Mildred Pierce

Mildred Pierce hasn't worked outside of the home for several years but is excellent at making pastries and sells cakes and pies to friends and neighbors.

Mildred brings a sample of her pies into the diner and they're a big hit. Soon she gets an order for 35 pies a week and the orders start to pile up from other restaurants as well.

After her youngest daughter's funeral, Mildred concentrates on opening her new restaurant. Opening night is a smashing success and even Veda seems to approve.

Mildred has become quite a successful businesswoman. It's now 1937 and she and Lucy, now a partner, is looking to open her third restaurant on Laguna Beach.

Mildred is quite proud of Veda's accomplishments as a singer but finds that her daughter refuses to take her phone calls or respond to any of her letters.