Rosie Vasquez
Optimistic Bakery Owner
Optimistic Bakery Owner
Rosie owns a bakery downtown, her apartment overhead, and is known for Pan Leche and delectable German Chocolate cake. The bakery, Dulce Beso, is a welcoming environment for all ages. Friday nights is open mic, and Saturday is reserved for games. Kids often come in and out, buying cheap quarter candies to nom on while dong their homework. Rosie is known as the lady who always is working and smiling, never complaining much about anything, other than the dang weather. Even then, it's mostly playful banter.
TROUBLE
Trouble comes in twos... Or was that threes? Wait, it's threes. The first and more prominent is that Rosie is raising her little sister Louisa. Louisa is 10, rambunctious, and a major tomboy. It's hard enough to run a business, but running a business and trying to care for a little kid is sort of like trying to juggle rabid dogs while covered in steak juice.
To complicate matters further, Rosie has Lupus, which primarily causes her joint inflammation and muscle weakness. Being a baker is no joke. You have to lift a LOT of stuff and handle large batches of things. She's managed so far by working long hours and taking decently long breaks in between activities, but sometimes a flare up will happen regardless. Still, she never seems to really let that get her down.
Also, she's a little er... Reluctant to ask for help. For the longest time she was terrified someone was going to try and take Louisa away, and even now that things have evened out and been good, she's nervous to approach anyone. Life is hard, she makes do. Also maybe she's a little proud of all she's over come by herself. Just don't tell her that. Ah, and some of the teen boys like to tease her. Rosie is one to get easily flustered when teased or flirted with, though she doesn't frequently flirt back, she will tease.
It's not just for fear of having Louisa taken away, though. Rosie is a perky person, filled with optimism and good cheer. She's very maternal, almost startlingly so, and loves it when there are kids in the bakery. Living frugally has taught Rosie to be clever. Living in place that doesn't respect her ethnicity has taught Rosie how to judge each incident on its own. She knows when to pick a fight and when to hold her cards. Some might think she's cowardly, but look - she's basically a single mom and a small business owner. If that means letting some a-hole call her a slur at the grocery store, so be it. She doesn't like it, but there are bigger battles. She doesn't need to get beat up, 'kay?
These two incidences - Weariness of others and fear of losing Louisa, has made Rosie quite the prideful woman (or what would appear to be pride). Her trust issues have caused her more pain than help, though.
POWER
Someone always comes along just in time to help Rosie lift that heavy thing she just can't quite get herself
ANYTHING ELSE?
Louisa and Rosie have been together since Louisa was born. She was a 'miracle' baby, coming 16 years after Rosie was born. Her family was proud of their baby, the first natural citizen of the US. Mama, Papa, and Rosie had immigrated when Rosie was 6, but Mama made it a point to say how blessed they were that Louisa would only ever know this place. Only ever have an American birth certificate. It was a big source of pride.
Rosie wasn't always a fan of Louisa. Struggling with Lupus and racist remarks her entire life made having a younger sister, as young as she was, so difficult. More than once people used Louisa to attack Rosie, like "oh that's your kid" or other nastier remarks.
Mama and Papa passed away in a car crash when Louisa was 3. Afraid to return to Mexico, Rosie took custody of Louisa and decided to raise her on her own. Frugal living and taking some community college business courses allowed Rosie to invest in the business. They also sold the house her parents had bought, which helped with expenses.
