Akathandi ukuhlala nathi uS’neyifu. Akafane abekhona nasendlwini. Sifumanise ukuba unomfazi ohlala eCecilsdorp, idolophu ekude kakhulu. Uza kubuya ngempela nyanga aphinde abuyele empangelweni xa kuthwasa inyanga, ngokutsho kukaS’neyifu. Unomsebenzi ohlawulayo yaye ngomnye wabantu ababalulekileyo emsebnzini wakhe. US’neyifu yena ngumahlalela osebenzisa gwenxa imali ayinikwe ngumfazi wakhe. Uyitya utywala namankazana.
Kufuneka singabikho apha xa ebuya umfazi wakhe. Uthe uza kusikhupha ngetshova akhanyele ukuba uyasazi. Kaloku uLisa yimfihlo yakhe, nditsho ndiqinisekile.
Ngenzulu zobusuku uS’neyifu ubuya eqhuba amatakane egone inkazana engafaniyo neyaphezolo. Akasihoyi nokusihoya. Kulunge kanye angathethi nathi kuba angaphulukwa eqhutywa butywala axelele uLisa ukuba unguyise. Andingethandi uLisa amazi uS’neyifu ukuba ngutata wakhe. Angangutata onjani kuLisa? Akubuya loo mfazi wakhe soba ngabakabani? UGogo wasweleka engekathethi nto ngotata kaLisa nangomama wakhe owashiya nje igama lakhe waphela emehlweni.
Ekuseni nje sifumene ikhipha lemali lishiywe nguS’neyifu phezu kwetafile. Yanele ukuba singathenga isonke nobisi iiveki ezimbini nangaphezulu. Usishiyele yona kuba kuphele into etyiwayo endlwini. Noko akasiyekeli singcikivwe yindlala.
La ntombazana yayihamba ze ukufika kwethu, le yonyanyisa uMaZibuko, ngummelwane wethu. Igama lakhe nguBianca Floyd. Wakhe wafunda edyunivesithi kodwa wayeka engagqibanga. Ulunge kakhulu. Umama wakhe ngumthandi wotywala ochitha imali kumdlalo womngcakazo. Inoba yiyo le nto esaziwa ngokuthanda ukulala namadoda amadala uBianca, uyenza loo nto kuba efuna imali yokondla usapho lwakwaFloyd.
Sakuba nesithukuthezi sibutha kulo Bianca.
UBianca wakhululela eStonebrooke. Usixelele ukuba yindawo ehlala izinhanha ezingawothiyo umlilo. Bashiya iStonebrook nosapho lwakhe emva kokutshona kweshishini likatata wakhe boyela ematyaleni. Utata wakhe wazibulala kuba engenakumelana nobomi bobuhlwempu. Umama wakhe wasala yena epholisa awakhe amanxeba ngokuya ngamandla ebhotileni nangokungcakaza. Waziwa ngelikaMamityi apha eRoseline umama kaBianca.
Izolo besikulo Bianca. Sive ingxolo singekangeni ngaphakathi uBianca esilwa noKhwezi. UKhwezi yintombi yasengingqini ehlala ngezantsi kwesitalato. Basoloko besilwa ngamadoda. Ngale mini uKhwezi ebehlasela uBianca kuba eve ngonoorhawuzana ukuba unento ayenza nendoda yakhe.
“UTheko akaphathwa,” utsho uKhwezi ehlahlamba. “Onke amankazana kule Roseline ayayazi ukuba ngowam.” Uthe akwanela ukutsho wonda ngoBianca efuna ukumbetha ngomphini weqakamba, bajikeleza igumbi beleqana.
“Kwakungoko. Ngoku ngowam!” utsho ngelizwi eliqinileyo uBianca engoyiki. “Ndikhulelwe umntwana wakhe ndithetha nje.”
Uye wacaphuka uKhwezi, washushu nomleqwano wabo. Uhambe ebetha kwanto ephambi kwahe kodwa wasinda uBianca ophume ebeleke izithende zisemqolo. Ugqithe kuthi okwempukane, uKhwezi ehleli emva kwakhe.
Lo Bra Theko kuliwa ngaye lixhego elidala ekungenzeka untanga nye nooyise bezi ntombi. Ngaba tata kuthiwa xa bebizwa ngoo-sugar daddy – ootata bweswekile. Ngumqhubi weeteksi obanga umtsalane kwintombi ezininzi eRoseline. Umama kaBianca andiqondi ukuba uyikhathalele into eyenziwa yintombi yakhe. Kaloku ngulowo uhleli nje unebhabhalaza ukuba akadakwanga.
Sifane samlinda uBianca abuye kuba singenanto yokwenza. Sigqibe kwelokuba singene egumbini lakhe sikhangele into yokuzonwabisa. Sifumane sibuka ibhodi yemifanekiso igxhonywe edongeni. Uyithiye igama wathi yibhodi yamaphupha. Kule bhodi kuncanyathiselwe umfanekiso wakhe nokaTheko, phakathi kwayo kukho imisesane emibini yomtshato esikwe kwimagazini . Kuncanyathiselwe nomfanekiso omdala osikwe kwimagazini wekumkanikazi yoonobuhle neenkosazana zakhe ezimbini kwakule bhodi. Iilokhwe zabo zezeminyaka yoo-1980.
Kukho umhlathana phantsi kwalo mfanekiso oefundeka ngolu hlobo: ‘Unobuhle wokuqala eRoseline ethweswa kumnyhadala obengezelayo.’
UMiss Roseline ubeke uncumo olungayiwayo oluveza amazinyo alinganayo, amhlophe. Luncumo olubeka lubala uchulumanco lwakhe. Unamehlo anomtsalane, endinokuwabuka kude kutshone ilanga. Ndiyamfanisa, nolu ncumo lwakhe lundenza ndifune ukuthi ndimqhelile kodwa andazi ukuba ndingathi ndimqhelele phi na. Emva kwakhe kukho ababini abazigqatse naye abaphume kwindawo yesibini neyesithathu. Andikwazi kuwasusa amehlo am kwinkosazana yesibini eyenze ubuso ngumona. Ujonge isitshaba sekumkanikazi ngathi uza kusohluthula entloko ngobugalakambu.
Kukho inqaku kwakule bhodi kaBianca elingokuvuselelwa komnyhadala wonobuhle kulo nyaka, olilinge elixhaswe yimagazini yaseRoseline iSleek. Lo mnyhadala uza kubanjwa kwiiveki ezizayo. Ogqwese phambili uza kufumana ibhaso mali elingange-R25 000 nekhontraki (contract) yokumodela. UBianca uzobe isangqa ngelipstick ebomvu ibhaso nemini yolu khuphiswano.
Olu kuphiswano likroba likaBianca lokuba abuyele eStonebrook, indawo yezityebi. Wakhe wasixelela ngobomi bakhe phaya nendlu yakowabo enkulu enepuli yokudada egadini engathi ngumyezo wase-Edeni.
NoLisa makangenele. Fane ucinge nje izinto esingazenza ngale mali ingako. Singazifumanela indlu ethi thina nokutya okwaneleyo, apho angekhoyo khona uS’neyifu. Ndiyamazi ke yena angangavumi ukungenela kuba uGogo wayeyicaphukela imiboniso yonobuhle. Wakhe wathi kuLisa ngenye imini, amantombazana aqhiyaza ze esidlangalaleni abekelwe indawo ekhethekileyo esihogweni.
Simlinde samncama uBianca. Inoba userenkini ukhangela elinye ixhego eliza kumpha imali.
Ngoku sibuyela kwaS’neyifu. Ufika uLisa acoce. US’neyifu uthe sihlala ukuba uLisa ucoca indlu yakhe. Ngamanye amaxesha ndiye ndimbone uS’neyifu esiba uLisa ngamehlo, xa etshayela, ngathi ikhona le nto ayicingayo. Kungenzeka kuthi kanti uba nombono kamama kaLisa.
ULisa ubhaqe ibhokisi phantsi kwebhedi yombethwe luthuli egumbini likaS’neyifu. Le bhokisi ibifihliwe, kodwa ibikhe yaphathwa nguS’neyifu ekhangela into endingayaziyo.
Umi phambi kwayo ethintalaza ukuyivula. Uxakiwe ukuba makathini.
Yivule Lisa.
Uyafuna ukuyazi naye le nto engaphakathi.
“Jonga Pretty,” utsho ekhupha ilatshana elimfuma-mfuma lisongele imisesane imibini. Uthatha omnye kuyo ewulinganisele emnweni wakhe. Uyamlingana.
Ukhupha umfanekiso awubuke ewusondeze kuye. Ingumfanekiso kaMiss Roseline wakudala nje lo… Uncumele uLisa. Ingaba ufuna ntoni ebhokisini kaS’neyifu? ULisa akazi. Akaqasheli nokuqashela. Kaloku akazange eve izinto ezazithethwa nguGogo ngala mini wayendishiyile waya esikolweni. UMiss Roseline ngumama wakhe. Kutsho kwasa kum.
Lisa ujonge umama wakhe. Owu! Akwaba ungade uyazi loo nto.
Kuvakala umntu enkqonkqoza emnyango. ULisa ubuyisela umfanekiso nemisesane endaweni yayo ekhawulezile. Ugqibelea ngokuvula ucango.
Kumi inenekazi emnyango liphulula amathanga ngezandla. Umzimba wakhe ngokanobuhle, ubuso bona bobenxila. Amachokozana abomvu ezidleleni zakhe alenza langcola ibala lakhe elalikhanyile ebutsheni bakhe. Ukhangeleka eqhelekile naye kum. Uyafanelwa lilaphu alinxibileyo, ndiyancoma. Ingathi usandula ukuthi qatha ngaphandle kusenziwa umboniso bhanya-bhanya, i-The Devil Wears Prada. Ndinento ngaphakathi engavumi umnqwazi wam uqine ngaye: andimthembi, usiphathele inkathazo. Kungenzeka kuthi kanti ngumfazi kaS’neyifu osuka eCecilsdorp. Kazi siza kuya kulo bani?
“UnguLisa,” utsho encumile.
Akanguye umfazi kaS’neyifu – uncumo lwakhe luzele bububele, akakhangeleki nje ngomntu oza kugxotha inkedama. Ngubani ke, kutheni elapha? Ndisamile kwelithi uze kudungada uxolo kwangendlela asijonge ngayo. Ndinesiphiwo kaloku mna sokuntama inkathazo ikude.
“NdinguZimasa,” uyasixelela. “Ndive kusithiwa kukho intombazana ehlala apha. Ewe, ndizokubona wena.”
Igama lakhe liqhelekile, bubuso obu ndingade ndibuchane. Khawume – nguye lo, ngomnye waba nobuhle basebhodini kaBianca. Ngulo waphuma kwindawo yesibini. Ngulo weyejonge uMiss Roseline enyembile. Mdala ngoku, ubuso bakhe sebubalisa ngobomi, kodwa usabonakala ukuba nguye lowa upha kula mfanekiso woonobuhle.
UGogo wayethethile ngeendwendwe wathi ziyabukwa, ngoko simvulela amasango ukuba angene. Uwola uLisa ambuze usuku awazalwa ngalo. Andiqinisekanga ukuba yinto aza kuyithini leyo ngaphandle kokuba unento ayikrokrelayo, afuna ukuqiniseka kuyo.
“UGogo wathi ndazalwa ngemini ilanga lalivathe imibala ebhanya-bhanya, kwiminyaka elishumi elinesixhenxe eyadlulayo.”
Uphinda awole uLisa ngeengalo uZimasa.
Siva isandi esihlabayo semoto iqhutyiwe, imise. US’neyifu ufike phambi kwexesha adla ngokufika ngalo. UZimasa ukhangeleka engonwabanga, ufuna ukuhamba ngoku kodwa alikho ithuba loko, uS’neyifu sel’ efikile.
“Sisilingo sani esi… Zimasa!” ungena atsho.
Axaba emqaleni amagama kuZimasa, uyadyudya kule ndawo ami kuyo. Kudibene inyoka nesele.
Inoba yinto kaS’neyifu ukukhupha amehlo abomvu akuthi ntla ngondwendwe angalufuniyo kwakhe. Uyavutha ngumsindo, angaxhumela uZimasa amkhame kuqhoqhoqho nanini na. Unqandwa nje bubukho bethu. Uguqukela kuLisa.
“Egumbini lakho wena. Ngoku!” ULisa ubaleka andithi xhwi ngengalo azivalele egumbini lakhe.
Unomdla wale nto kuxoxwa ngayo ngooS’neyifu endlwini yokutyela. Sibaza iindlebe zethu zithe nca ecangweni.
“Andiyindawo ndide nditsho le nto ndifuna ukuyitsho,” kutsho uZimasa ngelizwi elithambileyo kodwa licacile.
“Tsib’ umgubasi.” Akafuni nokuva uS’neyifu.
“Awukhathalele kuva le nto ndifuna ukuyithetha phambi kokuba undigxothe kwakho?”
“Ufuna ukundixelela ntoni kanye-kanye?”
“Ndikuxolele,” uqhuba atsho uZimasa ebumba ubuyena. “Yonke into enandenza yona noZameka, ukutshabalalisa ubomi bam, nokohlutha ithuba lam lobomi obungcono. Ndiyazilibala ezo zinto, ndiyanixolela.”
“Uyanxila. Wazenza ngokwakho.”
Le yimbambano yakudala. Andingethandi ukuphoswa, mhlawumbi ndiza kuyazi into eyayiqumbise uZimasa kula mfanekiso wakudala.
“Umama wandifundisa ukuba ndizixolele intshaba zam phambi kokuba ndiziphindezele,” usaqhuba uZimasa.
Uphelelwa ngumonde uS’neyifu.
“Zange ndakona nakanye!” utsho efudumele.
“Wandona Bra Sne, wena nala nomokhwe onguJudasi, uZimasa. Nandiphangela isitshaba nekhontraki yokumodela.
“Yimbhali engenzeli mnt’ umdla leyo. Kwaphumelela uZimasa, yamkele loo nto.
Makathi uyadlala. Ucinga ukuba uS’neyifu waphumelelisa umama kaLisa? Uyagula!
“Wawuyi jaji kolwa khuphiswano, ngaphezu koko wawulala noZameka. Wenza ubuqhophololo kwaphumelela yena. La thayitile kwakumele ukuba iphunyelelwa ndim. Ndandimhle yaye ndichubeke ukogqitha yena.”
Uphupha ehleli uZimasa. Wayengathathi nto kuZameka ngobuhle.
Siva ugidi-gidi ophuma kwindlu yokutyela, siva uZimasa ekhala ukuba uS’neyifu amyeke.
“Ndiza kumxelela umfazi wakho ukuba wena wawulala noZimasa. Ndinobungqina obuphathekayo,” utsho ehleka. “Ndingxamele ukubona ubuso bakhe bujika bubabomvu ndimxelela ukuba wawumetsha nisenentsuku ezimbini nitshatile. Uza kuba nje ngegeza xa ndimxelela ukuba wena noZameka naba nomntwana oyintombazana owamfihlayo.”
“Zizoyikiso nje ezo eziphuma kwinkazana eleqa iphupha elifileyo,” utsho enyevula uS’neyifu. “Soze akukholelwe.”
“Hayi ke, ndakufana ndimbonise loo mntwana. Uza kunifanisa ngokwakhe.”
“Ungakhe ulinge!”
“Uyoyika ngoku kuba uza kuphulukana nemali yafele-fele oyikhongozwa ngumfazi qho ngempela-nyanga. Okanye unombono wakho ugqiba esitalatweni ungenandawo yokulala?” usaqhuba uZimasa. “Wawuyindoda ngemihla yakho Bra Sne, uyi-DJ ekhasayo, uthundezwa ngamagqiyazana ajinga emagxeni akho ukuba wathathe. Wawungazigwagwisi ngako. Ngoku ungumpha ochutywe walahlwa, usalelwe ngumtsalane nomlomo-mnandi. Kungako ungade ulahlwe ngumfazi. Ezinye iintombi ziza kuwe kuba zifuna imali yakho hayi wena.”
“Phuma!”
“Ok, ndiyahamba.” Utsho egxanya eshiya ngasemva amazwi okugqibela, “Yibe uosonwabela elo xeshana lokwazana nentombi leyo yakho uLisa.”
Ndijonge uLisa eswacele ebusweni esiva amazwi okugqibela kaZimasa. Uyazi ukuba le ndoda ahlala nayo ngutata wakhe – uS’neyifu ongulewu, ongungantweni, inxila.
“Uve ngabani?” ungxola atsho uS’neyifu sele ephumile uZimasa. “Ndithi buyela apha wena.” UZimasa akasabonakali.
ULisa undifaka empokothweni, aphume ebaleka angene esitalatweni. Kuya kusiba mnyama ngoku andazi apho aya khona. Uyabaleka, ufuna ukuba kude kwaS’neyifu. Siya singena nzulu ebumnyameni.
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Sixelele ucinga ntoni: Le mpindezelo izungulwa nguZimasa iya kumenza onwabe kule ntlungu yakhe?