Chapter 3 - Harbor Home Maternal Care
At 7:11 the next morning, I called Harbor Home Maternal Care.
Miriam Rossetti, my family-office counsel, was with me.
Alessandra had slept nearly four consecutive hours after receiving fluids and medication.
Theo slept beside her in the hospital bassinet.
The agency administrator found the file.
“Alessandra Whitmore?”
“Bellafonte-Whitmore.”
“Yes. I have it.”
“Twenty-one overnight visits.”
“Originally.”
“Originally?”
“Service was canceled after visit three.”
“By whom?”
Pause.
“Her husband.”
My jaw tightened.
“Colin Whitmore?”
“Yes.”
“Did he give a reason?”
The administrator read.
“Family electing to continue newborn care independently. Client requests privacy.”
“Client?”
“Mr. Whitmore was the designated household contact.”
Miriam held up a hand before I spoke.
She asked:
“Do you have written authorization showing Alessandra requested cancellation?”
“No. We spoke with Mr. Whitmore.”
“Did you attempt to confirm with the patient?”
“She was not technically our medical patient. This was a private postpartum support contract. Her husband was listed as contact.”
“Who paid?”
“Bellafonte Family Office.”
“Did you contact the payer?”
“We emailed the payer representative about the shortened service period.”
I turned.
My assistant, Teresa Long, handled household invoices.
Miriam asked:
“To what address?”
They gave us Teresa’s.
I called her.
She answered immediately.
“Mr. Bellafonte.”
“Did Harbor Home tell you Alessandra canceled the nurse?”
Pause.
“They said the family requested termination.”
“Who told you that?”
“Colin.”
There.
“Exactly what did he say?”
Teresa became quieter.
“He said Alessandra felt uncomfortable having someone in the house overnight. He said she wanted privacy and didn’t want you pressuring her.”
I said nothing.
Miriam continued for me.
“Did you tell Giorgio?”
“I told him Alessandra wanted less help.”
I remembered.
A conversation in my car.
Teresa said:
“They’re reducing the overnight support. Alessandra wants some privacy.”
I answered:
“If that’s what she wants, fine.”
That was it.
No confirmation.
No call to my daughter.
Because I had been trying not to become the overbearing father everyone accused me of being.
Colin told Alessandra:
Your father canceled.
Colin told my office:
Alessandra canceled.
Two stories.
One gap.
May you like
And everyone politely respected the boundary Colin invented.
────────────────────
