NgemiSombuluko kuhlale kuwusuku lokuwasha izingubo eziningi endlini kaGogo. Njalo ngemiSombuluko, ekuseni kakhulu, uGogo uthatha ubhavu omkhulu wokhethe bese ewubeka etafuleni elisebaleni. Ube esebilisa amanzi ngeketela. Kumele abilise amaketela amaningi amanzi ukuze akwazi ukugcwalisa ubhavu ngamanzi aze afike phezulu.

UGogo ube esethela insipho eyimpuphu, bese egovuza amanzi ngesixwembe aze abe nenkephunkephu yamagwebu. Emva kwalokho ufaka kubhavu wonke amashidi kanye nezikhwama zemicamelo, nendwangu yetafula, nephenti lakhe elikhulukazi; lezi zinto bese ezishonisa ngaphansi kwamanzi ngesixwembe sakhe esikhulu, egovuza, agovuze aphinde agovuze futhi.

Uma yonke into seyihlanzekile, iyakaziwe, uKoketso usiza uGogo ukuthi eneke ngamaphekisi izingubo ezisindayo, ezimanzi ocingweni lokweneka.

Ngelinye ilanga ekuseni ngoMsombuluko obandayo, uKoketso wabuka lokho ayekugqokile.

“Mmm,” kucabanga yena, “amasokisi ami amhlophe ahlanzeke kakhulu, kodwa izicathulo zami zingcolile. Ingubo yami ephinki ihlanzekile, kodwa ijezi lami elinemishwa ligcwele lokho ebengikudla ngesidlo sasekuseni! Ake sibone – iqanda, ithomathososi, ubisi, ubhanana omncane kanye nemvuthu ENINGI. Ngiyalithanda leli jezi lami elihle, elifudumele, kodwa lidinga ukuwashisiswa!”

“Gogo!” kumemeza yena. “Ngabe ngingalifaka ijezi lami elinemishwa kanye nezicathulo zami eziluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka kubhavu wakho wokuwashela?”

UGogo wahleka, “Cha, muntuza wami, le insiza yokuwashela ESHISAYO. Akumele neze wenze lokho!”

Akazange akuzwe lokhu uKoketso. Kungani kumele angalifaki ijezi kanye nezicathulo zakhe kubhavu wokuwasha? Ngakho-ke kwathi uGogo esaye esitolo eyothenga amazambane kanye no-anyanisi, uKoketso wagijima waya ebaleni. Wakhumula izicathulo zakhe eziluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka kanye nejezi lakhe elinemishwa, wathatha isixwembe wase ezishonisa phansi kubhavu ogcwele zonke izingubo eziwashwayo.

Konke kwakushisa ngokwedlulele, futhi kusinda. Igwebu lensipho lenza uKoketso wathimula, kodwa ekugcineni wakwazi ukushonisa phansi izingubo zakhe – zashona ngaphansi ngempela, ngaphansi kwawo wonke amashidi nezikhwama zemiqamelo, nendwangu yetafula nephenti likaGogo elikhulukazi.

“Nazo-ke,” kusho yena ejezini kanye nasezicathulweni zakhe, “manje senizohlanzeka nibuye ninuke kahle.”

Lapho uGogo ebuya ekhaya, waqaphela ukuthi uKoketso wayegqoke ingubo elula kanye namasokisi ezinyaweni zakhe.

“Koketso,” kusho yena, “kuyabanda. Kungani ugqoke kanjalo? Ngabe ufuna ukuphathwa umkhuhlane?”

“Hawu, Gogo,” kusho uKoketso, ethathaza ngesandla sakhe phambi kobuso bakhe sengathi siyisiphephezelo “ngaze NGAFA UKUSHSA bo. Angigodoli nhlobo.”

Wangqabashiya wehla ngendlela yezinyawo wase evalelisa kugogo wakhe. “Usale kahle, Gogo,” kusho yena. “Ngisayobona uPinky.”

“Ake ume kancane …” kusho uGogo. Kodwa uKoketso akazange amuzwe ngoba wayesevele ejike ekhoneni.

Endleleni eya kubo kaPinky, uKoketso waqala ukugodola kakhulu. Umoya wawuphephetha ingubo yakhe, futhi umgwaqo wawufana neqhwa phansi kwezinyawo zakhe. Wazibamba ngezingalo zakhe izingubo wase egijima waze wayongena kubo kamzala wakhe.

“Pinky!” kumemeza uKoketso egxumagxuma phambi komnyango wakubo kaPinky. “Pinky, ngicela ungivulele, NGIYAFA AMAKHAZA!”

UPinky weza emnyango. “Ngabe uyahlanya yini, Koketso?” kusho yena. “Kungani ungagqokanga izingubo zasebusika?”

Kwakumnandi futhi kufudumele kubo kaPinky.

“Ngena, Koketso,” kusho umama kaPinky, u-Anti kaKoketso, uSarah. “Ufike sesizodla isinkwa esisha esigcotshwe ujamu.”

UKoketso waba nesikhathi esimnandi kakhulu kubo kaPinky waze wakhohlwa nangezingubo eziwashwa uGogo. Kusenjalo wakhumbula wase egxuma ehla esihlalweni.

“Mamo!” kusho yena. “Bekumele ngisize ugogo wami ngokweneka izingubo. Kumele ngiye ekhaya NJENGAMANJE!”

“Empeleni, angeke uhambe ugqoke kanjalo,” kusho u-Anti Sarah. “Okungenani gqoka lokhu.” Wase enika uKoketso ijezi elikhulu, elinsundu elalifika emadolweni akhe, kanye nepheya lamasliphazi amadala.

Lapho uKoketso efika ekhaya, wathola ugogo wakhe emlindile esonge izandla. Wayethukuthele egane unwabu. Zonke izingubo zazenekwe ocingweni, kanti ekugcineni kwakukhona izicathulo eziluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka ezimbili eziconsa amanzi kanye nejezi elincane kakhulu kangangokuthi lalingalingana umntwana.

Wavele wakhamisa nje uKoketso. “Kodwa,” kungingiza yena, “kodwa, kodwa, kodwa, angiqondi manje. Leli libukeka njengejezi lami.” Wezwa kushisa izinyembezi emehlweni akhe. “Hawu, kodwa Gogo,” kukhala yena, “kwenzekeni ejezini lami? Ngifuna ijezi lami elidala!”

UGogo wambuka. “Ungalokothi uthi angikuxwayisanga, Koketso,” kusho yena. “Awukwazi ukufaka izinto zewuli emanzini ashisa kangaka. Ziyancipha uma wenzenjalo. Yingakho ijezi lakho lilincane kangaka nje manje.”

UKoketso wavuka ekuseni kakhulu ngakusasa, wathola ukuthi uGogo ubeseshutheke amasliphazi akhe ephephandabeni, wawabeka eduze nehitha. Ayesemanzi futhi ethunya, kodwa okungenani ayesenobukhulu obufanayo nobakuqala! Ijezi lakhe lalomile futhi lisongwe labekwa phezu kwezingubo zikaGogo ezihlanzekile. Kodwa lase lilincane kakhulu.

UKoketso waphumela phandle egqoke ijezi lika-Anti Sarah elikhulu, elinsundu kanye namasliphazi, wayohlala phambi komnyango. Welula ijezi elincane phezu kwamathanga akhe. “Ngiyaxolisa, jezi elinemishwa,” kusho yena, “ubumuhle futhi uthambile.” Wase echiphiza kancane.

“Ubukeka umuhle futhi ufudumele kula makhaza, Koketso,” kusho izwi. Kwakuyimambana enguMalume uKoos, owayeqhuba inqola yakhe yezinto ezithengiwe ehla ngomgwaqo. “Kukhona ocishe wabulawa amakhaza izolo.” UMalume uKoos wase evula ijazi emkhombisa inja encane eqhaqhazelayo.

“Kodwa, Malume Koos,” kusho uKoketso, “leyo nja ayinaboya obanele ukuyigcina ifudumele. Mhlawumbe idinga ijazi elihle lewuli.”

Wavela neqhinga lapho.

“Ingagqoka ijezi lami elidala!” kusho yena “Selilincane kakhulu kimina manje.”

Ijezi elincane lacishe layilingana kahle inja.

“Kwakuhle lokho, Koketso,” kusho uMalume Koos. “awubheke nje ukuthi ijabule kanjani inja encane. Ngizoyiqamba ngawe. Igama layo sekunguKetso.”

UKoketso wahleka. “Ketso,” kusho yena. “Ngicabanga ukuthi igama elihle lelo enjeni!”

Inja encane yatshikiza yase ikhotha imambana enguMalume Koos ekhaleni.

“Kubukeka sengathi naye uyalithanda igama lakhe,” kusho uMalume uKoos, “futhi uyalithanda ijazi lakhe eligqamile, elinemishwa lewuli. Masihambe Ketso, nja yami encane, ake sihambe siyozitholela isidlo sasekuseni!” UMalume Koos wathathazela uKoketso ngesikhathi ehla ngomgwaqo.

“Icebo elihle lelo,” kusho uKoketso, wase engena ngaphakathi wathola ugogo wakhe, kanye nesidlo sasekuseni.