INkosana yexoxo: Indatshana ekhuluma ngobuhlobo nokwazana
Kudala kwakukhona iNkosazana. Kwafika abakhongi abaningi esigodlweni ukuzoganwa, kodwa kuNkosazana kwaba sengathi yilowo nalowo wayembuka engamboni nhlobo. “Benza sengathi akukho lutho enkosazaneni ngaphandle komqhele wayo omuhle nezingubo zasebukhosini,” ekhuluma yedwa ehwaqabale.
Ngenye intambama ngemva kokunye kwalokhu kuvakasha, iNkosazana yacabanga, “Ngezinye izikhathi ngifisa sengathi ngabe ngimncane futhi.”
Uthole ibhola alithandayo kusukela ebuntwaneni, leli elalicwebezela lapho eliphonsa phezulu elangeni. Wathatha ibhola waya egcekeni lesigodlo walijikijela phezulu.
Ngesinye isikhathi waliphonsa phezulu kakhulu futhi lapho egijima eyobamba ibhola, wakhubeka esiphunzini sesihlahla. Ibhola lawa laphonseka langena emthonjeni wasebukhosini! Wagijima eyolanda ibhola lakhe ngaphambi kokuba liwele kude, kodwa ngesikhathi efika khona wayengasaliboni emanzini. “Hhayi bo!” wabubula, “Kubi lokhu!” Khona manjalo ixoxo elincane eliluhlaza lahlohla ikhanda lalo ngaphezu kwamanzi.
“Mhlawumbe ngingakusiza,” kusho uXoxo. “Yebo,” kusho uNkosazana. “Ngicela uthole ibhola lami!”
“Akunankinga,” kusho uMaxoxo. “Kodwa okokuqala kunento okumele ngikubuze yona.”
“Usho ukuthini?” Kusho uNkosazana. “Okwakho ukuchitha isikhathi nami namuhla,” kusho uXoxo. “Anginaso isiqiniseko sokuthi ngiyakwazi ukuthi kusho ukuthini lokho,” kusho uNkosazana. “Vele uchithe isikhathi nami namuhla,” kuphinda uMaxoxo. “Kulungile-ke, kuhle!” Kusho uNkosazana. “Manje ngicela, thola ibhola lami!” “Ngikhona,” kusho uXoxo. Wacwila emthonjeni. Ngemva kwemizuzwana, weza nebhola eliphakanyiswe phezulu ngesandla esisodwa. “Ngiyabonga,” kusho uNkosazana eyithatha kuye.
Aphenduke ahambe. “Linda umzuzu nje!” Kusho uXoxo. “Uthembise ukuchitha isikhathi nami namuhla!”
“Sengikwenzile,” esho ephakamisa amahlombe. Yahamba iNkosazana yabuyela esigodlweni. Ngalobo busuku esidlweni sakusihlwa nomndeni wakhe kanye nabeluleki benkosi, kwangqongqoza emnyango. Inceku yavula umnyango, kodwa ayibonanga muntu. Ixoxo, limile liphansi, lalungisa umphimbo walo. “Inkosazana ithembise ukuchitha isikhathi nami namuhla,” kusho uXoxo ngezwi elikhulu ngangokunokwenzeka. “Ngikhona-ke.”
“Ndodakazi!” Kusho iNkosi isemajukujukwini etafula. “Ingabe uthembise ukuchitha isikhathi naleli Flog, njengoba esho?”
“Kunjalo,” kusho uNkosazana. Ngemva kokuhlaba ikhefu, wengeza, “Hawu kuhle, ngena.” Ngokushesha izinceku zalungiselela indawo entsha yeXoxo, futhi wagxuma waya etafuleni lokudlela lasebukhosini. Ingxoxo yaphenduka isihloko esikhathazayo embusweni. Akekho noyedwa wabeluleki benkosi owayekwazi okwakumelwe akwenze.
“Baba, uma ngingavuma,” kusho uNkosazana. “Mhlawumbe singakwazi-”
“Ima!” Kusho iNkosi imnquma. “Nginabeluleki abenele, ngikholwe.”
“Uma kungenzeka,” kusho uXoxo, futhi wayeqala ngqa ukukhuluma etafuleni.
“Kunokuningi enkosazaneni kunomqhele wayo omuhle nezingubo zasebukhosini.”
INkosazana igqolozele iXoxo. Kungenzeka kanjani ukuthi lelixoxo elincane – ngaphezu kwanoma ubani omunye – liyiqonde into enjalo?
Ngemva kwesidlo sakusihlwa, ixoxo lakhothama kuNkosazana. Wathi, “Wenze lokho obuthe uzokwenza. Ngicabanga ukuthi sekuyisikhathi manje sokuthi ngihambe.”
“Cha linda!” kusho uNkosazana, “akukahlwi kangako. Ungahamba kanjani engadini?”
Ixoxo lajabula. Bahamba bobabili ensimini yasebukhosini, iXhwane ligxuma ligudla udonga lwamatshe ukuze lona noNkosazana babe sezingeni elifanayo futhi bakhulume kalula.
Bahleka ngezinto eziningi. Kamuva, lapho ilanga lishona, bajabulela ukujula okubomvu okubomvana esibhakabhakeni.
INkosazana yathi, “Uyazi, ukuba nawe kulobubusuku bekumnandi kakhulu kunalokho ebengikucabanga.
“Nami ngibe nesikhathi esimnandi kakhulu,” kusho uMaxoxo.
“Ubani owayazi?” Kusho uNkosazana ehleka. Wagoba waqabula uXoxo kancane esihlathini.
Khona manjalo, kwaqubuka amafu nentuthu. Ixoxo elincane eliluhlaza lase lishintshile laba inkosana encane! Wagxuma wabuya uPrincess ngokumangala, ubani owayengamsola? Ngokushesha uNkosana wamtshela ukuthi angakhathazeki, konke kuhamba kahle. Eminyakeni edlule, umthakathi omubi wayemloyile ukuthi kufanele ahlale njengesele aze aqatshulwe inkosazana.
Umthakathi wayehleke uhleko olubi, ethi, “Kuyoke kwenzeke LOKHO!” Kodwa kwaphumelela!
Manje uNkosana noNkosazane base bengase bazane kangcono. Ngemva kweminyaka eminingi, ngemva kokushada, benza ibhola indawo enhle yokulibeka phezu kwetafula labo lokudlela lasebukhosini.
Futhi lapho ukukhanya kwelanga kukhanya phakathi kwamafasitela esigodlo, ibhola lalikhazimula ukuze bonke balibone.