 Bea Pullman and her daughter Jessie have had a hard time making ends meet since Bea s husband died. Help comes in the form of Delilah Johnson, who agrees to work as Bea s housekeeper in exchange for a room for herself and her daughter Peola. Bea comes up with a plan to market Delilah s pancake recipe. The two soon become wealthy and as the years go on, their friendship deepens. Their relationships with their daughters, however, become strained. Ashamed of her mother, Peola seeks a new life by passing for white. Bea s love for her daughter is tested when she and Jessie fall for the same man.