Ogechi, a girl estranged from her mother, works as a hairdresser to make ends meet. In this society, mother’s craft their babies into dolls and then must seek their own mother’s blessing and wait a year for the child to come to life. Ogechi has tried everything to make a successful baby, from using clay, to yarn, to hair but has been unsuccessful. She seeks out the help of Mama, a mysterious and magical woman who blesses the babies of girls without mothers in exchange for various things. Ogechi steals a blessing for her baby, and has to conceal it from Mama, who will not approve of the baby because Ogechi still owes her money. The surprising end of the story ponders how far a mother will go to save her child.