"A day this good deserves a proper celebration."
Marilyn threw her arms around his leg.
"Daddy, will there be yummy food at the party?"
Thaddeus scooped her up high, his expression melting into pure tenderness.
"Of course there will! The party's going to have all kinds of yummy food. Our little Marilyn can eat whatever she wants!"
I thought about what Dominic had said—that the plane would come for us tonight. I looked at Marilyn's eager eyes, then remembered Dominic's warning not to raise Thaddeus's suspicions. In the end, I nodded.
The moment the three of us stepped into the banquet hall, every eye in the room turned our way.
"Look, Mr. Abbott and his family are here. What a gorgeous couple. Their daughter's name is Marilyn, isn't it? She's absolutely adorable. I wish I could set her up with my boy."
"I know, right? Such a sweet, well-behaved child. I can't help but love her just looking at her."
A few of Thaddeus's business associates waved him over. He smiled at me, then headed their way.
The moment he left, a cluster of wives closed in around Marilyn and me.