Chapter 18 - THE BIRTH PLAN
At thirty-seven weeks, Bianca created a written hospital plan.
Not a legal novel.
Simple.
Authorized visitors:
Me.
Her friend Meredith.
Her doula.
No Gavin unless a court later modified the protective order.
No Lenora.
Medical information released only as Bianca approved.
Baby discharge:
Bianca.
No alternate caregiver without her direct consent or court order.
Why so explicit?
Because paperwork had become frightening.
Elias told her:
“You can revise this.”
That helped.
Real consent stays alive.
Then emergency incapacity.
Who made medical decisions if Bianca could not?
Her healthcare proxy named me as alternate after her best friend Meredith? Better maybe independent. She chose Meredith first, me second.
I almost objected.
Stopped.
“Meredith?”
“She listens.”
I stared.
Bianca smiled.
“You listen eventually.”
Fair.
Then child guardianship planning.
If something happened to Bianca during delivery, Gavin remained biological father unless law restricted him.
A private guardian nomination could not simply erase that.
Her attorney explained.
No fantasy.
If both parents became unavailable later, she nominated her cousin Celia? Let's avoid new names. She chose her older friend Meredith as first nominee, subject to court review.
Again:
No automatic throne.
Then the baby’s name.
Livia.
Bianca had chosen it with Gavin months earlier.
Did she want to change it?
She considered.
Then kept it.
May you like
“He doesn’t own the name either.”
Good.
