A young woman who is ashamed of her crippled mother tells her to pretend to be a maid when her wealthy fiancé comes to visit.Nicky Weaver was a selfish, spoiled girl, and if we were to be 100% honest, we’d have to lay the blame at her mother Sophia’s door. After all, Sophia had done the spoiling, lavishing love, attention, and all she could afford on Nicky… Nicky was an only child, and Sophia’s husband had left her when she’d been severely injured in a car crash when their child was just three years old. Sophia had survived, but her injuries left her crippled and disfigured. With her husband gone, she focused all her attention and love on her beautiful, bright little girl.

But Nicky, instead of blossoming into a kind, generous person, had become demanding, nasty, and hurtful. But life had some lessons in store for her. It had all started in high school when Nicky suddenly noticed that Sophia didn’t look like everyone else’s athletic, pretty mom. Sophia had a limp, and a terrible scar snaking down her neck. Nicky realized she didn’t want anyone to know that Sophia was her mother. She refused to allow Sophia to attend any of the school functions where her classmates might see her. “Look mom!” she’d said to Sophia. “I’m the most popular girl in school and the prettiest — you don’t LOOK like my mom!

“Sophia had swallowed her pain. She wanted Nicky to be happy, to be popular, to be everything she had never been, and so she agreed. She had watched her daughter’s graduation from afar so as not to embarrass her.Then Nicky went away to college, and during those years, Sophia had missed her dreadfully. She even managed to forget exactly how selfish and unfeeling her child could be. When Nicky told her mother she had been offered a job in their hometown, Sophia had been delighted. Nicky was back, and she was living at home again! But if Sophia thought the distance would make Nicky sweeter, she was in for a surprise.

Sooner or later the truth comes out.Not long after she was back in town, Nicky started dating her boss’s son, a handsome young man who also worked for his law firm. Nicky told her mother, “This is it, mom. George is the big time for me! No more poky little apartments and cheap clothes!”Sophia was shocked. She ran a successful online business and she thought their apartment was very pleasant. She had always bought her daughter the best she could afford, and Nicky’s dismissal of it all as ‘cheap’ and ‘poky’ hurt her feelings. Worse was to come when three months later Nicky came home with a diamond ring sparkling on her finger. “He proposed, mom!” she cried. “And of course, I said yes…” Sophia smiled, happy for her daughter. “I’m so glad you found a young man you love…””Love?” asked Nicky. “Surely you don’t think I’m that stupid? You married for love and look at you now! I’m marrying George and I’ll be a good wife, as long as he gives me the life I want!””So…” Sophia asked timidly. “When do I meet George and his family?” Nicky looked sideways at Sophia and put on her best fake smile. “Oh, I’ll organize something one of these days!” She was thinking that she needed a place to stay until she married and it wouldn’t do to let her mother know her real plans too soon. But a few weeks later, George told Nicky he wanted to see where she lived and meet her mother. Nicky thought quickly. “Hun, you know my mom is a businesswoman, she’s away on a trip right now…But you can come for dinner!”That afternoon, Nicky came home and told her mother: “Listen, you have to make an amazing dinner cause George is coming over!” Sophia was delighted and started making dinner and set a beautiful table for three.Nicky came out of her bedroom looking like a movie star and stared at the dinner table. “Three?” she asked. “What are you thinking, mom? It’s only George and I having dinner!” “Nicky,” gasped Sophia. “This is my house, I’m your mother…” “Not tonight!” Nicky said coldly. “Tonight you’re the maid. I can’t have him looking at you and deciding he doesn’t want to marry into the family!” Sophia was utterly humiliated when George arrived and Nicky introduced her as the maid, and a few minutes later, dismissed her telling her she need only return in the morning.Sophia took her handbag and left. She was devastated, and called her best friend Anne and asked if she could come over. Anne, a pretty and lively woman who lived in the same building, welcomed Sophia. “What’s happened?” Anne asked when she saw Sophia’s unhappy face. Sophia didn’t want to tell her, but eventually, the whole story came out and Anne was furious. “You let this girl trample all over you!” cried Anne angrily. “She deserves a good lesson! You sleep here tonight, and tomorrow I’m fixing Miss Nicky for good!” Nicky spent a lovely evening with George. They ate the delicious dinner Sophia had prepared, danced, and spent the night together. But the early morning would bring Nicky a huge surprise.George and Nicky were still sleeping when the front door opened and a cheery voice shouted, “Nicky! It’s me! I’m home!” Nicky wrapped herself in a dressing gown and stumbled to the sitting room where Anne was standing, beautifully dressed and carrying a suitcase. “Good morning sweet daughter!” she cried happily to Nicky’s amazement. At that moment, George walked in. “Hello!” said Anne, shaking George’s hand enthusiastically, “So you’re the man who’s finally taking Nicky off my hands! I must tell you I’m so relieved!” George was stunned and Nicky was horrified but Anne was on a roll. “Oh, my poor man, you have no idea what you are setting yourself up for! She’s so demanding! Everything has to be just so, and always her own way!””That’s not true!” cried Nicky, eyeing George nervously. “Oh yes, it is!” said Anne. “And I’m so glad you’re rich, George! From what Nicky told me you can afford to buy her all the things she believes she deserves! Money is the key to happiness she always says, and you’ve got plenty!” “I never…” gasped Nicky, but George was looking at her with an odd look on his face then he quietly went back into the room, put on his shoes, and walked out of the door. “You stupid woman!” screamed Nicky at Anne. “What have you done?””Only what you deserve, Nicky!” Anne said. “And saved that young man a great deal of heartache. You have been using and abusing your mother for years, and it’s time you faced the music! She loves you, but she deserves a better daughter. Just like that young man deserves a better wife!” Nicky was devastated. Never before had anyone spoken the truth outright to her face. She started thinking about all that she’d done and how she’d treated her mother and she felt deeply ashamed. Nicky humbly went to Anne’s house to beg her mother’s forgiveness and asked her to come home. It was the beginning of Nicky’s transformation. She wasn’t always sweet, of course, and she did have a few back slips once in a while, but she was a kinder and more loving daughter to Sophia.