Mia, a sixteen-year-old girl, lives with her dad and her entitled stepmother, Trudy. Trudy’s been around for two years, and Mia’s life feels like a bad reality show. Trudy demands everything revolve around her, including a lavish 45th birthday party where Mia is expected to be a hidden helper.
In the days leading up to the party, Trudy tells Mia she wants a dishwasher for her birthday. Mia, already saving for her prom dress, can’t afford it, but Trudy insists, scoffing at her prom savings. She convinces Mia’s dad that Mia should babysit but not get a job. Meanwhile, Mia’s dad stays out of Trudy’s way, trying to keep peace at home.
The party arrives, and Mia is stuck setting up, refilling drinks, and doing whatever Trudy demands. After the cake-cutting and all the attention on Trudy, she suddenly demands Mia wash all the dishes because Mia didn’t buy her the dishwasher. Trudy’s friends join in, criticizing Mia for “not getting her mom a present.”
Though frustrated, Mia does what she’s told, scrubbing dishes for hours. The next morning, Trudy shrieks when she discovers the kitchen flooded due to her careless disposal of oils down the sink. Her “quick fix” with drain cleaner only worsened the situation. Mia can’t help but smile inwardly, thinking karma hit Trudy hard.
Trudy’s freakout is met with a high repair bill, and her husband, Mia’s dad, makes it clear he’s not taking sides. He also announces he’ll be paying $500 for Mia’s prom dress, which doesn’t sit well with Trudy. But Mia’s dad stands his ground, spoiling Mia for her prom, while Trudy grumbles.
Later, Trudy offers to help Mia pick out her dress, trying to make amends. It’s unclear if it’s a real change or just a temporary shift, but Mia is skeptical.
What would you have done in Mia’s shoes?