Yehla ngomgwaqo onodaka olubomvu, udlule indlu yesonto emhlophe. Uyofika endlini eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka, ebomvu phezulu enesicabha esiluhlaza okotshani.

Lapha kuhlala uThembi, umfowabo uBongani noGogo wabo.

UGogo usekhishini, upheka ukudla kwakusihlwa. Uma ebuka ngewindi uyambona uBongani nezinye izingane bedlala. Kodwa uphi pho uThembi?

UGogo uyakhathazeka uma engamboni uThembi. Uyayeka ukupheka, aphume ahambe ayofuna umzukulu wakhe.

UGogo uyamthola uThembi ehleli phansi komuthi, edlala nodoli wakhe awukhonzile.

UGogo ubuza uThembi, "Yini indaba uhleli lapha,
wedwa?" "Hhayi," kuphendula uThembi, "Ezinye izingane azifuni ukudlala nami."

"Kawudlali ngani nomngani wakho uSizani?" kubuza
uGogo. "USizani ungidinelwe," kuphendula uThembi.
"Uthe ngavele mziba ngesonto eledlule. Kodwa mina
Gogo kangimbonanga ngempela."

"Umfowenu yena kawudlali ngani naye?" kubuza uGogo. "UBongani akathandi ukudlala nami," kubalisa uThembi. "Uthi ngiyaligeja ibhola njalo nje uma elikhahlela elibhekise kimina."

"Kodwa-ke kawunaso yini isizungu?" kubuza uGogo.
"Lutho nhlobo," kuphendula uThembi. "Ngiyathanda
ukuhlala lapha, ngilalele umuthi ucula amaculo awo amnandi. Lalela, kawuwuzwa umuthi ucula?"

UGogo uyalalela bese ebuka phezulu emthini
abone uCilo, iPhothwe neJuba bonke becula
amaculo abo.

UGogo wakhumbula uthisha kaThembi emxoxela ukuthi uThembi akaziboni kalula izinto ezibhalwe ebhodini. Ngakho, ngosuku olulandelayo uGogo noThembi bahamba baya emtholampilo oseduze.

Emtholampilo bafica uMnumzane Ntuli. UNtuli ucela uThembi ukuba amboze iso elilodwa ngesandla bese ebuka odongeni phambi kwakhe amtshele ukuthi ubonani.

UThembi uyabukisisa odongeni athi, "Kukhona
engikubonayo, kodwa kangiboni kahle
ukuthi kuyini."

UMnumzane uNtuli ufaka okusazibuko ebusweni
bukaThembi. Bese efaka ingilazi eyindilinga aphinde
abuze kuThembi, "Manje kukhona okubonayo?"

"Sengiyabona," kumemeza uThembi ngenjabulo.
"Ngibona kubhalwe ukuthi E, nokuthi F nokuthi P, ngisho namagama amancane u P, Z noD." "Kuhle kakhulu lokho," kusho uMnumzane Ntuli. "Okudingayo nje yizibuko, bese ubona kahle."

Unesi uyisa uThembi noGogo kwenye indlu enamashalofu agcwele izinhlobo eziningi zezibuko.
UThembi ukhetha ezibomvu, ezigqamile. "Ukhethe kahle," kusho uGogo.

Emuva kwesonto elilodwa, uThembi noGogo baphindela ehhovisi likaMnumzane Ntuli. UThembi ulinganisa izibuka zakhe ezintsha. UMnumzane Ntuli ucela uThembi ukuba alunguze ngewindi asho ukuthi ubonani. "Hawu, ngibona abantu, kukhona nenja encane, futhi kunenyoni ephezu kwaleya ndlu," kusho uThembi ngenjabulo.

"Thembi," kusho uMnumzane Ntuli, "Ngicela ungethembise ukuthi uzozifaka zonke izinsuku izibuko zakho." "Yebo, kunjalo," kuphendula uThembi. "Ngiyethembisa. Ngiyazithanda izibuko zami. Ngiyazithanda zonke izinto ezinhle
engizibonayo."

Njengoba uGogo noThembi behamba beya
ekhaya, uThembi ubona uSizani ngaphesheya
komgwaqo. "Sawubona Sizani," kumemeza uThembi.
Aphakamisele uSizani isandla. USizani amamatheke,
naye abingelele ngesandla.

Lapho nje sebezofika ekhaya oGogo noThembi,
bahlangana nabangani bakaThembi basesikoleni. "Hawu
Thembi, ngiyazithanda izibuko zakho ezintsha," kusho
enye intombazane. "Zikwenza ubukeke umuhle kakhulu,"
kuphawula omunye umfana.

Kusenjalo, kuqhamuke ibhola liza kuThembi. NguBongani
olikhahlelayo. Ngokushesha uThembi alikhahlele
liphindele emuva. "Uyathanda ukudlala?" kubuza
uBongani. "Yebo," kuphendula uThembi, "Kodwa kunento
ebaluleke kakhulu okufanele ngiyenze kuqala."

UThembi uhamba emuva kwendlu
ayohlala phansi komuthi omkhulu.
Uma ebuka phezulu, uyambona uCilo,
iPhothwe neJuba.

"Ngibonga kakhulu
ngokungiculela kwenu amaculo
amnandi," kusho uThembi
emamatheka kakhulu.