The soft chime of her alarm woke Cami from a dreamless slumber. Rolling over, she eyed the bunk beds across the short distance of the plain girl’s room to see if her two sisters were awake yet. Koral, aged twelve occupied the lower bunk and still softly snored. Kinna, aged ten had the top bunk and was sitting up, rubbing her eyes.

“Koral, up you get, sleepy head.” Cami called, not too loudly as she didn’t want to disturb her parents, “It’s the seventh period.” Koral grumbled and rolled over. “If you want some hot water after Kinna has been in the shower, you better hurry,” Cami finished as she swung her feet out of her bed and gathered up the clean clothes that she had laid out the night before. Risen, the three girls left their bedroom and headed off across the worn carpet to the single bathroom that they had to serve all the family. Good, she thought, satisfaction flowing into her as she realised that their brothers were nowhere in sight, we’ll wash before our brothers this morning and they will get the cold water! A happier thought came to her, this was the second of two days off and she had girls group today!

Still grumbling, Koral followed her older sister tailed by Kinna. Taking turns at the sink and in the shower they performed their ablutions. As there was just a single sink along with the shower and toilet, each person had to share space. For reasons of personal privacy, the shower and the toilet were screened off from the rest of the bathroom. Sharing was difficult at the best of times and the source of much friction but the three coped although not without grumbling. Leaving the bathroom dressed for the day in dark blue smocks, the three girls turned and entered the kitchen, passing their three brothers who were wearing plain housecoats, on the way.

“Good day Dar, Tremma, Damma,” the girls chanted in unison. At this cheerful greeting Dar grunted, Tremma nodded and Damma yawned. The girls refrained from any further efforts at greeting although Kinna paused in the door stretching dramatically, earning herself a glowering look from Dar. Tremma refrained from any more reaction than a raised eyebrow while Damma ignored her.

The kitchen was small, both counter and cupboard space in this cramped apartment was precious. There was a stove, a refrigerator and a sink for washing dishes. The kitchen was part of the combined living room and dining room. On one side of the living space was the bath room and the boys sleeping room. On the other side were separate sleeping quarters for the parents and the girls. One unusual item was the flooring in the kitchen area, it was stone tiles that had been laid by a previous tenant.

In the kitchen, Cami got to work. “Koral, get the makings for tea ready. Kinna, the breakfast cereals and milk, I will set the table.” The chores would rotate between them and each girl got to work in setting the meal up. The boys would, in their turn clear the table and clean up the kitchen after all had eaten.

As she worked, Cami’s mind wandered back to the strange events of the day before and the decision she had made. Somehow it seemed silly and petty in the light of the new day. But it was out of character for Madam Brackage to make such a request so that episode still bothered Cami a bit. Even more unsettling was the internal conversation she had on the way back home. But who could she discuss it with? Not her father, not ever! Her mother? That was a possibility but even at her youthful age, she had an idea of the burdens her parents carried and she would only bother her mother at the last if there was no other choice. While she had soothed her mother the previous day, she felt that perhaps her mother was wondering as well. Her sisters, not a chance! They would just laugh, discreetly of course, and never let her forget it. The same applied to the oldest and youngest brothers. Tremma was her favorite and the family member that she was closest to. But Cami decided that she probably couldn’t talk to him either.

Even her friends Leda and Ava had to be treated with some caution. Friendships were hard won and easily lost on Ti Lepus. Cami decided that she would not speak to either of her friends at this time, maybe later perhaps. With an internal sigh she decided not to describe what happened to her brother either, this was just too personal a problem and her brother would say that she was imagining things and not to worry about strange actions of others. In any case, her action in helping her mother could be considered selfless and the carrying of the jar of chilled water to her mothers’ employee, so that her mother could finish her lunch, as an act of consideration by Madam Brackage. A further sigh almost passed her lips, she would have to figure this out herself if she could. Otherwise she could just put it out of her mind. Bringing her attention back to the present, Cami scanned the table; very dish, piece of cutlery and cup and saucer properly laid out.

Looking at the table the thought crossed her mind that her family, the student and teachers at school and all the people of Ti Lepus were like the table; everyone had to be in their proper station with nothing out of place. The decision she had made the previous day came back to her and the simmering anger that she had been hiding inside herself billowed up carrying with it an urge to grab the table and throw it over, smashing the dishes and scattering the cutlery. Taking a deep breath and giving herself a shake, that won’t help she thought as she turned to see how her sisters had fared.

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Koral had laid out the makings of tea and put a jug of water onto boil while Kinna had neatly set out the various boxes of grains and cereals on another part of the counter.

“We are ready?” Cami asked her sisters.

“Looks like it,” Koral grunted. Kinna grinned. “Are the boys ready?” She asked.

“I’ll tell ma and da,” Cami replied. “The boys can take care of themselves.”

“Don’t let Dar hear you say that,” Koral warned.

“Dar won’t bite like a basticka,[1] all he can do is buzz!” Cami retorted.

“Better be careful, little sister.” Dar muttered in his characteristic half angry voice, annoyed at being compared to a stinging insect. Nineteen years old he was tall and rangy like his father and had just emerged from the bathroom into the living area. He was followed by Tremma, sixteen and Damma, seven, the latter looking uninterested in what was being said. All three were wearing the dark shirt and pants suitable for their class. Tremma hid his smile at Camis comment, but he knew that his brother would be provoked and expected some reaction.

“A little girl like you had better be careful, you never know who may be listening.” Dar continued as he sank into his usual chair.

Up went Cami’s chin as anger at Dars retort surged in her and she bit back, “And a man of Ti Lepus would know the proper time to take his seat at the table.” It was the custom that when the family ate together, no one sat down at the table until the senior member of the household, whether male or female, gave leave to do so, either verbally or by taking their seat. At the rebuke Dar stood up, his face flaming.

As Cami turned away to wake her parents and tell them that morning tide was ready, Dar rounded on her, fists clenched and anger plain on his face. “Why you stuck up little …”

“Dar.” Tremma interrupted in a warning tone. Glancing around, Dar saw that his two younger sisters were watching, both clearly very interested. Cami had also turned back, hands on her hips in the universal pose of displeasure and seemed about to snap back. Again Tremma stepped in as a peacemaker.

“Don’t you both think that’s enough?” he said. “Cami, Ma and Da are probably awake and ready for you.” The look that pasted between the two antagonists clearly showed that this was going to be a temporary truce and the two would soon be at each other’s throats again!

*********

Tremma gave an inaudible sigh. What am I going to do with those two, he thought.

Cami and Dar almost six years apart in age while Tremma was sixteen and unhappily positioned between the two. That meant that he was the peace maker, a job that he didn’t want but looked like he was going to have to keep. Fortunately, Dar was now working as a contract cleaner so his home time was reduced. This helped to keep the two of them apart and made for peace in the family. And thank the gods for that, Tremma concluded.

Tremma was attending the Libus Re Trade School for Boys which was located across the city meaning that he had to catch two transport connections so he could attend the school. This was his second to last general school year majoring in food preparation. Happy in both his assessment and his choice of occupation as a chef, he had worked diligently, had obtained an important recommendation for specialised training and was hoping to learn soon that he was successful.

That will mean that I will have even less time at home, the thought worried him, Dar and Cami will have to just get along, I hope!

*********

As Cami knocked on her parents’ door, she wondered again about all these rules she had to live by. Who sat where and when; why it was the daughters’ job to call the parents? What if they don’t have a daughter? Cami wondered. Do they never go to breakfast? The thought tickled her.

“Da, Ma!” Cami knocked twice on the door. “Morning tide is ready!”

As she waited at the parental bedroom door and listened to her parents rising, Cami looked at Dar out of the corner of her eye. Seeing his obvious annoyance amused her but also worried her. He really is easy to get a rise out of, she thought, He should work on that or he will get into trouble. That did not make her happy, Dar’s attitude would reflect back on her and the whole family. With an inward sigh, she thought that she would talk to Tremma about that.

By this time, her two sisters had joined her and were standing beside her in approved Ti Lepus fashion, head and eyes lowered and hands behind back. Her brothers were standing in a similar fashion behind their chairs at the table although Dar was still looking angry and had his eyes on his oldest sister. The parents’ door opening had him pulling his gaze back to the table.

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[1] An annoying, biting insect.