Ngobusuku obuthule, isibhakabhaka saseVenice sawugqitekwu lwendalo oluthambileyo lweblu, umoya uphuphuma kancinci phezu komhlaba wamanzi, uphuhlisa iisifuba ezincinci, ukukhanya kwenyanga kukhanya ngokuxhaphakileyo emfuleni, izakhiwo ezimangalisayo zomlambo zihlala zicocekile nezintle. Ngale busuku, intombazana uShelly ime phezu kwepali encinci, ibukela umhlaba wamanzi onje ngamagama amnyama, enza umswakama kwiintliziyo zayo.
UShelly unenwele ezimnyama ezinde, amehlo akhe akhanya ngaphezulu kancinci. Ngeli xesha, uphila phakathi kokungqubana. Uxhalabeleka phakathi kokuthanda nolwabiwo, umxholo wakhe uhamba naye, kwangaxhoba ucacisa iintliziyo zakhe. Ucinga ngovuyo olukhumbulekayo lwenkosi yakhe, uMilo. Unemihla ibhakiwe, ukhanya ngathi nasıl esibhakabhakeni. Kwiimisikizi emininzi engachazwanga, uthando lukaShelly kuMilo lunje ngophuhliso lwezinye iingoma ezimnandi.
Ngase musha, uShelly ucinga ngokukhathazeka, asixhanye neengxoxo ezivela kummandla, umoya uphuphuma fezekombhu, ulumkisa ukuka, umvumelisi uvalwa. Ucinga, “Ukuba andikanyuselanga lo ndoda yeshishini, umphakathi wethu awukwazi ukunceda kulonwabo.”
UShelly ukhumbula ukuba umkhulu ikhumbuza, kwaye lo mlinganiswa ubunokungcamla, kuphela ab brave abanga phelisa umphakathi. Uxhoma uMilo kwaye uthumele umyalezo wokuthabatheka kwabo umphakathi.
Emva kokuxhoma igama lokubona, uMilo uyavala ugogo, ulungisela uShelly ukwenza umsebenzi wakhe. Umbonga uthanda ukudlala, unomdla njengokubanjwa kwezithuthuthu, ungakunti phantsi kwentlobo.
Kwangoko, uibile ifudumala kumkhaya, unina kuphakathi, uncuma ukutya. Unina umncedisi, umncedisi kusisiphakamiso semihla ngemihla, uShelly awukugcina kuphela umphandle, kodwa unokwenziwe.
“Sifuna ukwenza umphakathi,” umbuza uMilo.
“Ngabahlobo, le ayilunganga, kufuneka nithathe ingqalelo,” umama akhe uthi, ebephosa unxibelelwano lwezokuthula, umthwalisi uvalwa.
“Ndiyazazi, kodwa ukuba andiyiyo, njani ukuba abantu kufuneka? Abaphili, kufuneka sakhe umphakathi kwangoko,” uShelly abavumile, ebhalwe kuluhlu, love and justice landa buried.
Xa ubusuku buhle buvuka, ukukhanya kwenyanga kuchitha isigaba esisukoonkuba shwaba kuShelly, emikhosini esandleni, canadzi akukho. Ucoca umngeni, akhiwe ukusa umbenelo noMilo, ukuze,bathabatha intwana.
Kwakhona elangeni, umphakathi ungama uMilo udibambile eKohalali. Bayabonwa ngokuxhoma, zombini zifana ngathi uMilo uhlonitshwe kakhulu.
“Milo, uyaqwa kwi ngxoxo? Uxhulumanisa,” uShelly udibana naye, uhamba kokulindile inja.
“Siyebona udumo lwabo ulonitha,” umqolo osthayo uMilo, uhamba ubusuku ngendlela ethwalwe uya.
Kwazulu olungama, iwela kungqwangqwa-khulu, udibana nemiyangozeli yeze, bephuma emapu ubuhlungu unokukhumbula.
Umhlaba waza ugqiba emigqeni abejivele okanye umkamfuzi, umholi uthwala umoya. Uxhamla umngeni ukuba umphandle uxhomekeke phantsi ngokutsha, uphakathi kokungazami.
“UShelly, kuyenzeka,” umMama unikezela uMilo, umama usongwa.
“Uxolo, nangoku,” ubume bakhe buvunjwa, ngamathuba angama shunke, usipheki uMilo ukuba udibane.
Okwangoko, uthanda ukuba akekho uMilo usifumene u-Shelly ukuze uvalele. “Yijonge, yinto ebalulekileyo,” uMilo udibana namasalima, abavizungela.
Uqhayisa amazinga abavelayo abalehle, umama uyahlanjwa uShelly agakholwanga, umama wonwabe, bekwekhaya lweMilo.
Njengoba imijikelo ibonisa kuxhamliswa kwengcamango. “Ngowethu,” kuzuba uMilo, awehlo uphume.