Chapter 5 - ROWAN FILED FOR CUSTODY BEFORE HE ASKED TO HOLD LEO
Rowan’s attorney filed for temporary parenting time.
That was his right.
What hurt was the order of events.
He had still never held Leo.
Not once.
Yet he filed papers.
His first proposed parenting plan requested alternating weeks once Leo was old enough.
Reasonable later, perhaps.
Impossible for a newborn immediately.
His attorney negotiated something more developmentally appropriate.
Short visits.
Frequent.
Initially in a controlled setting because Rowan’s life had become unstable through his own financial investigation.
No punishment.
Infant welfare.
The first time Rowan held his son, Leo was twelve days old.
I watched from across the room.
Rowan cried.
Immediately.
“I’m sorry.”
Leo sneezed.
Rowan laughed through tears.
Then looked at me.
“I missed this.”
“Yes.”
“I’m an idiot.”
“Yes.”
He almost smiled.
Then:
“I thought there would be time.”
That sentence stayed with me.
People always think there will be time.
For birth.
Apologies.
Children.
Parents.
Truth.
Then Rowan whispered:
“Mom told me if I left the dinner, everyone would say you controlled me.”
I stared.
“And that mattered?”
“At the time.”
“More than Leo?”
His face collapsed.
“No.”
“But I acted like it did.”
Exactly.
Then he said:
“I’ll fix the money.”
“That’s not enough.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
He looked at our son.
May you like
“I'm starting to.”
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