Resilience | ✔

Chapter Thirteen

           

"We're here for you," Steve said, looking Marley straight in the eye. "All of us. Remember that."

Marley nodded, smoothing her palms down on the sides of her slacks. Pepper had lent her a crisp black pantsuit with cream accents for the press conference. It fit pretty well—a bit big in some areas. They'd had to pin the hems of the legs up, as Marley was completely unwilling to wear anything bigger than a kitten heel. She didn't want to walk up and faceplant into the podium.

"We have the element of surprise," Pepper said, not for the first time. "They think this is just a normal press conference. Tony's almost done reporting everything he would in a normal conference. When you go out and he announces you're his daughter, stay neutral and look at the back of the room. Cameras will go off and everyone will start asking questions. Let Tony get them settled, and then the two of you will do what we rehearsed this morning."

"What we rehearsed twice this morning," Marley said, butterflies roiling in her stomach.

"You have your notes," Pepper said in what she must have thought was an assuring tone. "You'll be fine, Marley. Remember the answers we prepared for the questions that will most certainly be asked, and do your best with the ones we didn't expect. Okay?"

"No, I have not been hidden away in Tony's proverbial basement for the past fifteen years," Marley recited.

Steve snorted.

"Enunciate," Pepper said, choosing to ignore Marley's comment. "Be loud and clear, and don't answer any questions you don't want to. If you can't avoid it, use the deflection methods we practiced."

"Twice."

Steve snorted again.

Pepper placed her hands on Marley's shoulders. "Look at me, Marley."

Marley looked at her.

"You'll be fantastic." Pepper smiled. "I saw those pictures from when you were walking up the courthouse steps with Tony. It was scary how much you two looked alike. Just do what he taught you in the car ride down and you'll be fine. I know this is fast. Just remember to keep breathing and that no matter what happens, your position as Tony's daughter, in this house, cannot and will not change. What they say or do doesn't matter. You're doing them a courtesy by telling them what's going on. Okay?"

"Okay," Marley said.

She heard Tony call from the press room, "Miss Potts!"

Pepper dusted off her pencil skirt and went over to the door, sticking her head through. "Yes, Tony?"

"The thing we discussed?"

"Yes." She withdrew and held out her hand. Marley took a deep breath, pulling that mask that Tony had never taught her up onto her face, took the outstretched hand, and Pepper propelled her through the doorway into the press room.

Blinding flashes and an explosion of shouting greeted her. She kept her chin up, forcing a smirk to play around her mouth, and climbed the stairs to the stage. Tony, all charm and confidence in front of the cameras, held open his arms. A clear come hug me invitation.

They had not practiced that. Marley went into high alert, extremely aware of the cameras documenting every microexpression that had to be crossing her face right now. She was not entirely comfortable with hugging Tony just yet. She didn't want their first hug to be in front of the press. It sounded stupid, but she loved hugs, and wanted the first one to be meaningful. Not part of this show they put on for the press.

But maybe it would be meaningful in itself, hugging him in front of the cameras—showing him that she accepted this life under intense scrutiny, showing him that she was more than willing to join him in the charade to keep his façade up. Showing him that she did truly want to be part of his family.