Olivia (Logan 5)

"All right," I said.

She smiled like some devilish beguiler who had tempted me to take the first steps toward sin.

"I'll fix your hair," she followed and went into the bathroom to get my brush.

"Wait, I didn't say . . ."

"Just sit down and let me do it, Olivia. For once, let me do something for you," she pleaded.

I stared a moment. She looked very sincere.

"Okay," I said. "What's the difference?"

"You'll see. There's a lot of difference," she promised and began.

An hour later when I looked at myself with my eyebrows thinned, a bit of rouge on each cheek, lipstick, my hair neatly brushed and styled, I dared to think I might just be as pretty as Belinda after all.

"You have nothing nice to wear," she declared. "Take one of my dresses. Choose one that's a bit tight across here," she said indicating her rib cage, "and," she whispered, "wear my new padded bra."

"I don't need that. I have a nice enough dress." I showed her the one Mother had approved, a dark blue silk dress with a delicate lace collar. Belinda grimaced.

"It's not very sexy," she said. "It looks like a dress for one of Mommy's tea parties."

"I don't want to look sexy. I want to look decent, proper."

"Boring," she sang, rushed out to her room and returned with the low-cut black evening dress she wanted me to wear. "At least try it on," she said. "With the bra." She held the garments out until I took them. I went into the bathroom to dress. It had been some time since I had been naked in front of anyone, even Belinda. I didn't want her measuring my breasts and studying my waist and hips to see if there was any fat. She had developed faster than I had at her age and her development didn't seem to want to stop, whereas mine hit a plateau and ended.

When I stepped out, she whistled.

"Is this Olivia Ann Gordon? My sister?"

"Oh stop it," I said but glanced at myself in the mirror. I did look sexier than I ever had. It put a flutter in my chest. Did I dare go out in these clothes, looking like this? "I don't know," I said.

"Do it, Olivia. You won't regret it. Show it to Mommy and Daddy, too."

"I don't know," I said again, but I did go into Mother's bedroom. Daddy was there, sitting at her bedside. They both looked up when I entered, Daddy's face full of surprise. Mother smiled.

"You look absolutely beautiful, dear," she said.

"I knew I had two beautiful daughters," Daddy said. "Any man would have to be blind not to notice you, Olivia."

"It's not too much, Mother?"

"No, I think you look fine," she said.

"See?" Belinda boasted. "I did it. I dressed her."

"Which is why I'm not sure," I said but Mother gave me an approving nod. "Okay, I'll go like this."

"Where are you going?" Daddy asked.

I felt my chin drop.

"Oh no. I forgot to make the reservation!" I cried. Mother actually laughed. I hurried out to make the call and hoped there would be no problem. I wanted us to go to Antonio's on the Point. To me it was always a special little place. Fortunately, they had no difficulty booking us for seven-fifteen. All I had to do was wait for Samuel Logan.

He was nearly fifteen minutes late and apologized, claiming he had gotten lost looking for our home.

"I went up the wrong road and got directions from some elderly man who sent me down another wrong road," he explained, his gaze continually moving from my face to Belinda, who stood behind me wai