The Twelve Zenati Pt. 05

The sleeveless base dress was almost the colour of rust, but richer and shining like polished cotton. Once she had it on, she found that it did fit snugly but wasn't too tight. The plunging neckline would still allow her to wear a bra if she was careful about the style, but she would need better underwear, she realised as she smoothed the material over her hips. Coming out from behind the screen, she stood and wrapped the highly decorated under-bust corset around the middle of the dress and allowed the old woman to help her do up the hooks at the side, where they would not show, and tighten the small section of added ribbon lacing in the back.

Vivienne marvelled at the reflection that she saw in the mirror. Her breasts looked fuller and in proportion with her hips, which curved out from her tightly-held waist. She would never have believed that her figure could look this good. It wasn't that she hadn't tried corsets before, but this one sat only from her ribs to her hips, tightening the area in between and giving her an hourglass figure, rather than just the awkward lumps and bumps that usually occurred when she tried to restrain her solid figure.

"What did I tell you? It fits you perfectly," Madrina confirmed with a smile. "You need better underwear. Trying to hold everything in just makes for rolls where it spills over. What you need to do is smooth it all out. For the life of me, I can't work out why mothers don't teach their daughters these things. You'd be better off with no underwear at all than what you are wearing. Here," she said, going to a large plastic tub and rifling through the lace there before holding out a pair of lacy panties.

"Oh, that's not necessary. This was just for fun. I honestly never go anywhere that I could wear this," Vivienne laughed and waved away the lace.

"I insist. You'll get the full effect and understand what I mean. You need to celebrate your figure, not try to change it," the woman insisted. "You look beautiful."

"Are you trying to give me another heart attack, woman?" Gideon asked in a low voice from the doorway and strode inside, taking the startled Vivienne in his arms and kissing her deeply. "You always look amazing, but this is next level!" he praised her as he let her up for air. "I thought you were working on something for Genesis, but I'll be happy to take this and whatever else she has tried on that I missed," he chuckled loudly.

"You didn't have a heart attack, and you know it," Vivienne said and shook her head. "Madrina was just playing fairy godmother while I played dress up. I can't keep the dress."

"Why not?" he frowned at Madrina.

"She says that she never goes anywhere that she could wear it. Maybe someone could start taking her to nicer places than McDonald's," she scolded Gideon.

"I have never taken her to McDonald's. You know that I prefer Hungry Jacks if we're getting burgers," he shrugged.

"So cheeky," she wagged a finger at him.

"Why don't we," he paused to peck a kiss on Vivienne's lips, "go past my place so I can grab a suit, then swing past the florist to grab you a bunch of flowers, and we can elope tonight. Then I will take you wherever you like to show off that dress."

"That's one idea," she laughed. "Another one is that we pick up the package Genesis sent us here for and get it to the clinic so that he can help his one true love. We should probably keep your idea on ice for a little while longer."

"You're killing me here," he groaned dramatically. "Okay, but we keep the dress," he sighed and turned to wink at Madrina.

"Actually, I have an idea, so yes, I would like to buy the dress if I can." She turned to speak directly to Madrina. "If you haven't made it with someone else in mind."

"It is yours. I will send Gideon the invoice since he asked first," the old woman cackled.

Vivienne shook her head, but Gideon hadn't complained at all about Madrina's decree. She now had an idea about Olivia's treatment in her head that she wanted to test out. She knew that she could either run away from everything Madrina had told her, and what she felt to be true, and go home to hide behind her white coat and doctor's credentials, or she could stop being scared. She knew that she needed to be brave and accept that not everything in this world had to make sense to work or be true.

It had hit her like a bolt that Olivia's refusal to accept her name had little to do with Remington or Genesis but more to do with hiding from who she truly had been, and still was, inside the pretty shell. Vivienne could see it so clearly now, and she could see how much hiding who she was had hurt Olivia and the people around her. She didn't want to look back in years to come and regret not being brave to take a chance on a man who claimed to love her at first sight.

*****

Genesis heard the door to the suite that he now occupied with Olivia open and close and stood from the bed to see who had arrived. He didn't recognise the tall, sexy woman at first. Her hair and makeup were done for an evening out, and the dress had obviously been made for her curves. It was only when he saw Gideon with her that he looked again and recognised the usually austere Vivienne.

"Wow!" he said. "I almost didn't recognise you. I can see why you don't let the uber-sexy out very often. It's dangerous to us mere mortal men," Genesis laughed as he greeted Vivienne, then turned to his brother. "How the hell did you drive here without running into something?"

"I won't lie, there were a few close calls," Gideon chuckled. "Like every time she crossed or uncrossed her legs!"

"Stop that," Vivienne admonished him. "I had an idea that I'd like to try with Olivia. Do you mind if I talk to her for a little while?" she asked Genesis.

"Be careful, she is shutting down easily today," he warned, unsure about letting the new version of Vivienne near Olivia.

"Trust me, I really think this will work," she said softly. "Please just let me go in alone or at least give us space. Gideon has the package from Madrina and needs to explain it to you."

"Not alone," Genesis said, then added reluctantly, "but I will try to give you a little space."

"Thank you," Vivienne said, accepting Genesis's obsessiveness where Olivia was concerned more easily after her talk with Madrina. While she wasn't sure that she believed in the curse, she had seen enough over the past week or more to know that at least part of it was true. The Zenati men displayed obsessive and possessive behaviour around the women they loved, even those who had been married for some time. She walked past him into the room and smiled as she approached Olivia.

"Hello Pixie, do you mind if I call you Pixie? Gideon does, and I am afraid his ways are rubbing off on me a little." She gave a small laugh.

"Pixie is okay," Olivia said, quietly grateful that the woman had stopped calling her Olivia. She looked very different tonight, beautiful in the luscious, sexy way that she could never hope to be.

"You know I get it now. I know I've said that before, but I was wrong. I didn't understand why someone would refuse to accept who they were and want a whole new identity, but I finally, honestly understand. You don't like Olivia much do you? She wasn't very nice, was she?" Vivienne asked, talking about Olivia in the past tense as if she was dead, like Serena had always claimed.

"She was horrible. No one loved her, not even Remington when he found her. That's why I had to become Serena. People wanted to kill Olivia. Nobody liked her, not even me," Olivia whispered.

"I haven't liked Vivienne very much for a long time, either," Vivienne sighed. "I'm starting to like Viv though, because I am starting to see her the way Gideon sees her. He doesn't know Vivienne very well and all the dreadful and stupid things that she has done. He calls me Viv, and he wants to look after me and keep me safe, the same way that Genesis wants to do that for you. Only I am not as brave as you. I am having a hard time believing that he really means it because men like him don't like big and plain girls like me."

"You don't look very plain tonight," Olivia said, trying to understand how this beautiful woman wouldn't believe that she was sexy and desired by all sorts of men, especially Gideon who watched her every movement. Even she had noticed that he seemed to hang on Vivienne's every word.

"That's because tonight I am just Viv. She is more confident that Vivienne, who hides behind her white coat and a medical degree. Vivienne is still there, but it's just a name on my licence and on my hospital badge. It doesn't have to be who I am. Not in here or in here." She touched her head and her heart. "I finally understand why you don't want to be Olivia again. But accepting the name on your medical chart or birth certificate doesn't mean that you have to accept who she was or what she did," Vivienne said with understanding.

"Genesis knows all the awful things Olivia did," Olivia whispered sadly.

"He's still here and wanting you to be his even knowing all of that. You just have to trust him that he means it. That he will love you no matter what Olivia did before you met him. Do you realise that we could be sisters one day, if we both just stop worrying about who we used to be and start over with them?" She looked over to where the two men stood and giggled girlishly.

"Could we? Would he marry me, like Remy was going to?" Olivia asked and turned her head to survey both Genesis and his brother.

"Any other women would be grabbing those men and racing them to the altar and look at us, both too worried about pasts that we can't change," Vivienne said sadly. "Can you tell me, or even better, tell Genesis, why you didn't like Olivia, why you thought she was so horrible? Maybe you can tell him that you could be called Liv rather than Olivia? Then we could be Viv and Liv, because I like you no matter what your name is." She giggled quietly and finally saw Olivia's mouth twitch into an almost-smile. Gone was her whole Doctor Vivienne Papillo persona. Sitting here, she was just another woman in the grip of a Zenati man's obsession.

"I wouldn't mind Liv. Marcie used to call me that when we were kids, but Papa made her stop," she said quietly. "He didn't like Olivia either. He thinks she is dead. too." That was as close as she had come to accepting to her name, Vivienne realised but didn't point it out.

"Then that's his loss, Liv, because you are a sweet girl who is very brave. I'm going to try and be braver tonight than I have been and do something that Gideon has wanted me to do. It's scary, but I know how happy it will make him." She drew a shaky breath and pulled a face. "I just came to tell you that I get it. I understand why you are making Genesis so unhappy. I wish you would talk to him and make him happy again. He has done so much for you; he doesn't deserve to be so unhappy. I might understand, but I think you should find a way to make it better, please.

"You've been so brave losing Remy and becoming Genesis'. You have inspired me to be braver too, so wish me luck," Vivienne grimaced. "I'll come tomorrow and tell you how it went, sweet girl," she whispered and placed a hand on Olivia's still restrained hand on the edge of the bed. For the first time, she noted that the girl didn't flinch as if scolded. That was at least one step forward.

"Good luck, Viv," Olivia whispered.

It occurred to Vivienne, at that moment, that Olivia had been surrounded by medical staff and people telling her what to do, including herself. The only people she'd associated with since Remy had messed with her mind were gone. Even her sister had expectations, and although she had tried to do it in a friendly way, she was still part of the past that Olivia was trying to hide from. This was possibly the first time that someone had spoken to her like a friend since Remington abducted and brainwashed her.

"No more Doctor Vivienne here, just Viv and Liv, sisters because they want it." She looked across again at the two men who had moved closer to try and hear their whispering. "Talk to him, sweet girl. Try and explain why you didn't like Olivia. He will understand, I am sure of it."

She stood then, pulling her hand from Olivia's at the last moment, trying to comprehend how it must have been for her not to have any human contact outside of Remington who had refused to allow her to interact with his friends and staff.

"I'm nervous," she bent and whispered to Olivia, pulling a face. Then she finally walked toward the two men.

"Viv, I will try to be brave too," Olivia said in a slightly louder voice so that the departing woman could hear it.

"You already are, Liv. Never doubt that, but good luck anyway," Vivienne smiled widely.

"I'll walk you out," Genesis said, giving Olivia a strange look and following Gideon and Vivienne from the room into the living area of the suite.

"You called her Liv?" Genesis questioned, unsure if he liked that or not.

"I also told her to tell you why she would answer to Liv and not to Olivia. I didn't push her on why she hated Olivia so much that she claimed she was dead. Or how she knows that her father is happy Olivia is dead because he didn't even like her, let alone love her. There are deep reasons there, beyond Remington, about why she doesn't want to be Olivia. I believe you could risk doing more harm than good forcing it, but that is entirely your decision. I just gave her, and you, an alternative, and you can sack me if you want to because tonight I realised that Olivia didn't need a doctor, she needed a friend. So, doctor Vivienne Papillo won't return but, with your permission, Viv might," she grinned. "Liv and Viv are friends and one day might become sisters, because two crazy brothers just won't let us wallow in our own misery."

"You mightn't be happy, little brother, but I am over the moon right now," Gideon grinned and pulled Vivienne to him. "So, I'm wearing you down, hey? We could still elope tonight," he said hopefully, and she shook her head laughing, feeling lighter somehow, as they left the suite.

*****

Genesis was frowning and puzzling over the difference in Vivienne when he went back into the bedroom and resumed his seat beside Olivia's bed. When he looked up from his musings, he found Olivia watching him with a worried look on her face.

"Are you mad at Viv too, now?" she asked quietly.

"Why would I be mad at Vivienne, little one?" Genesis' frown deepened at her words.

"Because she doesn't want to be Vivienne anymore, just Viv," she explained. "She said it didn't matter if it said Vivienne on her name badge or on the chart because they were just things, but she liked being Viv much better than being Vivienne. She said she didn't like Vivienne very much, but she was starting to like Viv a lot. She was happy tonight."

"She did look happy tonight," Genesis agreed. "She looked very different. I almost didn't recognise her," he continued, enjoying the fact that they seemed to be having a reasonably normal conversation for the first time instead of him having to drag out information with questions and commands that she didn't always answer.

"She said that I should tell you how horrible Olivia was, so that you would understand why I don't want you to call me that," Olivia whispered almost inaudibly, as if speaking to herself. "She called me Liv and said we could be sisters because she likes me no matter what my name is. Liv and Viv are funny names for sisters."

"You could be sisters one day," Genesis agreed and smiled. "if she does as Gideon asks her to do, and you keep explaining things to me instead of just refusing to do as I ask. I am not a monster, sweet girl. I will always listen when you speak, especially about why you would refuse me anything. Tell me about Olivia when she was younger, before she left home, did you like her then?" He moved closer to the bed and rested his hand on her thigh, giving her the physical contact he knew that she craved.

"I told you that it was better that she was gone. Olivia was a mean girl who never listened to anyone and did what she wanted. Olivia wouldn't belong to anyone or listen to them like a good girl, but you wouldn't listen to me," she said miserably, and Genesis realised her withdrawal from him was purposeful, as if she meant to punish him. He tamped down on the anger that threatened to rise and force her to do as he said and drew a breath before he spoke again.

"Because I don't understand. Why you would be so contrary? Explain it to me so that I understand," Genesis said in a gentle command. "Tell me more about Olivia, start with before she left her home and family."

"Olivia was pretty and popular, but she was mean and cruel at the same time, because people let her be that way. Her parents spoiled her because she was good at lying and covering her tracks, and her sisters covered for her and took the blame a lot for things she did. Olivia didn't care though, and when Marcie had a big fight with Daddy and went to stay at Zia Maria's to help her after her accident, Olivia told her that she hated her for going away and not taking the blame for her and doing her chores for her anymore. She was very mean to Marcie, and even Marcie stopped liking her then," she said sadly.

"That's not true. Marcella loves you. She came all this way to make sure that you were alive and okay," Genesis said and frowned.

"She doesn't know me, but she told Olivia to leave with Kevin. She said if he made her happy when no one else could then Olivia should just go. She even helped Olivia to run away after Daddy had cut her off," Olivia shook her head. "Olivia was so mean to her and took everything that Marcie had managed to save for her school and ran away with a boy she thought she loved for adventure. She took the boat her father had given her when she was younger, when she wanted to learn to sail. Her Daddy had always given her everything she wanted. Then, when Olivia ignored him when he ordered her to come home, he cut off her allowance. Olivia hadn't believed that her Daddy meant it, but he did, and the money ran out quickly because Olivia was stupid and Kevin was even more selfish and spoilt than she was," she admitted.

"Marcie had nothing left to give Olivia, and no one else in the family would talk to her because she had said horrible things about them all before she left and turned her back on them. She couldn't go home, and all she had was Kevin. But Kevin became mean and hurt her and took everything she had left. He sold her jewellery and anything of value that she had. In the end, even Kevin hated Olivia and left her all alone. Even her boat had given up on her when she met Remy. She didn't trust Remy. She wanted to find her boat and just stay safe until the bad men who shot his friend were caught, but the boat was missing. Remy told her that it wasn't safe to go back to her job, so she stayed with him, and he punished her for being so stupid, for making mistakes, for talking to people who would know how stupid and awful she was. He taught her how to be a good girl and gave her a good girl name, because Olivia was horrible and needed to be punished all the time." Tears leaked from her eyes as she whispered.

"I don't want to be Olivia. I don't want everyone to hate me. Viv said she likes me, and she wanted to be my friend, maybe even my sister. She doesn't know how horrible Olivia was, how mean she was to Marcie. I haven't had a friend or sister in a very long time. Remy didn't like me talking to anyone, in case Olivia said something and embarrassed him. He loved me though, and that was enough. Being Serena and being loved was enough. Olivia knew she deserved punishment. She knew she had been dumb, and in the end, she had no one and nothing. I don't want to be her, please. Viv said names on a piece of paper mean nothing, they have to be there, but that maybe one day you would change my name properly and until then, she would call me Liv and not Olivia. She said you would understand if I told you."