My hands trembled so violently I could barely hold the two flimsy sheets of paper.
So it was true. My heart and Marilyn's kidney hadn't been damaged in the accident at all. It was Thaddeus.
All of it was because of Thaddeus.
The memory of Marilyn crying in humiliation because she couldn't hold her bladder seized my chest like a fist clenching around it, so tight I couldn't breathe.
It turned out an artificial heart could ache, too.
I photographed both documents with my phone, then dialed my brother overseas.
"Dominic Jenner, please help me. Please save me and Marilyn."
After I choked my way through the story, his voice came back through the receiver, shaking with fury.
"Thaddeus! He actually dared!"
"I'm sending a plane for you tomorrow night. Until then, do not make any sudden moves. Don't give Thaddeus any reason to suspect anything. Leave the rest to me."
After I hung up, I put the study back exactly the way I'd found it, returned to the bedroom, and lay down as though nothing had happened.
The next morning, Thaddeus was already gone by the time I woke up.
After lunch, Marilyn sat quietly at her little desk, drawing something.
I walked over to look, and she held up her picture like a treasure she couldn't wait to show off.
"Mommy, look! I drew our family."
"See? This is Daddy, this is Mommy, and this is me."
Looking at her face, my vision blurred with tears.
My sweet Marilyn. Her whole world was nothing but Mommy and Daddy. How could Thaddeus have had the heart to do what he did?
Just then, Thaddeus walked into the room.
"There's a banquet tonight. Let's all go together as a family."
I was about to shake my head and refuse, but he pulled me gently into his arms.
"Today my probation period is officially over. From now on, we're a family again."
"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.
"Mrs. Abbott, you really are blessed. Mr. Abbott is so young and capable, and your daughter is so well-behaved. We're all green with envy."
"Honestly! Did you see the way he looked at you just now? The man couldn't peel his eyes off you. Married all these years and still that smitten."
The pleasant chatter was interrupted by a voice dripping with affected sweetness.
"Is that so? Wasn't Mrs. Abbott trying to divorce Mr. Abbott just a month ago?"
"I heard she was in a terrible car accident on her way out, too. She must have remarkable recovery powers—back on her feet and looking this good after only a month."
"Then again, I hear her health is nothing like it used to be. After all, even her heart is artificial now. And poor little Marilyn—I heard she's only got one kidney left, and she's just six years old. What's going to become of her?"
