“Gijima Beauty!” kumemeza uNandi njengoba ayegijima edlula emhumeni. Akazange abheke emuva, kodwa wayewuzwa umsindo kaBeauty ehayiza futhi egijima emva kwakhe.
Isitaladi esikhulu sasingenamuntu ngeSonto ntambama. Kwakukhona amaphepha ayelokhu ephephuka eceleni kwesitaladi. Zonke izitolo zazivaliwe, ngamabha ensimbi kanye neminyango yensimbi edonsekayo evale amafasitela.
Umsindo wamantombazane amabili ehefuzela, ephelelwe umoya, kanye nokubhadazela kwezicathulo zawo emgaqweni wetiyela yileyo kuphela imisindo uNandi ayayeyizwa.
Wama lapho uNandi engasakwazi ukugijima. Izinhlangothi zakhe zazibuhlungu. Wama eceleni kwakhe uBeauty. uBeauty wayesakhala futhi izinyembezi kanye namanqofula aphuma ekhaleni lakhe kwakudwebeke ebusweni bakhe. Izandla zakhe zazibambe isiketi sakhe lapho ibhulawozi elalidatshulwe khona. . Ubra wakhe oluhlazana wawubonakala.
uNandi wavulela uBeauty izingalo zakhe futhi umzala wakhe wawela ehlombe lakhe, ehayiza. Bobabili bama phakathi komgwaqo, besekelana, izinhliziyo zabo zishaya ezifubeni zabo.
“Umlanjwana! Umlanjwana! Umlanjwana!” kusho uNandi, lapho esekwazi ukudonsa umoya. Wabe esethi, “Izilima! Izilima! Izilima! Saze saba izilima!”
Amantombazane amabili aqhubeka nendlela, uNandi esexhuga ngoba wayesedabule intambo yesicathulo sakhe. Sizoya kanjani endlini sibukeka ngale ndlela, kucabanga uNandi.
Lapho sebezizwa bephephile futhi beqiniseka ukuthi akekho umuntu obalandelayo, uNandi wama emnyango wesitolo wabe esekhipha ihembe lakhe. uBeauty wakhumula ihembe lakhe elidabukile wabe esegqoka elikaNandi. uNandi wayegqoke ivesti elimbambayo ngaphansi kwehembe lakhe futhi wayegodola ezizwa sengathi akagqokile, kodwa yayingekho into angayenza. uBeauty wayeno-R500 ekhukhwini lakhe, kodwa sasingekho isitolo esivulekile lapho ababengathenga khona ihembe elisha.
Etekisini uNandi wayengakwazi ukuyeka ukuqhaqhazela. Wabamba waqinisa uBeauty futhi bahlala bethulile. uNandi wayengafuni ngisho nokucabanga ngalokho okwenzeke endlini kaFernando. Wayengafuni ukucabanga ngeziqephu abazibona zidlala emakamelweni amabili. Ukukhanya, amakhamera, ubunqunu, kanye nemizimba ebhangquzayo.
Akukhona lokho uBeauty ayekuzele endlini kaFernando. Kwaba khona ukungezwani kahle. Kodwa uFernando akazange afune ukukuzwa lokho.
uNandi wavala kakhulu amehlo akhe, kodwa wayesamuzwa uFernando ebathethisa.
“Nicabanga ukuthi nidlala muphi umdlalo nami?” Kumemeza uFernando. Ukumoyizela kwakhe kwanyamalala ngokushesha, “Nicabanga ukuthi ngikhokha imali eningi ukuze ngidlale imidlalo engenangqondo namantombazane amabili angenangqondo?”
uNandi waqaphela ukuthi base befikile esitobhini setekisi wabe esetshela uBeauty ukuba asukume khona ezokwehla.
Umamkhulu kaNandi wayesalele lapho becothoma bengena endlini. Womabili amantombazane angena ngaphansi kwengubo kaNandi eyintandokazi balala lapho kwaze kwaba yilapho sebezizwa sebefudumele futhi.
“Ngiyaxolisa,” kusho uBeauty, ngokuphindaphindiwe.
“Kulungile,” kusho uNandi, emubamba ngokumuqinisa, “Kungcono ngoba akukho okwenzeke kuwe. Kungcono ngoba sikwazile ukuphuma. Kungcono ngoba siphephile.”
“Ngiyabonga,” kusho uBeauty, “Ngokuba nesibindi kangaka. Ngokungikhulula. “Ngokumelana nesigelekeqe esinguFernando, mina bengingeke ngikwazi. Ngiyabonga kakhulu!”
Bobabili babe sebelala.
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Sicela umbono wakho: Yini uBeauty noNandi abayifundile ngobuntu babo emva kwalesi sehlakalo esesabisayo?