Palesa wakes up and opens the curtains that bring light inside the little bedroom. She checks Queen, who is in her deep sleep. Palesa feels full of energy today, but she doesn’t know why.

She goes to the kitchen, greets her grandparents and asks for dirty clothes so she can do laundry.

“In that drawer,” Granny answers, pointing to the cardboard in the corner.

“Where is Queen? I want you to feed the cows, hens and goats before the herd-man comes,” Grandpa says, sipping his tea.

“She is sleeping,” she looks down, ashamed.

Queen is lazy, but Palesa isn’t like her. Palesa can work, especially if she isn’t in those monthly moods that every woman has. Queen can’t even cook with her long, manicured nails.

“It’s not a good thing to sleep at this hour,” Grandpa says, walking out of the kitchen.

“Take the clothes in the washing basket,” Granny says, smiling and ignoring Grandpa’s remarks.

Palesa goes to fetch the laundry. She goes to the water tank because there isn’t water in the taps. The tank is a bit far from the houses. Many dig boreholes for water. Her grandpa had paid some constructers to dig a borehole so that he would have enough water for his domestic animals and household use. She works hard and quickly. In half an hour she’s already hanging clothes on the washing line.

Queen walks out the house, stretching her hands as if she didn’t sleep well. She sees Palesa busy with the washing, she waves her hand, but Queen goes back inside. After putting all the wet clothes on the washing line, Palesa walks inside the kitchen. Her stomach is growling with hunger. Grandma sits knitting her wool. She is sitting on the wooden chair. She stands up and goes to the microwave.

“You are hungry. I made a healthy breakfast,” Granny smiles.

“Thank you, Granny,” she says, sitting down while Granny gives her a plate with viennas, eggs and beans with four toasted bread slices.

“Thank you, Granny,” she says again, noticing Queen sitting on the opposite side of table.

“Did you eat?” Palesa asks, worried.

Queen nods her head. Grandma sits back on the chair and ignores the tension between the girls. Palesa hopes Grandma will get up so she can question Queen about her silence. Palesa doesn’t like seeing Queen like this. Maybe she is sick, she thinks. Queen normally tells her what’s bothering her, but not today.

“I want to bathe so we can feed the animals,” Queen says.

“Wooo, we bathe after feeding the cows. Don’t forget we will smell like dung,” Palesa chuckles.

Queen walks away rudely without smiling. Granny finally wants to interfere, but she doesn’t, hoping to see a pleasant atmosphere.

“Palesa, you have to find out what is going on with Queen. You are the elder,” she whispers.

Queen walks out while Palesa finishes washing the plates. She calls Queen, but she doesn’t stop to listen. Palesa checks her phone. She switches on her data and has a lot of messages from Tony.

Toney: Hie babes.

I was just checking you.

Palesa: Hey T. How are you doing?

Tony: Good. Want to talk about us?

Palesa: Later.

She puts the phone under the pillow and dresses in her blue overalls. Queen has finished feeding the chickens.

Tell us: If you were Queen, how would you tackle this issue?