UThandi wavuka onwabile kakhulu. Yayilusuku lwakhe lokuzalwa yaye wayedlulile ngoku kwiminyaka esixhenxe!

“Ndineminyaka esibhozo, ndineminyaka esibhozo, ndineminyaka esibhozo namhlanje,” waziculela. Isibhozo saba ngathi yiminyaka emininzi kakhulu kunesixhenxe. Abantwana abaneminyaka esixhenxe babengakwazi ukwenza izinto ezenziwa ngabantwana abaneminyaka esibhozo. Umama wayethe xa eneminyaka esibhozo angahlala de kubethe intsimbi yesibhozo!

Kwathi ngelo xesha kwangena umama kaThandi ekamireni wamanga KAKHULU uThandi.

“Jonga nantsi iposi yakho!” watsho ewangawangisa imvulophu esesandleni sakhe.

Ngoku uThandi waziva emdala kunene! UThandi wavula imvulophu entle eluhlaza ngocoselelo. Ngaphakathi kwakukho ikhadi lemini yokuzalwa elinomzobo wenjanana entle.

“Min’emnandi kulowo uneminyaka esibhozo,” wafunda uThandi. Wayenqwenelelwa imini emnandi nguAnti Babazile oseSwaziland.

“Owu, Thandi, andikholelwa ke ukuba umntwana wam sele eneminyaka esibhozo! Ingathi bekuyizolo oku ngokuya ubuzalwa!” watsho umama kaThandi.

“Mama, Mama, nceda undibalisele ela bali lokuzalwa kwam,” wamcenga watsho uThandi. “NDIYALITHANDA ela bali!”

“Libali elinyani eliya, njalonje lelinye lamabali endiwathandayo,” watsho umama wakhe. “Kulungile ke mandiqale ekuqaleni. Kwakungenjikalanga ebandayo yasebusika, phaya kwintsimbi yesithandathu. Nda…”