Olivia (Logan 5)

behavior or silly things she might say. He was worried

enough these days. Mother seemed to be growing weaker and weaker and her stomach problems had returned. He and I were afraid that her next evaluation would bring us all only dreadful news. The threat hung over our house like a tempest threatening to wash our family out to sea. Daddy wore a mask of gloom, his eyes dark and heavy with lines I hadn't seen before etched from his nose to his lips. He walked with a lumbering gait, his shoulders dipped, his strength sapped by shadows of gloom clinging to the walls of our home, cowering in corners, licking their lips in anticipation of the dread that would come

knocking at our door. But something else came first. The morning of Nelson Childs' engagement

party, Samuel phoned to ask if he could see me

immediately.

"Can't it wait until you come by to take me to

the Childs' affair, Samuel?"

"No," he said. "I want to have a special moment

with you, Olivia. Please," he pleaded.

Mother had been sleeping longer and longer

every day and with the nurse there, there wasn't much

for me to do. I agreed, fixed my hair, put on one of

my new cotton blouses and a matching skirt and went

downstairs to wait. Daddy had gone to the office to

complete some work. He promised to be home early enough to dress for the party. However, he said he

would go himself instead of with Samuel and me. "No need for a third wheel on your bike," he

quipped. "You can ride very well on your own these

days, Olivia." He tried to be amusing, but I knew he

didn't want to go without Mother. She insisted he

show himself and represent her as well. Belinda, still

determined not to attend, deliberately rose earlier than

usual and left for Kimberly's house where she claimed

she would spend the day.

"Those snobby parties are boring anyway," she

said as her parting remark, "but tell Nelson good luck

for me," she added with a twinkle in her eyes. "I hope

he's got what he wants."

I decided to simply ignore her so she just trailed

that silly, little laugh behind her and left.

I was alone when Samuel rang the doorbell. I