Chapter 19 - THE EMERGENCY CUSTODY PETITION
Grant was served inside the cardiac ICU waiting room.
He read the first page and turned toward Brooke.
“You’re trying to take my daughter?”
“I’m trying to keep her alive.”
“I brought her to the hospital.”
“After I begged you for six hours.”
Grant lowered his voice.
“My mother’s attorneys wrote that petition against you. I didn’t.”
“You signed it.”
“I was scared.”
“You are always scared when responsibility reaches your name.”
Judith arrived during the argument.
“This is exactly why Brooke is unfit. She’s making emotional decisions under pressure.”
Brooke stepped toward her.
“You gave an eight-year-old adult cold medicine after hiding his heart condition.”
“That has not been proven.”
“I heard the voicemail.”
For the first time, Judith looked shaken.
“You had no right.”
“It was evidence involving my child’s safety.”
Judith turned toward Grant.
“Control your wife.”
Brooke laughed.
“No one in this family is controlling me again.”
At the custody hearing, Grant’s attorney argued that Maisie needed both parents and that Brooke was reacting to an unverified investigation.
Brooke’s attorney presented the genetic test, the delayed hospital visit, and Grant’s previous concealment of Liam’s diagnosis.
The judge asked Grant directly, “Before your daughter was born, did you know there was a potentially fatal inherited cardiac condition in your family?”
Grant shifted in his chair.
“I knew there had been questions.”
“That was not my question.”
Grant’s attorney whispered to him.
Finally, Grant answered.
“Yes.”
Brooke closed her eyes.
The judge granted her temporary primary medical decision-making authority. Grant received supervised visitation while the investigation continued.
Judith was prohibited from visiting Maisie without Brooke’s written permission.
Outside court, Grant caught up with me.
“You helped Brooke do this.”
“No.”
“She would never have challenged me before you got involved.”
“That sounds like a problem with your marriage.”
“She’s taking my daughter because of something that happened years ago.”
“She’s protecting your daughter because you repeated the same behavior last week.”
Grant looked toward Brooke, who was speaking with her attorney.
“What am I supposed to do?”
“Tell the truth before someone has to drag it out of you.”
May you like
He stared at me.
Then he said, “There’s a video from the night Liam died.”
