Rose agreed to begin with a demonstration for Marisol’s pastry team rather than a customer order.

The café would pay her for the session and provide the materials.

On the morning of the demonstration, Brandon and I sat near the back drinking coffee and pretending we hadn’t come specifically to watch.

Grandma stood at a stainless-steel counter, wearing a white apron that had been embroidered with her first name.

She was nervous enough to keep smoothing the fabric.

Then someone asked how to make the edges of a sugar petal look natural.