Desserts & Dramas

Chapter 6

  "It was an accident."

From what the absence of uniform indicated, she really wasn't a waitress. The light blue dress hugged her curves without being vulgar, leaving just enough for a man's imagination to wander. She was beautiful, yet quite different from the women he was use to date. Perhaps she was trying to get his attention, as others girls interested in his money and connections had tried, but this one didn't choose the best approach to please him.

"It was an accident. " she repeated.

"That ruined my shirt," Gabriel pointed out, running out of patience.

Perhaps on any other day he could have been more polite, but after the conversation with his friends and the upcoming exams, his nerves were on edge and any disturbance seemed to overflow all the bad feelings in the form of a rude attitude. On top of everything else, he was tired of the overly direct approaches from some women. She didn't need to get him all wet to talk to him.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, looking down, and then added, staring at him, "Is there anything I can do? Get a wet towel?"

"I think you've done enough," Gabriel growled and left.

Sofia didn't even have time to reply, or to smooth things over. Between walking to the toilet and disguising a fourth analysis on the dessert table so her mother wouldn't see, she didn't realize where she was going and bumped into that man"shaped wall. Maybe she had been too distracted after her encounter with that eccentric, pushy fellow who was Tomas' cousin. The wine of her cup end up on his shirt was an accident, yet he didn't seem to understand it that way.

Sofia didn't know who that rude man was, she just hoped that he was an unimportant guest and that she wouldn't have to see him again.

And she really didn't see him again. At the engagement party at least.

The dinner went smoothly, as did the other toasts and dessert. Everyone seemed to enjoy the sweets that Sofia had made especially for her sister's engagement. Some of the recipes were new tests for the shop, and her intention was to impress the guests so that someone among them would hire her for other events.

Alice, noticing her sister's silence during dinner, decided to check what was going on.

"Sofi, what is this silence? You were so excited earlier."

"Ali, everything is fine, don't worry. " Sofia tried to calm her down.

"It doesn't look like it." Alice insisted.

"I think it's just tension about the desserts presentation." Sofia justified.

"Then you can send it away, because I've heard nothing but compliments from the guests. I'm sure you'll have lots of events soon."

She was very anxious about the acceptance her creations would receive at the dinner, and the repercussions for her career. During her childhood, Alice was always the example of organization and control, while Sofia was quiet and enjoyed the precious moments of life. Alice was still like this, but Sofia had acquired some similar qualities with maturity and the flourishing of her profession. It was curious to think that while Alice played doctor with her dolls, Sofia watched cooking programs and did little experiments in the kitchen, either with the help of her mother, aunts or nanny, and today, both had turned their playtime into their careers.

Despite their concern for the careers, not everything changed. Sofia was extremely messy throughout her life, except in the kitchen where organization reigned supreme. And this mess was a constant source of arguments with her flatmate and older sister.

When her parents opted to live in a house far from downtown area, Alice decided it would be better to stay in there to facilitate displacement between work, studies, and home. After the international gastronomic exploration, Sofia went to live with her sister in the apartment to benefit from the same facilities. With only two years of age difference between them, their routine worked very well, yet it was often to listen to Alice's desperation for Sofia to do this or that to keep the place organized.

"I am very happy to hear this. I can't wait for the new orders. And that the customers get to know Siùcar's shop as well. I have to make this work, Ali."

"And you are making it work, Sofi. Think how much you have progressed since you came back eight months ago. You have created a menu, held events, opened a bakery downtown, and you just keep on growing. Even the great chef Eva Morano praised your sweets, and I remember her being very demanding when you worked for her."

"Chef Eva did not taste all the sweets," Sofia pointed out. "She tasted only one menu suggestion."

Eva Morano was one of the most well"known chefs in the country and Sofia had the opportunity to work for her right after she graduated from culinary school. She started working in the lower ranks of the kitchen of a small trendy bistro, washing dishes and chopping food until the chef put her in the dessert section and she found out her passion. Her delicate hands, refined taste, and audacity to transform common ingredients into complex flavors resulted in tasty little works of art for the lucky ones who used to visit the restaurant.

Even though Chef Eva was a real dictator to make the kitchen run smoothly, only after a whole year in the dessert section working strictly within her rules and only reproducing what was asked of her, Chef Eva gave her the privilege of creative freedom, allowing suggestions and modifications to the dessert menu of the bistro. After this, a friendship was established and Eva was the biggest incentive for her to travel the world and learn more about the art of baking. Sofia then spent a few months in each restaurant suggested by her chef and mentor, obviously with the help of her connections, trying to improve her techniques in cakes, pies, jellies, ice cream and, of course, fine sweets. and desserts.

After three years working abroad, Sofia was finally back in her hometown of Azevedo, ready to open her own bakery shop. She worked for months crafting sweets and developing the best recipes in Paris before returning to open her shop in a small downtown square, famous for its trendy cafes and restaurants.

If the bakery was successful, her intention was to open a second place, with a totally different concept. Instead of refined sweets and imported ingredients, she would make a line with everyday national ingredients and affordable prices, in a franchise model that could spread all over the country. It was an ambitious goal that would demand a lot of work and a good team to delegate many important tasks, however small steps led to great futures and this was what she had planned.

"She really helped with my promotion." Sofia continued. "In those weeks that I went back to Paris to organize the move back here, she managed some important events around here."

"And these events led you to open the bakery. Not everyone could manage this in such a short time." Alice declared, and Sofia had to agree.

"Siùcar is still small, but it's already doing well, isn't it? I can't believe it's already been in operation for two months."

"I can believe it, because I believe in you. So, find that incredible smile again that I know you have and let's enjoy the party. Mom and Barbara can't stop complimenting the desserts and telling your name to anyone who will listen. I predict a very busy future for your company, little sis." Alice winked at her sister and together they returned to the company of the other guests.