Ukutshatela kubhuti Chumile kwakuzanesikhundla esiphezulu kutata. Ndandizakuba ngumam’ ubhishophu oya kuzala oonyana abazakuhamba ezinyaweni zikatata wabo nabobabe ngoobhishophu.
Iminyaka ngeminyaka, ukususela mhla lasekwaibandla lamaHebhere, laphathwa lusapho lwakwaMagadla kwizizukulwana ngezizukulwana. Babetshintshiselana ngesikhundla sobubhishophu ngokwamakhosi eshiyelana ngobukhosi.
Ngoko eli lifa lalisezandleni zikabhuti Chumile. Kungako utata wayengazange alwe akuza neli phupha lomtshato uBhishopu. Wayesazi ukuba igama lakhe liyakuba sezimbalini ngenxa yentombi yakhe ayendisela kwibhishophu.
Ngentseni elandelayo salungiselelala ukuphindela ekhaya eGcuwa. Kwakungathi alide lifike ithuba ndizibone ndingaphaya kwamasango omzi kabhishophu. Utata noBhishophu bathembisana ukubuya babonane ngalo mini iyakube izale zintsikelelo ezivela emazulwini, ngelixa lokumanywa kwam nobhuti Chumile.
Babengazi ukuba ndifunge ndamunca iintupha ukuba ndiyakumtshata ndifile loo Chumile. Kwaye ndandiqwenelele afe loo Chumile.
Ndathi ndingena emotweni ubhuti Chumile wandibamba ngengalo. Wayefuna sithethe bucala.Ndingathethanga ndibone endiwola, esithi, “Inkosi ikugcine kude kube ngemini yomtshato.”
“Kanti sitshata nini?” Ndabuza.
“Kungekudala.”
“Nini bhut’ Chumile?”
“Phakathi naphakathi kuDecember.”
Ndandiseleneenyanga ezihlanu kuphela phambi kokuba ndibe ngumfazi kabhuti Chumile.
Sada safika ekhaya ndingathethanga nabazali bam. Ndafika ndazivalela egumbini lam ndalila. Kwakumele ndimxelele uThobekile ngale nto icetywa ngabazali bam, mhlawumbi wayeza kuba necebo sibaleke.
Xa ndandicingela ukuba wonke umntu ulele, ndathubeleza ngefestile ndaphuma ngesango endalishiya ndingalitsixanga nje ngakuqala. Indlu kaThobekile yayisakhanyiswe ngezibane. Ndandisazi ukuba ukhona. Ndankqonkqoza, wavula ngokungathi wayendilindele.
“Nono,” utsho endanga.
“Ubusahleli?” Ndibuzile.
“Ewe, bendifunda. Ndizakuvavanywa okokugqibela kwischolarshipsekholejiyaseNgilani endizakangena kuyo kunyaka ozayo.” Waphendula.”Ndifuna ukuba ngugqirha ngenye imini Nono. Ndizakubuyela apha ndisebenze esibhedlele. Siyakuhlala kwibhotwekazi…”
Kunye kuphela endandikuva, yayilingama ‘uNgilane’. Yayingumgama omde lowo. Wayengenakubuyela kweli qokobhe ledolophu. Ngaphezu koko engenakubuyela intombi yenkonzo yale dolophana.
“Uyahamba?” Ndandiziva ndithwele amatye esuswini.
“Ufather Bernard lo waseSaint Francis’ ngumxhasi wam. Undihlahlele indlela kwicawa eseNgilane ukuba ndifunde khona ndakuphumelela olu uvavanyo. Eli thuba liza kanye ebomini.”
“Uza kuphumelela,” ndatsho ndithambise ilizwi. “Kukho into endifuna ukuxelela yona.”
“Yintoni leyo?” ubuze ethobekile.
“Ndizakutshata.”
Wawuvula nkeme umlomo, amazwi embalekile. Wayethe phuhlu nje amehlo.
Ndimxelele yonke into, ndambalisela nangobhuti Chumile. Ndalicacisa elithi andinakuze ndimthande ubhuti Chumile. Ngaphezu koko ndimnqwenelela ukufa kuphela.
Wandijonga engabhekisi zwi kum. Amehlo akhe akhanye okwenkwenkwezi, engcwenge iinyembezi awayezibambile. Wathi akundiwolela ezingalweni zakhe ndakuva ukuvutha kothando lwakhe.
“Sizakufuman’ indlela,” wandithembisa.
Andizange ndabelana ngesondo nomnye umntu ngaphambili, uThobekile wayengowokuqala kum. Ndandingenamava. Kodwa ndandisazi into enye: isondo sasingalusebenziseli izizathu ezingalunganga. Ndamthanda uThobekile kuba waqalawathandwa ngumphefumlo wam. Sasimanywe ngokwasemoyeni. Yayilulwazelelo lwam ukuba ndibe naye kude kube sekupheleni kwexesha.
Ndamshiya uThobekile ngentsimbi yesihlanu ekuseni esathurha ubuthongo. Ndahamba ndithubeleza phezu kwengcingo ndiphepha ukukhonkothwa zizinja zemizi ethile, ngakumbi ngobumnyama.
Ndithe ndisondela ekhaya kwee menye ukukhanya kwezibane. Umama notata babemi ebaleni, igeyithiivuliwe. Ndeva utata egxola esith, “Bekutheni igeyithi ingatsixwa MaSithathu?” Watsho ebhekisa kumama owayesehla esonyusa ibala ngokomntu okhangela into.
Ngokuqinisekileyo bandiqaphele ukuba andikho segumbini lam. ndandicinga ukuba bayandikhangela. Kwathi xibili ndakuva utata ekhwaza umama.
“Fownela uMakhulu umxelele ukuba ndisendleleni ezayo. Ndizakumsa esibhedlele.”
Utamkhulu wayengaphilanga kwakhona. Ndazikhumbuza. Kungako utata evuke ngentseni. Wayibhexesha imoto yasithela kamsinya. Ndambona umama engena endlwini engxamile eshiya igeyithi engayitsixanga. Ibe sisihlandlo sesibini esi ndineli thamsanqa lokungabhaqwa. Luphawu olu, ndatsho ndiqinisekile. Uthando lwethu lwalumele luqhubele phambili.
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Sixelele ukuba ucinga ntoni: Angenza ntoni uNono?