Mama tightened the ribbons of the dress's built-in corset, making me squeal.
"Stand. Still," she ordered for the nth time.
I shrieked as the ribbons pulled me in. "You're pulling it too tight! Ahh, my poor waist..."
"No talking!" she bellowed as she pulled the ribbons again, with so much force that I wheezed. "Tuck in your stomach. Y'know, I never made a single noise when I wore that. Have some guts!"
I felt like all my guts were gonna explode. Sweaty from all the exercise, I rolled my eyes and leaned my head against the mirror in Mama Ruth's room.
"Spare me," I croaked out.
She laughed an insidious laugh. "Come now, you're the one who so wanted to go to this ball. Now you shall bear the consequences."
Weakly, I held the sides of my waist as the corset pulled me in again. I groaned in anticipation of another pull, but Mama, with her swift fingers, neatly tied a bow at the bottom and stood back to admire her handiwork.
