By the time Lara appeared, yawning and dragging her feet, Bianca had already tied the baskets onto the back of their rented tricycle.
"You're really turning into a farm girl," Lara said, squinting against the early sun. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were actually enjoying this."
"I am," Bianca admitted. "Come on, let's go before it gets hot."
The road to the village wound through rice paddies and small clusters of houses with nipa roofs. Farmers were already out, bent over the fields, their silhouettes dark against the golden horizon. Children waved as the tricycle rattled past, and Bianca waved back, warmth blooming in her chest.
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The market square was livelier than the day they'd bought animals. Today was Sunday, and families had gathered not only to trade but to socialize. Wooden stalls overflowed with vegetables, fish laid on banana leaves, bundles of herbs tied neatly with twine. The air smelled of grilled corn and fried bananas.
Bianca parked near a shaded corner and set down the baskets. She wasn't sure what to expect.
Almost immediately, Lydia's cousin, Aling Rosa, spotted her. "Ay, it's Berto's apo!" she cried, bustling over with her wide smile. "We heard you're staying at the hacienda. Your lolo would be proud."
Bianca bowed her head. "Salamat po, Aling Rosa. I brought some fruit to share."
When she uncovered the baskets, the guavas drew a small crowd. Their pale skins seemed to glow under the sunlight, their fragrance rich and inviting. Children leaned closer, eyes wide.
"Are those from the old orchard?" one man asked in disbelief. "Those trees stopped bearing years ago!"
Bianca hesitated, then smiled. "Maybe they just needed a little care."
---
Soon, pieces of guava were being passed around, the crowd buzzing with excitement. A child bit into one and giggled, "Nanay, it's so sweet!"
Another woman exclaimed, "Ay, my knees feel lighter already!" and laughed, though her eyes shone with surprise.
Bianca's chest tightened. She hadn't planned for this. She knew the fruit was different, but hearing it spoken aloud—people feeling its effects so quickly—made her both proud and uneasy.
Still, the warmth of the villagers' smiles soothed her. For the first time since losing her job, she felt truly useful again.
Lara, of course, couldn't resist taking pictures. "Look at you," she whispered, snapping a candid of Bianca surrounded by laughing children. "The hacienda heiress, bringing magic back to the province."
"Don't call it magic," Bianca muttered. But her cheeks burned.
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End of Chapter 14