user
Baqhubeka-ke nokudla, behlisa ingxoxo ngomculo omnandi owawudlala kule
restoranti. Ngesikade babambana ngezandla futhi, bangena emotweni, baphindela
efulethini likaMahlengi, kwaba yiso leso futhi sokuqabulana nokuxoxa ngokuningi
okwakubahlekisa, kubadabukisa, kubajabulisa, kubenza bengaliboni newashi elase
lihambile.
'Ngeke sthandwa, kufanele ngihambile,' ebuka iwashi ehwaqa, enikina ikhanda.
'Eyi, uqinisile, kuyasetshenzwa kusasa,' Bavalelisana kunzima, babambana,
baqabulana, bethembisana lona uthando olungapheli, nokuhambisana ezinkingeni
okwakufanele babhekane nazo. Wayiklwebha imoto uXolani yadabula idolobha elase
lithule lingasaphithizeli, ibheke koDurban North emzini wakhe. Wayehamba ecula
ejabule lapha emotweni, esanganiswe wuthando olusha olwase lumenza acabange
izinto eziningi ayengakaze acabange ukuthi uyoke azenze empilweni. Njengakho
ukudivosa nje. Yebo, kukhona okwakumtshela nje ukuthi usengamane alithethe kube
kanye, uma engaqhubeka nokuzwa lolu thando aluzwa manje enhliziyweni ngenxa
kaMahlengi, hhayi usengalithetha ligcwele, sekungaklebhuka kwancwajana yomshado
leyo.
Wayesacabanga ngedivosi ngenkathi eyongena ngesango kwakhe. Ekuqaleni
wacabanga ukuthi udukile, wafifiyela. Hhayi, kwakusemzini wakhe lapha. Pho lesi
sixuku? Laba bantu bezicishamlilo? Wehla sekuxega amadolo.
'Kwenzenjani emzini wami?' ebuza ehlahla amehlo.
'Yithina okufanele ngabe sibuza wena?' kuhayiza umkakhe owayesingethwe yiphoyisa,
lenza umzamo owawubukeka ungaphumeleli wokumduduza nokumthulisa.
'Kwenzenjani?' ebuza ediyazela.
'Uphumaphi? Izingane zize ziyafa awukho wena?' Ahayize kakhulu.
'Izingane zifile?' ebuza ngeliqhaqhazelayo.
'Yebo,' kusho iphoyisa eduze kwakhe, lidonsa umoya kakhulu.
'Bekwenzenjani?'
'Kakuqondakali okwamanje. Kusobala ukuthi kusuke umlilo ngaphakathi. Umnyango
ubuhluthulelwe. Bahlulekile ukuphuma. Lwephuzile ukufika usizo.' 

1. Xoxa ngesisusa sodweshu phakathi kukaXolani nonkosikazi wakhe kulesi
siqeshana. 
assistant
Udweshu lususwa ukuthi unkosikazi kaXolani ufuna ukwazi ukuthi uXolani
ubekuphi njengoba efica sekuphithizela kwakhe, kushe umuzi izingane zafela
phakathi. 