“Ndiyathemba ukuba uTata uza kufika ngokukhawuleza ekhaya.” Ilizwi lenkwenkwe lalivakala lixhalabile.

“Utatakho ngokuqinisekileyo uzakuba nomsindo,” watsho uMakazi uFebe, owayehleli kwigumbi lokuhlala ephethe incwadi.

URichard waphakama kwisofa awayehleli kuyo kangangesiqingatha seyure esidlulileyo waza wathi, ecaphukile ngelizwi lakhe, 'Uya kuba lusizi, kodwa angabi namsindo. UTata akakhe abe nomsindo… Nanku esiza!” Kwankqonkqozwa intsimbi waza waya emnyango. Wabuya ethe chu edanile: “Ibingenguye,” watsho. 'Uphi? Akwaba ebenokufika ekugqibeleni!'

“Awunokwazi ukulinda ukungena engxakini ngakumbi,” watsho umakazi wakhe, owayeneveki kuphela esekhaya yaye wayengabathandi abantwana.

"Ndicinga ukuba, Makazi uFebe, ungathanda ukuba utata andibethe," yatsho inkwenkwe ngandlel' ithile, "kodwa awuyi kuyibona loo nto, kuba utata ulungile kwaye uyandithanda."

'Ndimele ndivume,' waphendula umakazi, 'ukuba ukukubetha kancinane akunakukwenzakalisa. Ukuba ubungumntwana wam, ndiqinisekile ukuba ubungenakukwazi ukumphepha.

Yaphinda yakhala intsimbi umfana waxhuma waya emnyango. “NguBawo!” watsho ekhala.

“Ah, Richard!” UMnumzana uGordon wabulisa unyana wakhe ngobubele, ebamba isandla sale nkwenkwana. 'Kodwa yintoni ingxaki? Ukhangeleka ulusizi."

‘Khawuhambe nam.’ URichard watsalela uyise kwigumbi elineencwadi. UMnumzana Gordon wahlala phantsi. Ebesabambe ngesandla uRichard.

“Unexhala, nyana? Kwenzeka ntoni emva koko?"

Zehla iinyembezi kuRichard xa ejonge kuyise. Wazama ukuphendula kodwa imilebe yayibebezela. Emva koko wavula ucango lwetyala elibonisayo waza wakhupha amaqhekeza omfanekiso oqingqiweyo owawusandul’ ukufika ngezolo njengesipho. UMnumzana Gordon wafinga iintshiya njengoko uRichard ebeka amaqhekeza etafileni.

“Yenzeka njani loo nto?” wabuza ngelizwi elingaguqukiyo.

“Ndiphose ibhola phezulu egumbini, kube kanye, kuba khange ndiyicinge loo nto.” Ilizwi lenkwenkwe elihlwempu lalingqindilili kwaye lingcangcazela.

UMnumzana Gordon wahlala ixeshana, ezama ukuzibamba ezama ukuqokelela iingcinga zakhe ezimkhathazayo. Emva koko wathi ngobubele, 'Kwenzeke ntoni, Richard. Susa amaqhekeza. Udlule ngokwaneleyo ngayo ndiyakubona. Andizukukohlwaya ngaloo nto, nawe.

“Owu tata!” Inkwenkwe yamanga uyise. “Umnandi kakhulu.” Kwimizuzu emihlanu emva koko, uRichard wangena kwigumbi lokuhlala noyise. Umakazi uFibhi waphakamisa intloko, elindele ukubona izikrweqe ezibini. Kodwa oko wakubonayo kwammangalisa.

“Kulishwa kakhulu,” watsho emva kokunqumama kancinci. “Yayingumsebenzi ogqwesileyo wobugcisa. Ngoku yophukile kube kanye. Ndicinga ukuba ukhohlakele kakhulu uRichard. "

'Siwulungisile umcimbi, Makazi uPhoebe,' watsho uMnumzana Gordon ngobunono kodwa ngokuqinileyo. "Umthetho endlwini yethu kukuba: phuma elangeni ngokukhawuleza." Ngelanga, ngokukhawuleza kunokwenzeka? Ewe, yeyona nto ilungileyo.

Abalinganiswa abakudala ukusuka: Amabali oKhetho lwaBantwana, Umhleli: Ernest Lloyd, Wheeler, Michigan: engabhalwanga umhla, iphepha 47-48.

Yapapashwa okokuqala ngesiJamani kwi Isiseko sethu esiluqilima, 4-2004.