Chapter 3 - THERE WAS A CASE NUMBER
Naomi called at 11:26.
“There is a guardianship case.”
I stopped pacing.
“What?”
“Petition filed two business days ago.”
My hand tightened around the phone.
“Is there an order?”
“No.”
“Emergency hearing?”
“Requested, not granted.”
“When?”
“Next Thursday.”
I sat.
Mother had not merely printed paperwork.
She had filed.
“What does she claim?”
“I’m reading the docket summary, not full sealed supporting exhibits yet.”
“Tell me.”
“Petition alleges you have been increasingly absent due field work, that Ione has spent substantial overnights with Melisande, and that you intend to relocate for employment while leaving Ione’s current care unresolved.”
“That last part is false.”
“You have a job offer?”
“Yes.”
“Did you intend Ione to move with you?”
“Yes.”
“Put that in writing for me.”
Then:
“The petition says you consented to temporary guardianship.”
“My forged signature.”
“Yes.”
“Can we get it thrown out today?”
“Maybe not today. We can file immediate objection, fraud notice and request preservation.”
Process.
Again.
I hated process.
Naomi continued:
“Was your mother a significant caregiver?”
“Yes.”
“How significant?”
I paused.
“During travel weeks.”
“How many nights last year?”
“I don’t know.”
“Estimate.”
“Maybe fifty?”
Silence.
“That is significant.”
“I know.”
“Doesn’t make her parent.”
“No.”
“But do not minimize.”
Good.
Then the worst text.
Naomi found it in my messages with Mother after I searched.
Six months earlier.
I had been stuck during an ice-storm repair project.
Ione had a school concert.
Mother texted:
She keeps asking when you’re coming.
I answered:
I can’t keep doing this. You handle her while I’m gone. I’m buried.
I had meant:
Handle bedtime.
School concert.
Breakfast.
Mother could read it as:
Handle my child.
I hated it.
Then another:
MELISANDE:
You treat me like a parent only when convenient.
ME:
Right now I need you to be one.
There.
Worse.
Naomi read.
“Opposing counsel will use this.”
“I was exhausted.”
“Doesn’t erase words.”
Then:
“Were you planning to tell Ione about Cedar Vale?”
“After I made the final decision.”
“Did you tell your mother first?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“She helped with childcare. I wanted to warn her.”
“Any reaction?”
“She said I was ripping Ione away from family.”
There.
Motive starting.
Still incomplete.
Then Naomi received the filed petition.
My forged consent was attached.
No notarization.
Just an electronically signed declaration.
That helped.
No dishonest notary.
The petition also contained:
A calendar of my work travel.
School pickup records showing Mother.
Pediatric appointments Mother attended.
Photographs of Ione sleeping at Mother’s house.
All real.
Then photographs of my house.
Ione’s bedroom partly cleared.
Boxes in driveway.
These were taken during my trip.
Staged evidence.
But at this point the court did not know whether I had agreed.
Then a statement from Sabine:
“I understood Theron intended Ione to remain with our mother during his employment transition.”
Understood.
Not:
he told me.
Subtle.
Then I saw the petition’s requested order.
Temporary guardianship for six months.
Authority over:
School.
Routine medical care.
Residence.
Not adoption.
Not permanent custody.
Still enormous.
May you like
Mother had asked a judge for the power to decide where my daughter lived.
While telling the court I agreed.
