Kusemapulazini lapha ngeMgcibelo ekuseni, ngalesikhatsi lilanga lishisa likhipha umkhovu etjeni. BoMaya, Deli naSipho basita make Khumalo engadzini yakhe yetibhidvo. Labanftwana bebasebenta naye ekuseni. Bafaka umcuba engadzini.

Bayahlakula babuye banisele. Babuye bavune tibhidvo letilungele kuvunwa. Lamuhla bantfwana batawubuyela emakhaya baphetse sipinishi, ticadze nema-anyanisi.

Make Khumalo uhlala abajabulisa bantfwana labamsitako ngekubanika tintfo letimnandzi. Ngalesinye sikhatsi ubanika likhekhe nobe ishokoledi, nobe abatsengele emaswidi lamadze labukeka ngatsi tinyoka. Ngalesinye sikhatsi kuba ngemahhabhula, emaphere nobe emawolintji.

Make Khumalo unamunye umtsetfo lahlala abakhumbuta wona lotsi, "Yabelanani ngalokulinganako!" Bantfwana besebati kutsi kumele babelane tintfo letimnandzi ngalokulinganako, kute bakwati kutfola bonkhe.

Lamuhla make Khumalo ubhake likhekhe lemastrobheri lelinekhilimu lepinki kanye nemabheri laphuma engadzini. Bantfwana bahleti etjanini balindze tintfo letimnandzi.

"Nati-ke tintfo letimnandzi!" kusho make Khumalo. "Nikhumbule phela umtsetfo. Kumele nonkhe nitfole lokulinganako. Yabelanani ngalokulinganako! Ningalwi phela."

Kwacala Maya kutsi atsatse lakhe likhekhe. Usebentisa umukhwa kudvweba lapho kumele asike khona. Kantsi laba labanye bambukile. Usengakalisiki likhekhe. Ulindze kutsi bavume kutsi kulungile laba labanye.

"Ngicabanga kutsi ngitawusika kabili ngalendlela." Asho abakhomba Maya. "Umuntfu ngamunye utawutfola tincetu letintsatfu ngalokulinganako!" kusho Maya.

"Cha angeke!" kusho Deli, "leli lelisemkhatsini likhulu kakhulu!" Sipho uvumelana naye.

Uyahleka Maya ubuye utsi kuDeli akabuye achubeke nekusika.

"Nginikete umukhwa, ngitewusika. Kulula kabi!" kusho Deli.

Wacala ngekususa iphethini lebeyentiwe nguMaya kukhilimu wabuye wakhotsa netandla takhe.

Uyasuka lapho usika emkhatsini ubuye usika kuya entasi. "Buka ngenta tincetu letintsatfu!"

"Hhayi, solo akulingani!" Kumemeta boMaya naSipho kanyekanye.

"Hlukanisa ngalokulinganako! Letincetu kumele tilingane ngesayizi nangesimo," kusho Sipho.

"Yini ndzaba ungalingi nawe Sipho?" Kumemeta Deli. "Ngiyafunga kutsi angeke uze ukhone!"

"Ngifisa ngatsi ngabe lelikhekhe lisikwele nobe caladze, bekutawuba lula!" kusho Sipho.

"Kube mhlawumbe besibane bekutawuba lula kutsi sabelane lelikhekhe leliyindilinga," kusho Maya.

Sipho wavele waba nesitfombe engcondvweni yakhe. Wabona imbeji leyisiliva embi kweloli lebovu yababe wakhe.

Njalo ngemaSontfo utibona asita babe wakhe kugeza iloli abuye afake ipholishi kute imbeji icwebetele. "Sengiyati! Sengiyati kutsi sitawenta njani," kusho Deli.

Ucala ngekusebentisa umukhwa kususa loko bekudvwetjwe nguDeli ekhilimini. Wabese udvweba imigca lemitsatfu ekhekheni.

Kubukeka njengembeji leselolini yababe wakhe, kantsi netincetu tiyalingana.

"Hheyi wena Sipho! Uhlala unetimangaliso," kusho Deli amoyitela. "Wati kanjani kutsi kumele usike ngalendlela?" kubuta Maya.

Sipho wavele wamoyitela. Kwanyalo kusaseyimfihlo yakhe. Wabona kutsi kuncono acale ngekutjela babe wakhe.

Khona lapho make Khumalo waphumela ngephandle. Uphetse ithreyi lenetingilazi letintsatfu tejuzi yemastrobheri.

"Bukela make Khumalo! Sipho ukhonile kusihlukanisela likhekhe ngalokulinganako," kusho Maya.

"Wente kahle wena Sipho, tincetu letintsatfu! Nitfole ngalokulinganako nonkhe. Ngiyatigcabha ngani. Nyalo-ke seningalisika likhekhe bese ninatsa nejuzi yenu. Sesikhatsi sekutsi niye emakhaya. Ngitaninika tindishi lapho nitawufaka khona emakhekhe enu."

Maya usika likhekhe lapho kudvwetjwe khona imigca yekuhlukanisa tincetu letintsatfu.

Bonkhe bebajabulile ngekutfola emakhekhe lalinganako. Yebo ayalingana.

Babe waSipho wafika walandza bantfwana, Sipho wagijima wahlangabeta babe wakhe.

Besekalindze kumtjela kutsi imbeji yeloli imsite kangakanani kucatulula inkinga yekwehlukanisa likhekhe.