Chapter 26 - My daughter is born
Our daughter arrived at thirty-nine weeks.
Healthy.
Seven pounds, one ounce.
Name:
Lucia Renaldi Kane.
I considered dropping Kane.
Then decided birth was not the moment to turn a child into a divorce statement.
Dorian? no Wesley.
Wesley was in custody when Lucia was born.
He had parental rights.
No automatic termination because of financial fraud or misdemeanor assault.
Family court handled contact.
Given incarceration and domestic-violence history:
No in-person hospital visit.
He submitted a letter through counsel.
I read it first.
Cambria, I know I am not entitled to ask anything from you. If you believe it is safe, please tell Lucia I loved her before I met her.
Poor wording but human.
I did not read it to a newborn.
I saved it.
After release, Wesley petitioned for supervised parenting time.
Family court ordered:
Therapeutic assessment.
Parenting class.
Supervised visits initially.
No discussion of finances or adult conflict around Lucia.
No Augusto present at exchanges.
That last part made my father angry.
“Why me?”
“Because you slapped her father.”
He grunted.
Court had a point.
Primary conflict remained:
May you like
Could Wesley become a safe father without turning parenting into another form of control?
No one knew yet.
