Subbing... w/Trust

How often, as a nail tech, do we go on vacation? Practically never, right? We're rarely sick, we don't take extended vacations, and we sure as heck don't trust our clients to other techs! Well, that has now changed. Last year, I met a fabulous nail tech on Facebook. Like a few others, she was local. Unlike others, she had just gone through the training to become a CND EA (the same job I was offered, but turned down). Over the next few months, we became good friends... seems we have more in common than just nails. One thing we don't have in common, though, is her love of scuba diving. With her new work schedule (she not only takes clients three days a week, but she now must travel fairly often for her CND gig, and likes to add on days for diving), she needed someone she can trust to take care of some of her clients when she's gone for longer periods of time. A couple months ago, she asked me to block out two Tuesdays -- one to come over to her salon for shadowing, and one (two weeks later) to actually work at her salon with her clients. Part of the "problem" a lot of nail professionals have with turning over their clientelle (even if it's only a one-time thing) is trusting that your sub isn't going to steal your clients or smack-talk you to them. In this case, it was also trusting that her sub wasn't going to steal from her, since her salon is in her home. For Tanya, in her 23 years of being a nail tech, she's NEVER asked another tech to take over for her... never! In me, she saw a trustworthy individual and a skilled tech. I've been doing nails professionally for only 8 years, so for her to trust me with her clients (one of them is HER BEST FRIEND of more than 20 years!!) speaks volumes. Anyway, I took on four of her clients -- her bff Melissa, plus Thea, Lynn, & June. They all reported back to Tanya (all good things) by the end of the day. Two days later, I got a text from Melissa, asking if she could schedule her next appt with me at my studio, because Tanya won't be back in time to take care of her before she (Melissa) goes on a business trip. I checked with Tanya, and she said, "Yes! It was my idea!" Fantastic. Then, Sunday, I got a FB message from Thea, asking if I had time in my schedule to do a few repairs for her this week; I took care of her yesterday morning. I'm glad they like me enough to ask me to sub, and I'm glad Tanya trusts me enough to sub. I literally have no words for how I feel being put into this position (if I were religious, I'd say "blessed", but I'm not), but if you're a tech, you should understand.