His attorney argued that I was unstable postpartum, unduly influenced by my brother and “a male neighbor with an unusual attachment to the child’s birth,” and intentionally damaging Ryan’s relationship with Lily.
Priya’s pen stopped moving.
I felt her stillness before I saw her smile.
It was not a pleasant smile.
When she stood, she carried only one folder.
“Your Honor,” she said, “Mr. Mercer’s position is that the father who voluntarily left an actively laboring wife, made himself unreachable, arrived after the birth, demanded immediate paternity testing, threatened the mother, and was removed by hospital security is now concerned that others behaved unusually.”
The judge looked over her glasses.
Priya continued.
“The unusual attachment in this case is Mr. Mercer’s attachment to portraying himself as a victim of the emergency he caused.”
Ryan’s face reddened.
Priya submitted the hospital records, social worker report, paternity result, voicemails, and Eli’s statement.
