Kwakungentsasa epholileyo kweyeSilimela xa uSihle noAsa bekhwela iteksi esuka eNgcobo isingise eMthatha, besiya kutyelela usapho lwabo kwicala lakulonina.

Kwakuse kudlule iminyaka emithathu bagqibela ukubona oomalumekazi, oomalume, nabazala babo.

Ngaphezu kwako konke, babelangazelela ukubona uNikhanye, umzala wabo.

Njengoko iteksi yayiqengeleka kufutshane nendlu kamakhulu, iintliziyo zabo zazibetha ngamandla luvuyo. Wayeme ngaphandle kwesango uNikhanye, ewangawangisa ngeengalo zombini.

"Nifikile! Nifikile!" wakhwaza uNikhanye, ilizwi lakhe lizele yimincili.

USihle noAsa batsiba behla eteksini, baza abazala abathathu bawolana, bajikeleza bade banesiyezi.

Waphuma umakhulu wabo encumile.

"Ngenani, bazukulwana bam. Kudala siyilindile le mini," watsho umakhulu.

Ngaphakathi endlini, ivumba lesonka samanzi lalivakala ngamandla.

Kungekudala, bafika oomalumekazi noomalume babo, elowo egona uSihle noAsa.

Yonke imihla yeeholide yayizele zizinto ezininzi zokwenza.

Ngenye imini, abazala bahamba baya kwihlathi elisemva kwendlu, apho uNikhanye wababonisa ngebhongo indlu yakhe yemithi efihlakeleyo.

Bachitha iiyure ezininzi bedlala apho.

Ebusuku, ngelixa iinkwenkwezi zibenyezela phezulu, umakhulu waqokelela abazukulwana bakhe bangqonga umlilo. Umakhulu wabalisa amabali amandulo wobugorha nothando.

UNikhanye wayewathanda kakhulu la maxesha. "Sifana neenkwenkwezi," watsho ngobunye ubusuku.

"Nokuba sikude kangakanani na, siya kuhlala sikhanya kunye."

Zathi zakuphela iiholide, uSihle noAsa balungiselela ukugoduka. Bawola wonke umntu, bethembisa ukuba baza kubuya kwakhona.

"Uyakuhlala usezintliziyweni zethu," watsho uSihle esebezela uNikhanye.