Eight Months Pregnant, My Husband Locked Me in a Freezing Cabin for His Ex on Christmas Eve novel · Chapter 10 of 24

Chapter 10: The Petition

Hallie's POV

Rhonda drove fast and ran every yellow light.

We reached the NICU floor, and I came out of the elevator with my stitches pulling.

Joyce stood at the double doors with her folder.

Eli stood in front of them, with his arms folded and the deputy beside him.

The charge nurse was holding a piece of paper at arm's length and shaking her head.

"There she is," Joyce said, and her smile came back. "Darling, there's been a misunderstanding. I only want to sit with the baby."

"You don't get to sit with her," I said. "Give me that."

The charge nurse handed me the page.

I read the first line, *Petition for Emergency Temporary Custody and Guardianship*.

Petitioner: *Neil Garver*.

Respondent: *Hallie Brennan Garver*.

Grounds: *the mother's acute postpartum psychiatric instability, with risk of harm to the infant*.

The next page was a doctor's letter on thick cream paper.

*I have evaluated Mrs. Hallie Garver and find her at serious risk of a psychotic episode following delivery. In my professional opinion, the newborn should not be left in her sole care.*

I read the date at the top.

December 21.

"I was at work on the twenty-first," I said. "I cleaned teeth all day. I have never met this doctor."

"Hallie," Joyce said, "the doctor consulted with the family."

"The family. Meaning you."

"Meaning Neil and me."

"He wrote 'I have evaluated Mrs. Garver.' Where? When?"

Joyce's voice stayed smooth. "Doctors can assess from history."

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