"O…kay," she replied, swallowing hard, her throat suddenly dry.
Trying to steady herself, she told her mind to treat it like a teacher guiding a student. She inhaled deeply and gave a small nod, a silent signal for him to begin.
Gently, Roman took her hand and guided it over the carrot. The first slice was jagged, uneven, and disappointing. Her shoulders slumped slightly as discouragement crept in.
"Imagine you are in an operating room," he said softly, leaning in behind her, "and you have to cut open a stomach without spilling a single drop of blood. Treat this carrot like that, controlled, careful."
His words were meant to encourage her, but they only confused her more. She had never even come close to slicing a stomach open herself, much less doing it without spilling blood. How was that supposed to help?
"But… I haven't done that before," she murmured, a faint pout in her tone.
