Ngalelinye lilanga esikolweni, Thishela Jane wabatjela ngetingilosi. Sharon abejabule kakhulu ngaloko bekakufundzile kangangekutsi ngekushesha nakefika ekhaya ngalelo langa watjela make wakhe ngako konkhe lokuhle tingilosi letikwentako.

“Make, ibukeka njani ingilosi?” wabuta njengoba adla kudla kwakhe lokulula ngemuva kwesikolwa.

“Angati, sthandwa sami. Thishela Jane utsite ingilosi ibukeka njani?” kubuta Make.

“Utsite sitayati ingilosi nasiyibona,” kusho Sharon, akhokha umoya. Abefisa shengatsi Thishela Jane ngabe ubatjelile kutsi ingilosi ibukeka njani. Lokungenani Sharon abengati kutsi abukeni!

“Awumkholelwa Thishela Jane?” kubuta Make.

“Angati. Ngiyatibuta nje kutsi ingilosi ngitayibona njani nangabe ngingati kutsi ngibukeni,” kusho Sharon. Wacedzela kudla kwakhe lokulula futsi wabeka lipulede nenkomishi esinkini lesekhishini.

“Ngicela ute ungisite sihlante litafula,” kusho Make. “Faka emacembe etibhidvo emgconyeni wemcuba futsi ngicela ususe nesinkhwa.”

“Kulungile, Make,” kusho Sharon futsi ngekushesha wenta loko make wakhe labemcele kutsi akwente.

Babe wakhe nakefika ekhaya abuya emsebentini ngalobobusuku, Sharon wagijima wayombingelela emnyango. Watsatsa sikhwama sakhe sasemsebentini wamphatsela sona. Babe wakhe wamanga futsi wamamatseka.

“Babe, nginembuto,” kusho Sharon ngaphandle kwekunika babe wakhe litfuba lekutsi ahlale phansi.

“Yebo, sthandwa sami, utsini umbuto wakho?” kubuta babe wakhe amamatseka kakhulu.

“Babe, ingilosi ibukeka njani?”

“Ecinisweni, tingilosi tinhle, tinemusa futsi tiyatsandzeka,” kusho babe wakhe.

“Ngiyati. Thishela Jane naye ushito njalo. Kodvwa lengifuna kukwati kutsi tibukeka njani,” kusho Sharon.

Babe wakhe wambuka wacabanga sikhashana. Wase utsi, “Sitawuphuma ngemphelasontfo kuze sibone leyodvwa.”

Sharon abejabule kakhulu. “Uyati kutsi utibuka kuphi?” abuta amangele. “Make!” amemeta. “Babe uyati lapho singatfola khona tingilosi!”

“Kuhle loko, Sharon. Ngiyajabula kutsi ekugcineni utayitfola imphendvulo yembuto wakho,” kusho Make. Wabuka babe waSharon ngekumamatseka lokukhulu ebusweni.

Ngakusasa ekuseni etekisini lesikolwa Sharon watjela bonkhe bangani bakhe kutsi bekayobona ingilosi ngemphelasontfo. Bangani bakhe bamamatseka ngesizotsa ngoba bayamtsandza Sharon, kodvwa bebangakukholelwa labatjela kona.

Ngako watjela thishela wakhe ngetinhlelo takhe tangemphelasontfo. Thishela Jane wamcela kutsi ete atowutjela likilasi lonkhe ngeluhambo lwakhe ngeMsombuluko.

NgeMgcibelo ekuseni, Sharon wavuka ekuseni kakhulu kuze ente imisebenti yakhe. Ngemuva kwaloko wageza, wagcoka kahle wase udla kudla kwasekuseni. Lobesekusele, kwakukulindza babe wakhe kutsi alungele kuhamba. Ngekushesha Sharon abesahleti esitulweni lesingemuva emotweni futsi besebasendleleni bahamba.

“Kukhashane yini yeBabe?” abuta ajabulile.

“Sitawufika masinyane,” washo amamatseka. Bashayela sikhashana ngaphambi kwekutsi beme ekhaya lalasebakhulile.

“Sesifikile,” kwasho Babe akhumula libhande lesitulo semoto.

“Ekhaya lalasebakhulile?” Sharon abedidekile. Betentani tingilosi ekhaya lalasebakhulile?

“Sanibonani,” kusho lijaha lita kubo. “Kufanele kube ungu-Sharon. Ngente luhla lwetintfo lokufanele utente kuze usisite lapha ekhaya lamuhla.” Wamoyitela kuSharon wase uniketa babe wakhe liphepha.

Babe wakhe wafundza loluhla. Kwekucala, Sharon wasita Babe kutsanyela libala. Ngemuva kwaloko bahlanta letitulo labantfu labadzala labahlala kuto nabatsamela lilanga. Sharon wenta umsebenti wakhe ngekushesha kuze babe wakhe amtsatse ayobona ingilosi.

“Ngemuva kwaloko sitawuhlanta indlu yekudlela,” kusho Babe. Batsanyela batsintsitsa lutfuli futsi bapholisha kwacwebetela futsi kwahlanteka.

Ekugcineni, kwasekusikhatsi selikhefu. Sharon nababe wakhe bageza tandla tabo nebuso bahamba baya endzaweni yekudlela. Kuleyo ndzawo Sharon wasita ngekuniketa bantfu kudla wase ujabulela kuhlala nabo njengoba bebamcocela tindzaba takadzeni. Baphindze badlala imidlalo yemabhodi. Ngemuva kwaloko lomunye gogo watsi kuSharon, “Uyingilosi,” futsi wamanga.

“Ungubani ligama lakho, ngilosi yami?” kubuta lomunye gogo.

“NginguSharon,” waphendvula amamatseka futsi wagijima waya kubabe wakhe.

Watsi, “Labogogo bangibita ngengilosi. Ngibese ngiyakhumbula kutsi bekufanele ungikhombise yinye lamuhla, Babe.”

Babe wakhe wamamatseka futsi wakhomba esibukweni lesisedvutane labebatibona kuso. “Sharon, ingilosi ibukeka njena-ke.”

Sharon watibuka sikhashana wase uyamamatseka. Abekulangatelele kubuyela esikolweni ngeMsombuluko ayochazela bangani bakhe nathishela kutsi ukujabulele kangakanani kwenta umsebenti lomuhle wekuba yingilosi.

[Get story active!] Yenta indzaba ibe nemdlandla!

• Ucabanga kutsi tingilosi tibukeka njani? Dvweba sitfombe sengilosi. Juba futsi unamatsisele intfo yemphahla kanye neboya noma intsambo yetinwele.
• Bhala inkhondlo lesitjela loko lokucabangako ngetingilosi.
• Yakha lijeke lelibhalwe kutsi “Ngiyingilosi yakho” ulakhele umuntfu lomtsandzako. Mema loyo muntfu kutsi abhale emanotsi lamancane etintfo letilula – njengekutsi Ngentele inkomishi yelitiya – langatsandza kutsi umentele tona awafake kulelijeke. Kanyenti ngangalokungenteka, khipha manye emanotsi futsi wentele umuntfu lomtsandzako lokutsite lokuhle.