She left me to agonize over her words and my feelings. I cried myself to sleep, but in the morning, I tried to look as fresh and as happy as possible. Daddy was taking Marla and me to school. He rarely came to any school we attended. He appeared only when it was necessary. But when he did come with me, I could see how quickly everyone was drawn to him. His elegant manner, heart-stopping good looks, and aristocratic self-confidence captured the attention of teachers and students alike. On those few occasions when any of the other girls in my classes had seen him, they told me things like, "Your father looks like a senator or a president. Is he a movie star? I think I've seen him in a magazine. Does he own a big company?"
"He's all of that," I would say, and laugh at their dumbfounded looks.
