Sezihambe zonke izihlobo, sekusele uNontobeko nezingane zakhe. Sekumcacela bha ukuthi umnyeni wakhe akasekho ngempela. Sekusele imicabango nezithombe kuphela. Ukugula kumthathe ngempela umyeni wakhe.
Lento uThuthukani yamqala kancane sengathi unenyongo. Babebuya emakhaya emzini kaLindelani kade kunomsebenzi. Wathi ebuya waqala wagonyuluka wahlanza. Wahlanza kwaze kwaphuma igazi. Kuthe esababaza lokho wakhishwa isisu esingapheli.
“Kungenzeka udle inyama kakhulu phela ukhumbule ukuthi inyama yembuzi awuyithandi,” kwasho uNontobeko emduduza.
“Sthandwa sami ngicela utshele umama ukuthi angiphilile,” kwasho uThuthukani.
“Usufuna ukukhuphulela isalukazi ngoshukela? Umama akaphilile lezozindaba zizomgulisa kwayena.”
“Nontobeko, amandla ayangiphelela.”
“Sthandwa sami musa ukungithusa ukugula nje okungatheni lokhu okukubambile.”
Kwathi kusenjalo uThuthukani wakweqa amehlo, wakhihliza amagwebu. Yilapho abamphuthumisa khona esibhedlela. UNontobeko wahlala walinda emabhentshini engasafuni ngisho ukugoduka. Emuva kwezinsukwana wayeseqala ukululama uThuthukani. UNontobeko waphuthuma endlini wayolungiselela ukubuya komnyeni wakhe.

Indlu yayihlotshisiwe ngamabhelunde namaribhini amahle. Uma ungena wawuhlangatshezwa iphunga lokudla okunuka kamnandi okwakuphekiwe. Phela uNontobeko ungumpetha ekuphekeni. Wathi esalungisa kanjalo wathola ucingo oluthi makaphuthume esibhedlela. Wangena nezicabha egumbini ayelele kulona uThuthukani. Wafika nje sekusele umdondo wokugcina.
“Sthand…” kwasho uThuthukani ezama ukukhuluma.
“Mnyeni wami hlala nami, ungangishiyi sthandwa sami,” kwasho uNontobeko ngenkathi ebuka umphefumulo kaThuthukani uphumela ezandleni zakhe.
Wayelokhu ekhalile ebuka ithemba lakhe selilele ngomqolo lingesenakuvuka.

***

NguLwesithathu emini. UNontobeko ucambalele ekamelweni lakhe. Isikhathi esiningi usichitha khona ngoba uzizwa esondelene nomnyeni wakhe. Kungene uSane.
“Mama kukhona uBabomdala ufuna ukukhuluma nawe,” kusho uSane emile esicabheni.
“Kulungile ngiyeza manje.”
Nebala umfica uhlezi kusofa uLindelani. Umjuluko uyaziqathakela ngenxa yokushisa kwelanga.
“Sane, ngicela usenzele into yokuphuza ebandayo nangu uBabomdala wakho ezofa ilanga,” kusho uNontobeko.

Nebala aqhamuke nalo ithileyi elinezingilazi ezimbili ezinojuzi bewolintshi nama ayisi.
“Saze safa ilanga. Kungezeka uNkulunkulu indlela asijezisa ngayo lena. Phela siphila ngakho ukona,” kusho uLindelani.
“Nginesiqiniseko awuzelanga lana ukuzokhuluma ngelanga,” kusho uNontobeko eshintsha ebusweni.
“Angisavumelekile yini ukuzobona izingane zikamfowethu?” kubuza uLindelani.
“Wahluleka ukubatshengisa uthando uyise esadla amabele. Ngoba nakhu manje eselele ngomqolo usunendaba?”
“Angizele lokho kodwa. Kukhona olunye udaba olungisuse ekhaya.”
“Yiluphi lolodaba?” kubuza uNontobeko.
“Iwili kamfowethu ikuphi?” kubuza uLindelani.
“Wayibuza kimina ngingummeli wakhe yini?” kuphendula uNontobeko ngokudelela.
“Ungacabangi ukuthi uzodla izimali zikamfowethu namashende akho,” esho ngokukhulu ukudelela.
“Ufuna ngiyidle nawe?” ebuza ngokudelela uNontobeko.

Baphazanyiswe ukukhala kocingo lukaNontobeko. Alubambe ngokushesha. “Yebo Shenge uMsombuluko ulungile,” kuphendula uNontobeko. Uvala ucingo, maqede abuke uLindelani. “Ummeli wethu lo engiqeda ukukhuluma naye. Uthi uzofika ngoMsombuluko ezofunda iwili.”

“Kulungile izindaba ezinhle lezo ngizowazisa umndeni,” kumamatheka uLindelani.
“Bonke abantu baqhubeka nezimpilo zabo sengathi akukaze kwenzeke lutho. Sebekhohliwe nguThuthukani wami. Into eninendaba nayo imali yakhe nje qha.”
“Sizobonana ngoMsombuluko ekuseni,” kusho uLindelani ephuma.
USane noLindilwe bezwe ngonina edazuluka ekhala. Bagijime bezomthulisa.
“Ungakhali mama buzodlula lobu buhlungu obuzwayo,” kusho uSane.

Sitshele umbono wakho: Ngabe lesi sahluko sisikhombisa ini ngezinhloso anazo uLindelani njengoba efuna ukushada noNontobeko?