“Usuku lokuzalwa lukaBaba namhlanje,” kusho uMama.

O, ngifuna ukumtholela isipho!” kusho u-Alex. “Ngingamnikani, Mama?”

“Kumele siye esitolo siyothenga ufulawa wekhekhe losuku lokuzalwa lukaBaba,” kusho uMama. “Sizozama ukucabanga ngesipho sikaBaba endleleni eya esitolo.”

“Kulungile! Ngizophatha isikhwama sokuphatha izimpahla ezithengiwe,” kusho u-Alex.

Ngakho-ke bahamba o-Alex nomama wakhe. U-Alex wagijima washiya umama wakhe ehamba endleleni esivuthiwe. Kwakuwusuku oluhle. Ilanga lalikhanya phakathi kwezihlahla zephayini, kanye namanathi ephayini ayewele phansi. U-Alex wacosha elilodwa.

“Buka, Mama. Kuyini lokhu?” kubuza yena.

“Yinathi lephayini,” kusho uMama.

“Libukeka sengathi linephiko,” kusho u-Alex.

“Lokhu kwenzelwa ukuthi likwazi ukuntanta emoyeni bese lithola indawo ekahle yokukhula libe ngesinye isihlahla sephayini,” kusho uMama. ” Wonke la manathi aphansi awe ephuma kumakhoni ephayini asezihlahleni.”

“Ngabe ngingalizwa ukuthi linambitheka kanjani?” kubuza u-Alex.

“Yebo, kodwa kumele silikhiphe egobolondweni lalo kuqala,” kusho uMama, wase elishaya ehlephula igobolondo ngetshe.

“Nanti,” kusho uMama, wase enika u-Alex inathi elincane.

“Limnandi!” kusho yena. “Ngabe ucabanga ukuthi uBaba uzowathokozela amanathi ephayini osukwini lwakhe lokuzalwa, Mama?”

“Mhlawumbe,” kusho uMama.

Ngakho u-Alex wacosha amanathi ephayini amaningi wawafaka esikhwameni sokufaka izinto ezithengiwe. Ngesikhathi beqhubeka nendlela, u-Alex wabona ilanga likhanyisa amanye amatshe. Wase ecosha elilodwa.

“Bheka leli litshe elinsundu, Mama,” kusho yena. “Libusheshelezi kakhulu. Ngabe ucabanga ukuthi uBaba angalithanda njengesipho sosuku lwakhe lokuzalwa?” kubuza u-Alex.

“Mhlawumbe,” kusho uMama.

Ngakho-ke u-Alex wafaka itshe elinsundu esikhwameni sakhe sokufaka izinto ezithengiwe base beqhubeka nendlela. U-Alex wabe esebona izimbali zasendle eziluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka eduze kwendlela yezinyawo.

“Bheka lezi zimbali, Mama,” kusho u-Alex. “Ziwumbala ofanayo nesibhakabhaka.”

“Yizimbali ezincane zasendle, kanti-ke zibheke elangeni,” kusho uMama.

U-Alex wacosha eyodwa. “Ngabe ucabanga ukuthi uBaba uzozithanda izimbali zasendle eziluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka njengesipho sosuku lwakhe lokuzalwa, Mama?” kusho yena.

“Mhlawumbe,” kusho uMama.

U-Alex wafaka imbali encane eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka esikhwameni sakhe sokufaka izinto ezithengiwe.

Kusenjalo, o-Alex nonina bafika esitolo. UMama wathenga ufulawa wokwenzela uBaba ikhekhe losuku lokuzalwa. Wase ethenga namakhandlela amancane azowabeka phezu kwekhekhe.

Uma befika ekhaya, uMama wabhaka ikhekhe losuku lokuzalwa, u-Alex wase ekhipha amanathi ephayini kanye nembali eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka esikhwameni sokufaka okuthengiwe.

“Awu, he! Awubheke-nje,” kusho u-Alex, “imbali encane seyigoqene, kanti nobuso bayo sebuvalekile.”

“Yebo,” kusho uMama. “Izimbali zasendle ziyathanda ukubhekisa ubuso bazo elangeni,futhi ziyathanda ukuhlala emhlabathini.”

“Ohho,” kusho u-Alex.

“Kungani ungadwebeli uBaba isithombe njengesipho sosuku lwakhe lokuzalwa?” kusho uMama.

“Yisu elihle,” kumamatheka u-Alex. Walanda amakhrayoni akhe kanye nephepha ukuze adwebele uBaba isithombe. Wadweba indlu enophahla olubomvu. Wase edweba isihlahla esikhulu esiluhlaza okotshani eduze kwendlu. Wase efaka nendlela yezinyawo ehamba engadini esuka emnyango ongaphambili ize iyofika ekupheleni kwekhasi, wase edweba izimbali eziluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka eceleni kwendlela yezinyawo. Wadweba isibhakabhaka esiluhlaza phezulu ekhasini kanye nelanga elikhulu eliphuzi futhi. Wase edweba utshani obuluhlaza phansi nekhasi. Ekugcineni wadweba uBaba, uMama kanye naye bemi phezu kotshani.

UBaba wabuya ekhaya evela emsebenzini.

“Usuku lokuzalwa oluhle, Baba,” kusho u-Alex, wase emnika izipho zakhe. Waqala wanika uBaba amanathi ephayini. “Ngiyawathanda amanathi ephayini,” kusho uBaba.

Walandelisa ngokunika uBaba itshe elinsundu elibushelelezi. “Laze langelekhethelo leli litshe!” kusho uBaba. “Ngizoligcina ekhukhwini lami ukuze lingenzele inhlanhla!”

Wase enikeza uBaba umdwebo. “Hawu!” kusho uBaba. “Lena yindlu yethu kanye nesihlahla sethu, kanti silapha thina! Nguwe, uMama kanye nami. Kanti ngizithanda ngempela izimbali eziluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka eziseceleni kwendlela yezinyawo eduze nengadi.”

“Lezo zimbali eziluhlaza zinobuluhlaza obufanayo nobesibhakabhaka,” kusho u-Alex.

“Ngiyabonga ngezipho zami zosuku lokuzalwa, Alex,” kusho uBaba, wase ewola u-Alex kakhulu. “Ngicabanga ukuthi kuzomele sitshale izimbali zasendle eziluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka eduze nendlela yezinyawo esengadini yethu, njengezimbali ezisesithombeni sakho.”

“Yicebo elihle lelo!” kusho u-Alex. “Ngizokusiza ukuzitshala, Baba!”

Ngemva kwesidlo sakusihlwa uMama wakhanyisa amakhandlela ekhekheni likaBaba. UBaba wacima wonke kanyekanye! U-Alex noMama baculela uBaba u-“Mini emnandi kuwe!”

“Ngiyathanda ukukutholela izipho, Baba,” kusho u-Alex emamatheka kakhulu.