“How much did you make today, Mom?” Mbeko asks.

“Not even R100! Just R87.60 cents. I really do not know how we will survive this winter!” she sighs again, as she sits down to rest on the couch. “Hey Mbeko, you cannot go on lazing around. You have to find a job, or we won’t survive,” she starts at him again.

“Mom, you know I’ve been trying. Even today, Xolani and I were in the library, reading job advertisements. We could not find anything for us. Xolani told me about an Italian restaurant that has just opened not far from here. They need staff. We will go there tomorrow. Maybe they’ll take us. He also came here and I gave him my clothes to iron at his place. I have to look very smart when I go for this interview.”

“It’s about time!” his mother says. He can see the hunger in her eyes. “I’m happy for you.”

He sees Nomi relaxing, like she can breathe easier again. And when she relaxes she looks younger. He sees the pretty woman she was before she had to support them all. But he is anxious. He doesn’t want to get her hopes up. She is thinking that he has the job already. What if he doesn’t get it? Does she know how hard it is?

Since he finished matric last year, he has only done piece jobs. First, he worked on a construction site for two weeks. After one month, he got a few casual jobs to work as a product promoter inside malls. Now, the last month and a half has been dry. It is hard not to put all his hopes on the restaurant job, on getting something permanent.

“What are we eating tonight? I’m starving and I’m freezing cold,” Zinhle complains, rubbing her hands together. She has been listening to their conversation while she tries to study her Maths.

Nomi fishes a brown paper packet out of her big black plastic bag.

“Here. Some rolls I bought on the way. Bring us some peanut butter. Mbeko, make us some tea.”

“Rolls and peanut butter! Is that all we’ll have for supper?” Zinhle says. “Really?”

“Zinhle, thank God that you have this today. You may sleep on an empty stomach tomorrow.”

Mbeko lights the paraffin stove and starts boiling water for tea. Zinhle squats near the stove.

“Damn, I’m shivering,” she grumbles. Now the smell of paraffin is almost unbearable, but Zinhle does not seem to care.

They don’t talk much while they eat. Everyone’s mind seems to be busy with something different. For Nomi, she can now feel the hardships of widowhood. She had never thought it could be this challenging. For Zinhle, it’s her Maths test tomorrow. She had thought she would go on studying later after supper, but now she is feeling tired and too cold. For Mbeko it is tomorrow’s job interview worrying him.

“This bed is like entering a grave!” Zinhle exclaims as she gets into bed.

“Stop complaining. It’s winter, get used to it. As for me, I will cover myself with the hope of starting a job tomorrow. I will be warm. Night, sister.”

Mbeko switches off the light.

***

Tell us: How are these conditions likely to affect Zinhle’s schooling?