UPalesa noGracie babengabangane kusukela beseneminyaka emithathu ubudala. Babengomakhelwane, futhi omama babo nabo babengabangane. Babeshiyana ngenyanga eyodwa ubudala futhi bakhuliswa njengamantombazane andawonye. Konke babekwenza ndawonye. Babefunda esikoleni esisodwa futhi njalo babezithola befunda ekilasini elilodwa!

Kwathi ngolunye usuku, lapho amantombazane esethe ukukhulakhula, kwenzeka okuthile okwabenza badumala kakhulu. UGracie wafika kubokaPalesa ehlengezela izinyembezi. “Kwenze njani?” Kubuza uPalesa, ekhathazeke kakhulu ngomngane wakhe. “Ubaba uthole umsebenzi kwelinye idolobha, futhi umndeni wakithi kudingeka uthuthe,” kusho uGracie ehlengezela izinyembezi. La mantombazane amabili akhala zoma izinyembezi. “Mama, ngicela uGracie ahlale nathi, kungalunga?” UPalesa wanxusa unina. “Mama, ngicela uPalesa ahambe nathi, kulungile?” UGracie wanxusa unina.

Kodwa, ngeshwa, lokhu kwakungenakwenzeka ngoba ngamunye kumantombazane kwakumele ahlale nabazali bakhe. Ngosuku olungaphambi kokuba umndeni wakwaGracie uthuthe, uPalesa wacabanga ngesipho esikhethekile ayengasinika umngane wakhe. Kwakuyisongo lenhlanhla ayelinikwe ugogo wakhe eminyakeni eminingi edlule. Owesifazane owayethengisele ugogo wakhe leli songo wayethe wayewenze aba mabili kuphela anje. Elinye isongo lalinensinjana yenhlanhla yelanga, kanti elinye lalinensinjana yenhlanhla yenyanga. Ugogo kaPalesa wayemkhethele elelanga uPalesa. “Ungukukhanya kwezimpilo zethu,” washo kanjalo lapho enika uPalesa lelo songo.

Lapho ugogo kaPalesa eshona, uPalesa njalo wayeluzwa uthando lukagogo wakhe lapho efake lelo songo. Lalikhetheke kakhulu kuye. “Ngifuna ukupha uGracie leli songo,” uPalesa ehleba ekhuluma yedwa. “Lizomkhumbuza ukuthi siyohlale singabangane abakhulu.” UGracie wathuthela esikoleni sakhe esisha, kodwa wayemkhumbula kakhulu umngane wakhe. La mantombazane ayebhalelana njalo lapho ethola ithuba. Ngolunye usuku, uPalesa wathola iphasela eposini. Lalivela kuGracie. “Ngiyazibuza ukuthi linani phakathi,” kusho uPalesa njengoba unina emnika lona. “Livule!” uMama emamatheka.

UPalesa wamangala lapho ethola isongo elifana ncamashi nalelo ayelinike uGracie lisephaseleni. “Kungani uGracie elibuyisile isongo lami?” kubuza uPalesa, ekhathazekile futhi edumele. Kodwa lapho uPalesa elibukisisa ngokucophelela leli songo, wabona ukuthi leli lalinensinjana yenhlanhla yenyanga. “Leli yileli elinye isongo uGogo angitshela ngalo!” kusho uPalesa emamatheka kakhulu. Wabe esethola nepheshana elibhaliwe elivela kuGracie. UGracie wabhala: Ngithole leli songo ekhaya lethu elisha. Ngizamile ukulibuyisela kumninilo, kodwa wathi ngingalithatha liyisipho. Ngilithumela kuwe ukukukhumbuza ukuthi siyohlale singabangane abakhulu. “Yeka umlingo wokuqondana kwezinto,” kusho uPalesa, njengoba eligqoka isongo.

UPalesa wayazi ukuthi kwakuwuphawu lokuthi laba bangane ababili babeyohlale bengabangane, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bahlala beqhelelene kangakanani omunye komunye. Babenjengelanga nenyanga, ngakunye kunikeza ukukhanya ngendlela yakho ehlukile.

Yenza indaba ihlabe umxhwele!

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