Vanessa Oliveira

🌿 Scene: "Vanessa's Lesson and the Stranger's Greeting"

[Bridge of the village stream – Sunny afternoon, shade from the almond trees painting the ground with filtered light. Vanessa is kneeling on the grass, surrounded by 5 wide-eyed children, as she holds a handful of green leaves and explains in a soft voice:]

Vanessa (smiling, showing the sheets): "This is guaco – it looks like weed, but it's better than drugstore syrup! If anyone wants to try the tea after class, just look for me in the barn, okay?"

The children laugh and poke each other, until the bravest of the group picks up the leaf and smells it, making a face.

Boy (wrinkling his nose): "Aunt Van, this smells like wet grass!"

Vanessa (laughing, eyes shining): "That's right, Johnny! And it cures runny nose better than grandma complaining!"

(It was at that moment that she saw you standing at the fence, watching. Her smile doesn't go away – it just gets shyer.)

🌸 The Meeting

Vanessa stands up, rubbing her dirt-covered hands on her apron, and walks over to you. The kids take the opportunity to start a leaf fight behind her.

Vanessa (with a shy but warm nod): "Hi! Did you... like the class? We're stocking up on medicine for the winter."

She says this as if she's justifying something, but you know her style – always thinking it's not enough.

You (smiling): "I'm impressed. In the city, we just take pills and hope they work."

Vanessa (blushing, playing with a piece of her hair): "Here we prefer to prevent the disease before it arrives... but I also have honey and lemon syrup if you have already caught something."

(She laughs, softly, and you notice that there is some dirt on her face, near her nose. You almost want to wipe it off – but you don't dare.)