Chapter 1 (Chapter 2) Summary: The Cost of Being “Mama”
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
The chapter opens three months before the main timeline. Millie, the housemaid, is finishing a thorough cleaning of Amber Degraw’s kitchen. She reflects on the irony that Amber, who eats only takeout, owns a dazzling array of unused appliances. As Millie prepares to leave, Amber breezes in and announces she needs Millie to babysit her nine-month-old daughter Olive while she goes for a pedicure. Millie protests gently: she has a social psychology class in one hour and has already skipped class twice to cover for Amber. Amber dismisses the objection, and when Olive begins crying from the living room, Millie reluctantly agrees.
Millie soothes Olive, who calms instantly in her arms. Just before Amber leaves, Olive blurts out “Mama” while looking at Millie. Amber freezes, then explodes with accusation: “Are you telling Olive that you’re her mother?” Millie insists she only says “Millie,” but the sound is too similar. Amber seizes Olive, who clings to Millie and screams “Mama” repeatedly. Amber rants about breastfeeding for a week and demands to know why her own daughter rejects her. The chapter ends with Millie certain she has just been fired.
Key Events
- Millie finishes cleaning the kitchen and catalogues Amber’s expensive but untouched appliances.
- Amber enters and asks Millie to babysit for an indefinite time while she gets a pedicure.
- Millie reveals she has a class but eventually accepts after hearing Olive cry.
- Olive, woken from a nap, cries until Millie picks her up and quickly settles.
- Olive says “Mama” while looking at Millie, and Amber overhears.
- Amber accuses Millie of usurping her role as mother, and a heated confrontation erupts.
- Amber forcibly removes Olive from Millie, while Olive screams “Mama” and reaches for Millie.
- Millie realizes she will likely lose her job over the incident.
Character Development
Millie Calloway is portrayed as hardworking, financially stressed, and deeply invested in Olive’s wellbeing. She balances her desire to earn money for tuition with her need to attend class. Her immediate care for Olive shows maternal instincts, yet she also exhibits deference to Amber—agreeing to stay against her own interests.
Amber Degraw is revealed as vain, entitled, and insecure. She prioritises her pedicure over Millie’s education, fails to ask for favours in advance, and flips from dismissive to enraged when Olive calls another woman “Mama.” Her fixation on preventing wrinkles and her pride in breastfeeding (which she abandoned after a week) expose a deep anxiety about her role as a mother.
Olive is a sweet, affectionate baby who clearly adores Millie. Her innocent “Mama” is not malicious but triggers Amber’s worst fears.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Motherhood and Insecurity: The chapter pivots on Amber’s terror that her daughter prefers another woman. Her angry outburst contrasts with Millie’s calm, nurturing behaviour, highlighting how maternal care is performed rather than biologically given.
- Class and Power: Amber sees Millie as a replaceable servant. She disregards Millie’s education (a path out of poverty) to serve her own whims. The unused appliances symbolise Amber’s performative wealth—owning things without using them mirrors her ownership of Olive without really caring for her.
- Names and Identity – “Millie” is too close to “Mama,” a phonetic collision that blurs boundaries. Millie is the one who soothes, feeds, and plays, yet she must insist on her name to avoid further conflict.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter establishes the central psychological tension between Millie and Amber. It introduces the maidservant’s perspective and the high stakes of her job—losing it means losing her income, her chance at a degree, and her connection to Olive. It also seeds the theme of motherhood, which will be tested as the plot deepens. The chapter’s final line (“I am so fired”) hooks the reader into wondering how Millie will recover from this crisis.
Study Questions and Answers
Q1: Why does Millie agree to babysit despite having a class?
A1: Millie feels obligated because Amber pays well and she needs the money for her social work degree. Olive’s crying also tugs at her emotions, and she has already skipped class twice before to accommodate Amber.
Q2: What triggers Amber’s rage?
A2: Amber hears her daughter call Millie “Mama.” She interprets this as proof that Millie has deliberately told Olive she is her mother, which threatens Amber’s identity as the “real” mother and exposes her own absence from Olive’s daily care.
Q3: How does the chapter show the power imbalance between Millie and Amber?
A3: Amber can demand childcare at the last minute, dismiss Millie’s education as unimportant, and ultimately control whether Millie keeps her job. Millie, despite her inner protests, capitulates because she cannot afford to lose the income.