A new day, a new dish to prepare.
Ren headed to the same place that, in his first days there, had seemed almost indescribable. Now, however, it no longer felt strange or foreign. The path, worn down by the constant passage through the tall grass, guided him to a wooden fence behind which the field stretched out.
Among dozens of cows standing behind the barrier was a young woman no older than twenty. As every morning, she carried out her work of milking them one by one.
While walking along the trail, Ren raised a hand in greeting. The girl, with brown hair and a face that was always lively, returned the gesture with the same energy as always, accompanying it with an open smile.
After finishing her work, she headed toward a small construction built from the same wood as the trees that grew in the surroundings. That improvised hut served as a shop.
By the time the girl arrived, Ren was already waiting inside, sitting on a very improvised chair.
The young woman let out a laugh as soon as she saw him.
"Alright, city boy, tell me, what are you going to want today?"
Ren stood up from the stool and replied with a slight nod.
"The same as the previous day, please."
The girl raised an eyebrow while she began preparing the order.
"The same dish again? I don't think Miss Miya will want to eat the same thing all the time."
"My wife asked me to make it again. It seems she liked what I prepared."
The girl let out a soft laugh, giving him a curious look.
"That sounds a bit provocative. How about I discount a few coins for you today? Just for a plate of that fabulous food you always manage to embellish."
Ren nodded.
"That's fine."
While gathering everything requested, the girl observed him from the corner of her eye. There was something in his expression that didn't match the routine of other days.
"Are you okay?"
Ren tried to force a smile, though it came out clumsy.
"Yes."
"Are you sure?" she insisted. "You look… sad."
"No, I'm just normal," he replied after a brief pause. "Maybe I look like that because I'm thoughtful."
"And what are you thinking about? Of course, if it can be known."
Ren hesitated for a moment, but answered.
"You know… about life."
"I didn't know you were a philosopher," she joked.
Ren let out a muted laugh.
"No, I'm not. It's just… sometimes I start thinking about everything I've lived through until now."
The girl finished arranging the things and handed him a bag with the order.
"Here you go."
Then she added, with a softer smile:
"Thinking about our lives isn't bad, in fact it's good. There are sad moments… There are also happy moments, and those are the ones we should remember to put a smile on life. In the end, that simple gesture can change our day."
"Yes… it's true, Leída."
Ren hadn't fully listened to what Leída had said, because of the immense sea of memories that was passing through him at that moment.
What happened the previous day left him confused. The slap had pushed him into a strange state, into a feeling of loneliness he couldn't fully understand. He didn't know why he felt that way, nor at what exact point it had returned.
At first, his closeness and commitment to Miya had been born precisely to avoid that feeling. To not be alone. However, now it seemed to have no effect.
Ren felt that something wasn't right. He couldn't explain it clearly, but he knew it.
Again and again, his mind returned to the argument, to the precise instant of the blow and, above all, to Miya's words when she said that Yaina was no longer with his father. That struck him as strange. Miya was supposed to no longer have contact with her.
So, how did she know?
He tried to push that idea away before it took shape. He clung to the memory of the previous night, to Miya's tearful apologies, to the tight embrace in bed and to the promise that it wouldn't happen again, because she was regretful.
Ren wanted to believe it. And he did.
Even so, what happened didn't disappear from his mind. It remained there, like a scar that wouldn't fully fade.
"If you need to talk, I'll be here, Ren," said Leída with a smile and a raised hand. "You know I'm willing to help all my clients… especially the ones who bring me such good food."
Ren walked away with the bag in his hand and returned the smile, encouraged by her words.
Chapter 31: Pills