Make Khumalo bekaloku avuna emakhabishi liviki lonkhe engadzini yakhe. BoDoli, Maya naDeli balekelela make Khumalo engandzini yakhe yetibhidvo njalo ngeMigcibelo ekuseni.

Lamuhla bantfwana batawulekelela ngekubala nangekupakisha emakhabishi. Babe Khumalo utawutsatsa emabhokisi emakhabishi ayowatsengisa emakethe.

Itekisi yehlisa bantfwana egedeni lasengadzini. Batsi nabehla babona lisethi lemakhabishi lacocelwe ndzawonye edvute neloli yababe Khumalo.

"Ha! Emakhabishi langaka!" kusho Maya akhomba emakhabishi. "Kungenteka lamakhabishi ayafika enkhulungwaneni!" kuphawula Deli. "Hhayi angeke! Kungatsi angemakhulu lamabili lokungenani!" kusho Doli.

Make Khumalo sewubalindzile egedeni. "Sanibonani nonkhe, ngijabulela kunibona!" ubingelela bantfwana.

"Sesingacala-ke ngemsebenti. Kumele nibale emakhabishi bese niwafaka emabhokisini, ebhokisini ngalinye nitawufaka 12.

Nginemabhokisi la-20. Babili kini batawupakisha emabhokisi la-7 ngamunye bese munye wenu apakishe emabhokisi la-6."

Bantfwana bamile edvute nemakhabishi. Bayacoca ngetindlela letahlukehlukene tekubala emakhabishi.

"Ngicabanga kutsi ngitawubala akami ngakubili," kusho Maya. "Mine ngitsandza kubala ngakune," kusho Deli, "kuyasheshisa."

"Mine ngitawubala ngakutsatfu, ngentela nje kuhluka kini!" kuphawula Doli.

Ngekuphangisa bantfwana babe sebagcwalise emabhokisi la-20.

"Nente kahle bantfwabami!" kuphawula make Khumalo. "Bukani kusele lamanye emakhabishi. Ngabe nifake mangaki emakhabishi ebhokisini ngalinye? Mangaki emakhabishi lasele?" kubuta make Khumalo.

Umsebenti lolandzelako kutsi kubhalwe linani ebhokisini ngalinye bese kusitwa nababe Khumalo kutsi alayishwe emabhokisi elolini.

Kumele kulayishwe ihhafu yemabhokisi kulinye licala nalenye ihhafu kulelinye licala elolini kute kulinganiswe umtfwalo.

"Hhayi-ke, tsine cishe sesicedzile!" kusho babe Khumalo.

"Ase sibone kutsi atawuba manyenti ngamangaki emabhokisi lokumele siwabeke kulelo nalelo cele kute sisimamise umntfwalo?"

Ngekushesha onkhe emabhokisi bese kalayishiwe elolini. Babe Khumalo sewudvumisa iloli khona atewucondza khona emakethe.

"Nakungenteka ngitsengise onkhe lamabhokisi, uyacabanga. Ngitawuba nemali leyenele yekulungisa sibaya setingulube ngiphindze ngikwati nekutsengela bantfwana tintfo tekubajabulisa."

Lena emuva engadzini, bomake Khumalo nemantfombatana banisela titjalo babuye bahhalige emacembe lawe etihlahleni.

Kwatsi nayishaya insimbi yelishumi nakubili besebadziniwe bonkhe. "Sesikhatsi sekutsi niphumule. Ningacagela kutsi nginiphatseleni lamuhla?" kubuta make Khumalo.

Make Khumalo ungena ngaphakatsi uyolandza loko lakabaphatsele kona. Amlindza emantfombatana ngalesikhatsi bacagela kutsi ngabe ubaphatseleni.

Watsi nakabuya tikhwama tesidziya sakhe beticumbile.

"Asesibone kutsi nicagele kahle yini! Ningacagela kutsi nginiphatsele ini lamuhla?" Make Khumalo wakhipha emahhabhula labekacumbe etikhwameni tesidziya sakhe wawabeka etafuleni. "Niyabona kutsi bengicinisile!" kumemeta Deli.

"Nikhumbule loko lenganifundzisa kona kutsi, nabelane ngalokulinganako. Akumelanga kube khona lotfola lokunyenti nobe lokuncane!" kusho make Khumalo atjela emantfombatana.

Emantfombatana acala ngekubala emahhabhula ngamabili.

Babala batsi: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16. Kusele lihhabhula linye. Kunemahhabhula la-17 seka onkhe.

Balandzela ngekwabelana emahhabhula ngalokulinganako. Kwasala emahhabhula lamabili kuphela.

Emantfombatana atsatsa emahhabhula awo awafaka etikhwameni ahamba nawo emakhaya. Mangaki lokumele atfolwe ngumntfwana ngamunye?

"Asitsatseni lamahhabhula lasele lama-2 sisikelane wona," kusho Deli.

"Ngabe tingaki tincenye telihhabhula letitawutfolwa nguloyo naloyo lapha kitsi?" kubuta Maya.

Babe Khumalo wabuya ekhaya neloli ingenalutfo, titsengwe tonkhe tibhidvo emakethe. Njengobe batsenge konkhe emakethe, babe Khumalo ujabulile.

"Ngitsengise onkhe emakhabishi. Nyalo sengitawukwati kulungisa sibaya setingulube bese nginitsengela nebhola lebeniyifuna."

"Halala!" kumemeta emantfombatana.