UMama uTau wayegoduka! Kwakulixesha elide engekho eyokufunda, yaye usapho lwakhe lwalumkhumbula. Wonke umntu wayechulumancile. Kodwa uThapelo, oyena mncinci kubantwana bakhe, wayengoyena unemincili ukubadlula bonke.
Ngosuku lokufika kukaMama uTau, usapho lwachitha intsasa lulungiselela. Ilanga lalikhanya phandle. UThapelo wayekhabakhaba ibhola engceni. Wayefuna ukubonisa umama wakhe ukuba ukukhaba kwakhe ibhola kwakubhetele kangakanani ukusukela ukugqibela kwakhe ukumbona. “Yibambe, Bless,” wakhwaza watsho enjeni. Kodwa uBless wasuka wayijonga ibhola waza wangena endlwini.
UThapelo walandela inja waza waya kukhangela udadewabo, uRefilwe. URefilwe wayeyiDJ. Kangangokuba wayezithanda wayenxiba iindondo zakhe zelanga nasendlwini. URefilwe wayesegumbini lakhe ekhangela umculo aza kuwudlala xa umama wakhe engena kumnyango ongaphambili. “Andizukudlala nayiphi na irep asoloko eyikhalazela,” watsho uRefilwe. “Namhlanje siza kumamela kuphela ijez. Ngohlobo kanye uMama athanda ngalo.” Wakhulula iindondo zakhe waqobela uThapelo iliso. “Mhlawumbi ungadanisa noMama.”
Waza uRefilwe wafaka izimameli zakhe waqalisa ukunqwala intloko kwisandi somculo.
“Ndingakuncedisa?” wabuza uThapelo.
“Intoni?” watsho uRefilwe, esusa izimameli zakhe. “Ubusithini?”
“Ndingakuncedisa?” wakhwaza uThapelo.
“Akukho sidingo sokuba ukhwaze,” watsho uRefilwe. “Ndikuva kakuhle.” Waze wanikina intloko. “Yonke le nto ikwikhompyutha, Thapelo. Ngoko ke, awunakunceda. Umncinci kakhulu.”
UThapelo waya kukhangela umnakwabo, uSaul. Wayesekhitshini, ebhaka enye yeekeyiki zakhe ezikhethekileyo. Ngalo lonke ixesha kwakukho isehlo esikhethekileyo, uSaul wayebhaka ikeyiki. Kwitheko lokugqibela lomhla wokuzalwa likaThapelo, wayenze ikeyiki yetshokholethi eneeswiti iiSmarties ngaphezulu.
USaul wayenxibe ifaskoti enemigca kwaye wayezamisa umxube wekeyiki kwisitya esikhulu. “Yikeyiki yelamuni le,” waxelela uThapelo. “Eyona ayithanda kakhulu uMama.”
“Ndingakuncedisa?” wabuza uThapelo.
“Hayi,” watsho. “Kwixa elingaphambili wawisa iqanda. Uxolo, Thapelo. Umncinci kakhulu.”
Wahamba waya kukhangela omnye udadewabo, uMampotoko, owayexhoma imihombiso kwigumbi lokuhlala. Kwakukho amatyathanga ephepha neebhaloni.
“Ndingakuncedisa?” wabuza.
“Ina, bona ukuba ungakwazi na ukuzivuthela ezi,” watsho, enika uThapelo ezinye iibhaloni. Wakhetha ebomvu waza waqalisa ukuvuthela. Wazama, wazama kodwa zange abe nakho ukufaka umoya owaneleyo kuyo.
“Owu hayi,” watsho kalusizi. “Ndimncinci kakhulu.”
Ngoko ke uThapelo wahamba waya kukhangela uTata. Wayehleli etafileni, esongela uMama intsimbi yentamo yamaso. “Le ntsimbi yentamo inemibala ayithandayo,” watsho. “Umfusa noluhlaza. Ayintlanga?”
UThapelo wabona iphepha lokusongela elineenkwenkwezi.
“Ndingakuncedisa ukusongela intsimbi yentamo?” wabuza uThapelo.
“Hayi, uxolo, Thapelo, umncinci kakhulu,” watsho utata wakhe.
UThapelo waziva elusizi. Wajonga inja yabo, uBless, ehleli ecaleni koTata. “Yiza, Bless,” wakhwaza. Kodwa uBless wazihlalela nje apho. “NoBless ngokwakhe ucinga ukuba ndimncinci kakhulu,” wacinga uThapelo.
UThapelo waphuma phandle waza wahlala kwinqwanqwa elingaphambili. “Ndinqwenela ukunga ndingakhula ndibe mde njengesigebenga,” wacinga. “Ngoko ke bakundoyika bonke yaye akukho mntu uya kuthi, ‘Umncinci kakhulu.’”
Ngelo xesha kanye weva ilizwi elikhwazayo liphuma ngaphakathi endlwini. “Bless! Bless, buya!”
UBless wabaleka wegqitha kuThapelo waza wajikela ekoneni yendlu. Yaye emva koBless kwakubaleka uTata. Kulandela uSaul. Kulandela uRefilwe. Kwalandela uMampotoko. “Loo nja ibe isipho sikaMama!” UTata wamemeza njengoko wayedlula kuThapelo. UThapelo wazibandakanya nabo waleqa uBless naye.
UBless watsiba wangena ngomngxuma oselucingweni, kwiyadi esebumelwaneni. “Buya, Bless!” bakwaza. Kwaza emva kwethutyana wabuya uBless ... kodwa ngaphandle kwesipho!
“Owu hayi, usishiye kwammelwane!” wancwina uTata. “Yaye abakwaSithole abekho bakubuya ngomso! Ngoko ke sixinge kweliya cala locingo bade babuye!”
“Ndingatyhoboza emngxunyeni ndiyokusithatha,” wacebisa uThapelo.
“Hayi,” batsho bonke ngaxeshanye. “Um ...” Bema. Bajonga kuThapelo.
“Ungathubeleza?” wabuza uRefilwe.
“Umncinci ngokwaneleyo?” wabuza uSaul.
UThapelo wazisonga waza watyhudisa wangena emngxunyeni. Wenela ukuba athubeleze. Apho engceni eyadini kaMama uSithole, yayisisipho esisongiweyo, likrazuke kancinci nje iphepha lokusonga. Wasithatha isipho waza watyhudisa waphumela kwelinye icala locingo kwakhona.
“Owu, Thapelo,” watsho uTata. “Ubalasele!”
“Masimqhwabele kathathu uThapelo!” watsho uSaul, baza bonke bamanga.
Emva kwexeshana ngaloo njikalanga kwankqonkqozwa emnyango. YayinguMama! UThapelo wangxama ukuya kuzifaka ezingalweni zakhe.
“Awusakhule ngako, nyana wam,” watsho. “Jonga indlela omde ngayo ngoku.”
“Kodwa ndisemncinci kakhulu, Mama,” watsho.
“Hayi!” bakhwaza bonke.
“Hayi, awunjalo!” watsho uTata, “Ungumlinganiselo ofaneleke kakuhle!”
