UMbali noManqoba bagcina sebehlala endlini enkulu lapho kuhlala khona inkosi njengoba sekusondela ukuba azale. Phela uNdlunkulu ufuna ukunakekela kahle uMbali njengoba esezoteta. Khona kuyamjabulisa lokhu uMbali kodwa kubuye kube yihaba ngoba ugcina engasenzi lutho.
Namuhla uzizwa sengathi naye kungaba khona akwenzayo endlini. Uvele avuke kuqala kunawo wonke umuntu endlini, alungise isidlo sasekuseni. Uvuka ngokushesha uMaNdlovu uma ezwa kukhala amabhodwe ekhishini.
“Mbali wenzani kodwa? Kumele uhlale uphumule? Phela wena uthwele inkosi yakusasa,” kusho uMaNdlovu.
“Ngiyakuzwa, Ma. Kodwa ngikhathele ukuhlala dekle ngingenzi lutho. Futhi nodokotela uthe kumele nginyakaze kancane ngoba ukulala kakhulu akuyilungele ingane,” kusho uMbali ephendula amaqanda epanini.
“Kulungile kodwa angeke usenza lutho emuva kwalokho.”
Kungena uManqoba, ezamula ecikica amehlo.
“Kunuka kamnandi mawakhe,” kusho uManqoba eqabula uMbali maqede amphulule isisu.
“Ngiyabonga baba kaLwandle,” kusho uMbali.
“Lwandle?”
“Yebo, uLwandle. Uyazi ukuthi ngiyawathanda amanzi. Kahle kahle imvula isho okuthize kuthina. Uyakhumbula ukuthi mina nawe sahlangana lina izulu? Ngakho uthando lwethu luningi njengemvula. Wonke amanzi agcina olwandle. Ingakho indodana yethu ngiyethe ngathi uLwandle,” kusho uMbali.
“Ngiyalithanda lelo gama, Mama kaLwandle,” kusho uManqoba.
Basabambene njalo.
“Manqoba awuyeke uMbali apheke ngokuthula. Usengaze ashise amabhodwe ngenxa yakho. Akasakwazi nokuphefumula uwena umkinatele,” kusho uMaNdlovu.
Bayafa insini bobathathu. UMbali uphaka ukudla. Kuthi sebehleli etafuleni sebezoqala ukudla, kuzwakale ukuhayiza kudabula ubumnyama bentathakusa yobusika. Baphuma bonke ngokushesha, babone uMaHlongwane egijima. Ukushaqeka nokwesaba klubhalwe emehlweni kuMaHlongwane.
“Oh Nkulunkulu! Oh Msindisi! Kukhona umuntu obulale unogada! Ufile emgwaqeni ongenela kwami! Bengithi ngiyashanela ngambona! Oh Msindisi!” kuhayiza uMaHlongwane.
Uyaqhubeka nokuhayiza engazwakali ukuthi uthini uMaHlongwane. Kuqhamuka iNkosi uBhungane, abambe uMaHlongwane emahlombe amqinise. “Yehlisa umoya MaHlongwane! Uthi kwenzekeni? Asikuzwa kahle!”
“Kukhona unogada ofile! Ngibone isidumbu sakhe ngesikhathi ngishanela kwami!”
INkosi uBhungane, uManqoba kanye nabanye onogada baqonda endaweni yesigameko. Bonke abantu besifazane bamela kude babuka konke besemagcekeni. Atomuke kanjalo uMaHlongwane ewumuntu ofuna ukuyophuza amanzi ukuze ehlise ukwethuka.
Uyayazi indawo ekuhlala kuyona uManqoba etafuleni. Ufika athele umuthi engilazini kaManqoba egcwele ujuzi. Uphuma ngokushesha abuyele emnyango ame noMaNdlovu noMbali kanye nabanye abantu besifazane. Omama sebemungungile bazama ukumthulisa njengoba kunguyena othole umufi.
Kugcwele ukwesaba nokushaqeka ebukhosini njengoba kufika amaphoyisa emuva kukuba abikelwe ngesigameko. Afika athathe izitatimende kuwona wonke umuntu. Ngesikhathi bebuyela endlini bathola ukuthi ukudla sekubanda qa.
“Anisuseni lamapuleti. Lokhu kudla kubanda qa manje!” kusho iNkosi uBhungane maqede iphendukele kuManqoba. “Ngibizele bonke onogada njengamanje! Ngifuna ukwazi ukuthi umbulali udlule kanjani kubona wakwazi ukwenza umnakalo kwami bekhona bona!”
Unikina ikhanda uManqoba maqede aminye ujuzi. “Iyona lento ebengiyicabanga nami, Baba! Kufanele bachaze onogada!”
Sitshele umbono wakho: Kuyakumangaza ukuthi umuthi obulalayo ufakwe engilazini kaManqoba, hhayi kwekaMbali?