Ndacela uSima ukuba andikhaphe xa ndisiya kubona uXolani esibhedlela ukuphuma kwesikolo waza wavuma kodwa ebuthandabuza.
“Sima! Ayanda! Khanindilindeni, wasikhwaza esitsho uAnathi xa sasisendleleni eya esibhedlele. Sajongana noSima, saza sajonga kuAnathi owayesiza kuthi. Sasingamlindelanga ukuba uza kuhamba nathi.
“Ngokuya ubundixelela ukuba uza kuya esibhedlele noAyanda ndiye ndacinga ukuba ingaba yinto entle ukuba nam ndihambe nani njengoko uXolani wayenam ngobuya busuku,” watsho uAnathi kuSima. Wandijonga. “Bethuni, ndiyacela ndinethemba lokuba anikhathazeki yiloo nto.”
“Hayi, akukho ngxaki, nakanjani ungahamba nathi,” ndatsho.
Ngaphakathi entliziyweni ndandisele ndimxolele uXolani ngokungandazisi ngendlela aziva ngayo ngoSima. Ndandinethemba lokuba naye wayeza kumxolela uSima ngokukhetha mna, angakhethi yena amhloniphe njengomhlobokazi womhlobo wakhe ondim.
Ukufika kwethu esibhedlele, sabhalisa amagama ethu kwirejista yabahambeli. Ukugqiba kwethu ukubhalisa, umongikazi wasikhokela wasisa kwiwadi awayelele kuyo uXolani.
“Hey, Chief! Ndikuphathele amaqebengwana abhakwe ekhaya,” ndatsho kuXolani owayebonakala evuya kukusibona.
“Enkosi, Chief,” watsho uXolani.
Mna noSima sema kwicala langasekhohlo lebhedi kaXolani.
“Molo, Xolani,” watsho uAnathi emi ezinyaweni zebhedi kaXolani.
Molo, Anathi,” watsho uXolani.
“Uziva njani namhlanje,” wabuza uSima.
“Ndiza kakuhle ingakumbi ngoku njengokuba nilapha,” watsho uXolani encumile.
“Xolani, ndilusizi ngento eyenzeka ngobuya busuku. Oku kwenzekayo kuwe kwakungenxa yam. Ndandingafanelanga ukuba ndakucela ukuba uye kusithengela utywala ethaveni,” watsho uAnathi.
“Konke oko sekudlulile maan Anathi, kwaye musa ukuzibeka ityala. Ndivuyela nje ukuba ndisaphila nani nilapha nize kundibona,” watsho uXolani.
Wajonga kum nakuSima sabe isandla sikaSima sindigone esinqeni.
“Ewe maan, Chief! Ekugqibeleni ndide ndamxelela ukuba ndiziva njani na ngaye. Kwathi kanti naye uziva njalo,” ndatsho, ndincumile kodwa ke iluncumo olwalungelula.
“Hayi ke, ndiyacinga nje ukuba uSima sele kuxelele ngam. Ndiyaxolisa Chief, ngokunganyaniseki ndingazange ndikuxelele ukuba ndizia njani nam ngoSima. Ndi -” watsho uXolani.
“Ewe, Chief, wandixelela kwaye Chief andikuqumbelanga tu,” ndatsho.
Ndiyabulela, Chief. Ndiyanivuyela nina nobabini. Ukulala kule bhedi kundenze ukuba ndicinge nzulu ngobomi bam. Bendizicingela mna ndedwa ndibonisa ubuktatshi ngakuwe. Bendingazanga ndicinge ukuba uSima angawela umntu ofana nawe, umntu osuka emaphandleni. Andizange ndicinge … Andikugxeki xa nditshoyo Chief,” watsho uXolani.
“Ungahlupheki andithathi ngokuba kukugxekwa oko ukutshoyo. Ndifuna nje ukuba ube ngcono kwamsinyane, ndiya kukhumbula esikolweni,” ndatsho ndimphulula eligxeni.
UXolani wancuma. “Ndiyanibulela bahlobo ngokuza kundibona. Oku nikwenzileyo kutsho lukhulu kum. Ayanda ungoyena yena mhlobo endakha ndanaye, Chief.”
Ixesha lethu lokuhambela laphela sisancokola. Ndaphuma ndincumile. Kwakuthe nco entliziyweni yam. USima wayendithanda njengoko nam ndandimthanda kwaye zange ndilahlekelwe nanguye umhlobo wam uXolani.
Ndandisikelelekile ndifumene uthando kwanobubuhlobo ngaloo mini inye.
*****
Khawusixelele: Wawunokwenzani xa umhlobo wakho enehlebo awayehleli nje kanti ebekufihlele lona?