watshintshelwa apho xa isikolo sasifuna ititshalakazi entsha yesiNgesi. Wakhathazeka ukususela ngoko uNzwaki.
Wayengabangelwa yintoni uNora ukuxoka ngendawo akuyo? Wayephi kanti? Kwakusenzeka ntoni kanye-kanye? UNzwaki wazidlulisa ngakwakhe ngoLwesithathu nje ukubona ukuba kuqhubeka ntoni. Iikhethini zazivaliwe, kwaye nesango litshixiwe. UNora wayengabonakali ndawo.
Wathi xa efika ekhaya uNzwaki wathabatha ucingo wafowunela uNora.
“Umntu ozama ukuqhagamshelana naye …”
UNzwaki wayeka, wancinciza ecaphukile.
“Ngubani lo uzama ukumfowunela?” Ilizwi likaJoe engena endlwini lamothusa. Wayejongeka ediniwe kwaye oluphele. UNzwaki waqaphela imibimbi ebusweni bomyeni wakhe ngelixa ahlala etafileni yasekhitshini, elinde iti yakhe yamalanga. Wayesoluphala ngokukhawuleza. Bobabini babenegazi elihle elalingayibonakalisi iminyaka yabo engamashumi amahlanu anesibini. Kodwa ngoku uJoe wayebonisa iimpawu. Kwakunyanzelekile ukuba ibe ngumsebenzi.
“Ifowuni kaNora isekwiVoicemail,” wachaza uNzwaki ebilisa iketile yamanzi. Wamxelela ukuba umangaliswe yinto utitshala omkhulu nabanye ootitshala abakhokhelelwe ekubeni bayikholelwe.
“Nonzwakazi, yiyeke le nto,” wakhalima uJoe ecomfoza amaqhosha eBlackberry yakhe entsha ejika ngecala futhi emjamela ukuze athule. ‘Hoya ezakho iindaba’ yayisitsho indlela amjonga ngayo – kwaye uNzwaki wayeyifumene amaxesha amaninzi le meko mva nje. Umzekelo, mhla wayezithengele ilaptop neBlackberry ngaxeshanye – ngomvuzo kaNobhala ekliniki? Ezo zinto yayibubuncwane. Kodwa ke, mhlawumbi wayezifunela umsebenzi? Wayeselelawulwa ngumsebenzi kwezi ntsuku. UNzwaki waphawula ngentliziyo ukuba uza kuthetha naye ngayo ngosuku olulandelayo, uMgqibelo, xa beziphumlele nje.
Wabeka ikomityi eshushu yeti ngaphambi komyeni wakhe. UJoe wayirhabula yaza ifowuni yakhe ephezu kwetafile yangcangcazela . Kwakungumyalezo, kodwa ukuba uvela kubani na, wayengenalwazi. UJoe wancuma waphendula, erhabula kwakhona. Wazitshisa imilebe wayitshica leyo ti eshushu.
“Yeses Nonzwakazi, ucinga ukuba ndiza kuyisela njani le nto?!” wakhalaza, ebhekelisela ikomityi kude naye ephakama. Wathatha izitshixo zemoto yakhe waphuma engenzanga zwi lankcazelo. UNzwaki wayeseleziqhelile ezi zimbo kungoku nje. Wayesazi ukuba akazi kubuya kude kuthi qheke ukusa.
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NgoMvulo uNzwaki wehla izibilini akubona uNora engena ngesango lesikolo. Kodwa wabuya wakhathazeka xa angeziyo kumthandazo wakusasa. Kwathi kwakugqitywa abantu bonke bekhululekile ukuba baye eziklasini zabo, uNzwaki waya kufuna uNora. Isikolo esiphakamileyo sasingesikhulu, kwakuneklasi enye nje ibanga ngalinye, kwaye iklasi kaNora kwakuyiminyango emithathu ukusuka kwiklasi kaNzwaki.
“Molo wethu, Nora,” wabulisa uNzwaki, kodwa okumangalisayo, kukuba uNora akazange aphendule. Wayebeka amaphepha ezidesikeni zabafundi, kwaye amehlo akhe ewamilisele kuloo mcimbi wayexakeke nguwo. UNzwaki weva nje egazini ukuba kukho okungalunganga; uNora wayengemntu ukrwada. Kodwa ngoku kwakunzima nokuba ajonge uNzwaki.
“Bendikhathazekile ngawe. Ingaba kukho ingxaki?” Wazama kwakhona uNzwaki. Intwazanyana leyo yaqhubeka nokungamhoyi. Abafundi bakaGreyidi 8 basebeqala ukuzalisa igumbi, behlala ezidesikeni zabo, bonke bebulisa uNzwaki njengokuba bedlula kuye nje bengena. UNzwaki wajika waphuma waphindela eklasini yakhe. Wazama ukucinga ngoNora nendlela engaqhelekanga abeziphethe ngayo yonke loo mini. Kwathi naxa angeziyo kwigumbi leetitshala ukuza kusela iti uNzwaki akaxhalaba noko.
Kuthe ngelixa lesifundo sokugqibela, kwangena intombazanyana ibaleka eklasini kaNzwaki.
“Maam, khawuleza uze,” yatsho le ntombazanyana ibaleka iphuma kwakhona. UNzwaki wayilandela, esiva nokuba kukho ingxokolo evela phezulu epasejini. Intombazana yangena egumbini likaNora wazibuza uNzwaki ukuba uphi na uNora xa kusenzeka konke oku nje.
Wayifumana ngokukhawuleza impendulo yakhe esangena nje eklasini. Amakhwenkwe amabini ayesilwa ngamanqindi kwaye abantwana eklasini yonke bemi ngeenyawo, bekhwezela. UNora wayesekoneni ngasefestileni entywizisa ngokuthe cwaka. Kwakucacile ukuba akakwazi kumelana nabo. UNzwaki waxelela intombazana leyo ukuba ibaleke ibize utitshala omkhulu.
“Yekani obu bubhanxa njengangoku!” Watsho kabukhali uMnumzana Manene, ezalisa elo gunjana lokufundela ngesiqu sakhe esikhulu. Waxhuzula kwakanye nje ohlukana loo makhwenkwe. Wayalela uNzwaki ukuba ase uNora kwigumbi leetitshala lo mzuzu yena elungisa le ngxaki.
“Kwenzekani Nora, kuqhubeka ntoni?” Wazama kwakhona uNzwaki xa bekwigumbi leetitshala bodwa. Kodwa uNora akazange athethe. UNzwaki wamnika ithishu ukuba asule iinyembezi.
“Hlukana nam. Yintoni le nto wasoloko uzihlupha ngezinto ezenzeka ebomini babanye abantu? Kungenxa yokuba ungakwazi ukulawula obakho ubomi?” Watshica uNora.
Wazama kwakhona uNzwaki.
“Hoya ezakho iindaba. Utshatile; zihluphe ngendoda yakho,” watsho uNora ephuma ngomnyango.
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Khawusichazele ukuba ucinga ntoni: Kunokuba kwakwenzeke ntoni eyayibangela ukuba uNora aziphathe ngale ndlela ikrwada kangaka kwitshomi yakhe?