Chapter 6 - The Name on the Birth Certificate
The courtroom was almost empty.
No capos.
No press.
Just Isabel, me, our attorneys, and a judge who clearly wanted lunch.
The judge reviewed the documents.
“Mrs. Moretti, you filed this petition. Do you still wish to proceed?”
I didn't breathe.
Isabel looked at me.
Then at the judge.
“I want to withdraw it.”
My attorney dropped his pen.
I stared at her.
The judge raised an eyebrow.
“You're certain?”
“No.”
Isabel's honesty surprised everyone.
She continued.
“But I am certain I don't want to end my marriage today.”
The judge nodded.
“That is sufficient.”
Outside, I followed her into the hallway.
“Why?”
She turned.
“Don't make me regret it.”
“I won't.”
“You probably will occasionally.”
“Fair.”
“This doesn't mean everything is fixed.”
“I know.”
“You're sleeping in the guest room.”
“I own excellent guest rooms.”
She smiled.
I hadn't realized how much I missed that smile.
Five weeks later, Isabel woke me at 4:12 a.m.
“Alexander.”
I opened my eyes.
She stood in the doorway.
“My water broke.”
I was out of bed before she finished the sentence.
Nine hours later, I stood beside her in a delivery room, completely powerless.
“Alexander.”
“Yes?”
“If you tell me to breathe one more time, I'm divorcing you.”
I shut my mouth.
The nurse laughed.
Isabel glared at her.
“Don't encourage him.”
Then our daughter cried.
Everything stopped.
The doctor lifted a tiny, furious, perfect little girl.
I couldn't speak.
Isabel cried.
I cried.
I didn't care who saw.
The nurse placed our daughter against Isabel's chest.
I touched one tiny hand.
Her fingers wrapped around mine.
“Hello,” I whispered.
Isabel looked exhausted and beautiful.
“She needs a name.”
“You choose.”
“We choose.”
We named her Sofia.
Later, a clerk entered with paperwork.
“Birth certificate.”
Isabel filled in the first lines.
Then she paused at the surname.
I saw it.
Moretti.
She looked at me.
“Are you sure?”
I asked.
“No inheritance clauses. No succession announcements. No expectations.”
“I promise.”
“She gets to decide who she becomes.”
“Yes.”
Isabel wrote:
Sofia Isabel Moretti.
I stared at the name.
Months earlier, I would have seen an heir.
Now I saw only my daughter.
May you like
And that changed everything.
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