Izingane zihlale ziyizingane. Noma ngabe kade bathatha umhlalaphansi.
“Awu maaamaaaa,” ngihlahle amehlo lapho uMama ebuza ukuthi ngigqoke kahle ngokwanele yini. Umama uneminyaka engu-70. Mina, ngokulandelana, ngingaphezudlwana kuka-30.
“Hhayi-ke, ufunani, kimi useyingane njalo,” kusho umama futhi, njengokungathi phakathi nezikhathi ezithile, uyaqiniseka ukuthi angikhohlwa ukuthatha amagilavu ami.
Yebo, umama akaphathelene neminyaka. Kungunaphakade. U-Ada Keating ukwazi kahle lokhu. Uhlanganise iminyaka engu-98 kulo nyaka. Lona wesifazane wayenezingane ezine. Intombazane encane, uJanet, yashona ineminyaka engu-13 kuphela ubudala. Ezinye izingane zakhula, zafunda, zazakhela eyazo imindeni. Ngaphandle kokukodwa. Indodana ka-Ada, uTom, yahlala iyisizungu. Ukuphila kwakhe konke wayesebenza njengomhlobisi, kodwa akazange aqale umndeni. Ngakho-ke, kwakungekho muntu owayezomnakekela lapho kuba nzima kakhulu ngoTom ukubhekana nemisebenzi yasekhaya. Ikhehla elineminyaka engu-80 ubudala laphoqeleka ukuba lithuthele ekhaya lasebekhulile.
“Indodana yami idinga ukunakekelwa. Ngakho kufanele ngibe lapho, ”kunquma u-Ada. Nganquma - ngapakisha izinto zami futhi ngathuthela ekhaya lasebekhulile elilodwa ekamelweni elingumakhelwane.
Izisebenzi zasendlini zithi umama nendodana abahlukani. Badlala imidlalo yebhodi, bathanda ukubuka izinhlelo ze-TV ndawonye.
“Nsuku zonke ngithi kuTom: ‘Sawubona’, njalo ekuseni ngiya kuye kuqala ngimfisele ukusa,” leli phephandaba licaphuna u-Ada.
UThobile naye ujabule ngakho konke. “Ngijabule kakhulu ngokuthi umama usehlala lapha. Uyangikhathalela ngempela. Kwesinye isikhathi uze anikine umunwe athi akaziphathe kahle,” kuhleka uTom.
“U-Ada noTom banobudlelwano obuthinta inhliziyo. Ngokuvamile, awuvamile ukubona umama nengane ekhaya lasebekhulile elifanayo. Ngakho-ke, sizama ukwenza konke ukuze bakhululeke. Futhi siyajabula ukuthi bayayithanda lapha, ”kusho umphathi wendlu lapho kuhlala khona umama nendodana.
Ngendlela, umbhangqwana awuwona neze wedwa. Bahlala bevakashelwa amadodakazi ka-Ada - odadewabo uTom, uBarbara noMargie. Futhi kanye nabo abazukulu baka-Ada beza bezovakashela abantu abadala.
U-Ada uthi: “Awukwazi ukuyeka ukuba ngumama.
“Abahlukaniswa,” kusho abasebenzi basekhaya labanakekeli.