user
Akabange esaqeda ukumemeza.
'Ngivelelwa yini? Ngubani lo Mahlengi olokhu ubalisa ngaye?' kubhoka umkakhe
ngolaka egubhuka ezingutsheni, ekhanyisa ilambu likagesi elilapha eceleni kombhede
wabo omkhulukazi.
'Bengiphupha,' kuchaza uXolani kuduma ikhanda, esho elenwaya nalo ikhanda,
ecikica amehlo, emshalazela umkakhe oseqhaqhazela ngenxa yokucasuka.
'Kangiphiki ukuthi ubuphupha. Engikubuzayo ngukuthi ngubani lo Mahlengi
omphuphayo?' embuza emgqolozele emehlweni. Ishalaze indoda.
'Kangimazi. Uyawazi nje nawe amawongowongo amaphupho ukuthi ...' eneka izandla,
etshekisa ikhanda sengathi ucela ukuba umkakhe avumelane naye ekuthini
amaphupho kuyenzeka umuntu amphuphise amawongowongo nje angaqondakali.
'Hhayi njalo Xolani. Ngiyakukhuza njalo ...' emhlaba ngeso elibi qede enikina
ikhanda.
'Khululeka s'thandwa. Yiphupho nje elibi. Ngiyabona kufanele ngikhiphe inyongo.'
'Kakukho nyongo okufanele uyikhiphe. Kufanele ukhiphe lo Mahlengi engqondweni
yakho nje kwaphela.'
'Okunye-ke, ngifuna ukulala manje,' isho ifulathela futhi intokazi, yelula ingalo icisha
ugesi, imshiya ebakaza emnyameni uXolani, esalokhu elinikine njalo ikhanda
elisalokhu lidume lokho nje.
Yake yandwaza eside isikhathi ezingutsheni insizwa, ikhanda liduma.
'Mahlengi, ungenzani kodwa bakithi?' kubalisa uXolani ngenhliziyo edonsa umoya
ezama ukulala, engasazi noma usafisa yini ukuphinde ambone kwelamaphupho
uMahlengi.
Wayebalisa kanjena nje uXolani noMahlengi naye wayengalele ethatha ebeka
ebukeza konke obekwenzeka ngenkathi behleli kamnandi noXolani, bexoxa,
beqhumisa amahlaya sengathi sekuyiminyaka bazana, ungaphika ukuthi kakukapheli
nosuku olulodwa lolu bazene.

1. Chaza ukulandelana kwezehlakalo/kwezigameko ezaholela ekutheni
uNkululeko azibulale.
assistant
UNkululeko washayisa uNontobeko ngemoto wase emphuthumisa
esibhedlela, wayelokhu emvakashela kwase kwakheka inhlansi yothando
bagcina sebethandana. UNkululeko walobola uNontobeko ngokushesha yize
uNontobeko emchazela ukuthi usathanda uMhlengi, kwathi ngobusuku
obandulela usuku lomshado uNontobeko wamala uNkululeko okwaholela
ekutheni azibulale.