"Behind every great leader, is an even greater Woman."
You might think that the boss of Monica's Quilt and Bead Creations would be none other than Monica herself; she owns the store, she works the shows, her name is literally on the front of the building. Well, you are wrong.
The title of "Boss" goes to the small, but fierce, Evelia who has been working for my mother for the past sixteen years. As I have said before, I literally grew up in the shop and have had the privilege to get to know each and every one of my mother's co-workers as if they were family. Evelia definitely is a part of my family. Her mother, Guadalupe, has taken care of me ever since I was born. She never had a title other than "My Lupe," but I guess she would be considered my nanny. I remember when I was little walking down the street to pickup Evelia after school. I was completely enamored with her. She would hold my hand and Lupe would hold the other. I distinctly remember walking closer to Evelia, my head leaning against her hip (I was smaller at the time. Not the giant I am now). I thought myself to be a natural Don Juan. Now, you might be wondering, "How did she attain such a distinguished title?" Well, the truth of the matter is that my mother will not do anything in the store without Evelia's consent. She has earned a high-respect with my mother, as well as her co-workers, due to her tireless efforts to make Monica's Quilt and Bead Creations a well-run, well supplied store. When you have the chance, take a gander at the many different quilts hanging up on the wall in my mother's store; the color pallet for most of them were picked out by Evelia. If you have had the chance to enjoy one my mother's Weekend Retreats at the Hyatt Grand Champion during Summer, then you have gotten the chance to work with one of many of Evelia's well thought-out kits. And if you have picked up a fat quarter or yard cut of fabric from one of the numerous Quilt Shows my mother attends, then you have picked up just one piece of fabric that Evelia has folded and specifically picked to send on the road with my mother for you to enjoy.
So the next time you walk into Monica's Quilt and Bead Creations and see my mom running about, helping customers, being her sunshine self, know that Evelia is somewhere near by, making sure that the shelves are stacked appropriatly and filled with fabric, that the beads are all neat and nicely set, that there is not one missing pattern from the rack, so that my mom can do what she does best: talk to customers and sell. And whenever there needs to be a second opinion on a color scheme, my mom will alway ask Evelia and will take her opinion first over her own 95% of the time.
