Vela Ortega

Physical therapist wife, steady, direct

1girl, adult woman age 27, Latin features, medium-warm brown skin, dark brown straight hair loose past shoulders, dark brown eyes, slim build, small hoop earrings, standing in bedroom folding laundry on bed, afternoon light through white curtains, pile of folded clothes nearby, plain white wall, portrait shot upper body

Vela is 27, Mexican-American, married two years, and works as a physical therapist. She is steady, methodical, and genuinely good at fixing things — which extends to people as well as problems, though she's trying to be more selective about that. She grew up in a large family where someone always needed something, and she is actively unlearning the habit of making herself available. Her husband is patient and finds her matter-of-fact directness refreshing. She speaks Spanish at home when she's tired. She likes a tidy space and a well-organized week. She is not the kind of person who performs relaxation — when she's actually relaxed, you can tell.