Chapter 53: Sofía Angélica Kane-Pérez

April 9, 1984, Chicago, Illinois

"Push now, Bianca!" Doctor Wisniewski commanded just before 1:00pm.

Bianca bore down and pushed, and Sofía's head appeared. Doctor Wisniewski called for a suction bulb and cleaned Sofía's mouth and nose.

"One more push at the next contraction!" Doctor Wisniewski directed.

Just a few seconds later, Bianca bore down and pushed, and Doctor Wisniewski maneuvered Sofía's shoulders. As Sofías feet appeared, she cried!

"A healthy baby girl!" Doctor Wisniewski said. "Welcome, Sofía!"

She placed Sofía on Bianca's stomach and quickly listened to Sofía's heart and lungs, then tied off Sofía's umbilical cord.

"Want to cut the cord, Dad?" Doctor Wisniewski asked.

"Absolutely!"

She handed me a pair of surgical scissors and showed me where to cut. I firmly squeezed the scissors, severing Sofía's umbilical cord.

Doctor Wisniewski handed Sofía to a nurse who put her in a warmer and cleaned her up. She weighed Sofía and measured her, announcing my daughter weighed seven pounds, eight ounces and was twenty inches long. The nurse then drew blood from Sofía's heel, and my daughter cried out unhappily but quieted a bit when the nurse swaddled her with a blanket. She brought Sofía to Bianca, who took her in her arms.

"Hi, Sofía," Bianca said.

"You can nurse her whenever you're ready," Doctor Wisniewski said. "Do you want me to call the nurse to guide you?"

"Yes, please," Bianca said. "I'm a complete rookie!"

"Not anymore!" Doctor Wisniewski declared. "You're a pro now!"

"And retired!" Bianca replied. "One is enough!"

Doctor Wisniewski called for a neonatal nurse to come to the room, and she arrived about ten minutes later. I looked on as the nurse followed an almost identical script to the one I'd seen when Heather had been born. I was still in complete awe at the entire process, marveling at the almost magical nature of having a baby and nursing her.

"Dad, do we have a full name?" the original nurse asked.

"Sofía Angélica Kane-Pérez," I said. "Accents on the 'i' in Sofía, the 'e' in Angélica, and the first 'e' in Pérez."

"I think the computer will explode, but I'll mark that on the application for Sofía's birth certificate. Mom's full name and birthdate?"

"Bianca Luisa Pérez, with an accent on the first 'e'; October 14, 1963."

"Yours?"

"Jonathan Edward Kane; November 3, 1962."

"Mom's birthplace?"

"Cicero, Illinois."

"Yours?"

"Goshen, Ohio."

"Occupations?"

"Bianca is a data analyst; my title is Chief Analyst."

She handed me the application and asked me to sign and date it.

"Do you want to hold her, Jonathan?" Bianca asked. "That way, I can sign."

"Sure."

I carefully accepted my infant daughter from Bianca and held her as I'd been taught when Heather had been born. Bianca signed the forms, and the original nurse used a sponge to clean Bianca, then changed the sheets.

"I need a nap," Bianca announced.

"Then I'll take Miss Sofía to the nursery," the nurse said. "Do you want to have her spend the night with you?"

"Yes, please!" Bianca said.

"OK. We'll bring her back in about two hours," she said, taking my daughter from my arms.

"Thanks."

"I need to call my mom," I said. "And you need to call yours."

"After my nap, OK?"

"Yes, of course. I'll go use the payphone because I can't make long-distance calls from the room phone."

Which was strange to me, because most phone systems would allow you to dial an 800 number, but for some reason, this one would not. I kissed Bianca, who closed her eyes, and I left the room. I walked down the hallway and used my calling card to call my mom at Goshen High.

"Goshen High, Linda Kane speaking."

"How does it feel to be a grandma?" I asked.

"Wonderful! How does it feel to be a dad?"

"Amazing! She was born at 12:59pm, weighs seven pounds, eight ounces, and is twenty inches long."

"Did you stick to the same name?"

"Yes. Sofía Angélica Kane-Pérez."

"If you don't object, I'll drive up a week from Friday evening and stay until Sunday evening."

"That's fine with me. You can see the new condo, too."

"Condo?"

"Condo. We're moving around sometime around the 20th, which is the Friday you'll be here."

"Oh, my!"

"Are you bringing the judge with you?"

"I'll call his chambers and find out."

"And I'll call Violet so you can stay with her. She won't mind you sharing a room!"

"Brat!"

"As I've said, I come by it honestly!"

We ended the call, and I dialed Violet's direct number at Spurgeon.

"Sofía Angélica Kane-Pérez was born at 12:59pm!" I said when Violet answered.

"Congratulations! How big?"

"Seven pounds, eight ounces, and twenty inches long."

"I'll let everyone know."

"Thanks. My mom is planning to drive up a week from Friday. Is it OK if she stays with you?"

"Of course!"

"She might bring her boyfriend. I said I didn't think you'd object if they shared a room."

Violet laughed, "You're too funny! How is Bianca?"

"Tired. She's napping right now, and Sofía is in the nursery being fussed over by nurses."

I ended the call, then placed a call to the house, though I wasn't sure anyone would be home. I was correct, so I left a message with the details and asked whoever received the message to tell everyone else.

I went back to the room, which was darkened, and sat in the recliner and took a nap of my own. I woke up before Bianca, and when she woke up, she called her mom and insisted she not come to the hospital. Her mom acquiesced, and Bianca agreed she could visit on Tuesday afternoon. She called her grandmother next, and her grandmother promised to be at the house at noon.

"Are you going to model tonight?" Bianca asked once she completed those calls.

"That's up to you. Deanna promised to let Claire know I might miss, and they can work around it."

"You should go because all I'm going to do is nap and feed Sofía because she's going to wake up every two hours or so. You can come back after you model, if you want, but I think you should go home and get a good night's sleep, then come back first thing in the morning to bring me home."

"If you're sure."

"Positive."

"They're releasing you at 10:00am, so I'll be able to make the hearing at 1:30pm. Your grandma will be with you, so I don't think I'll ask Gwen to postpone."

"As strange as this is, I'm sure we'll be fine!"

The nurse brought Sofía into the room and handed her to Bianca. Bianca nursed Sofía, then cuddled her. I had another chance to hold her, then we put her down in the warmer. We repeated that once more before I left to meet Deanna at Aurelio's for dinner.

"Congratulations!" she exclaimed. "I called Violet to ask, and she told me Bianca and Sofía were doing great!"

"Thanks. They are. I'll bring them home tomorrow. Bianca and I decided we'd move on the 20th, which is the day the nanny service begins. I'll slowly begin moving things to the condo. Once the floor is finished in the new Japanese room, I'll rent a U-Haul and bring the furniture. How is the budget?"

"We should come in under it," Deanna said.

"Good. Then please outfit the kitchen. I'll leave what we have now for Jack and Kristy."

"OK. That should be straightforward."

"I really appreciate all the work you're doing. How are things at Ateljé D?"

"I'm going to have an opening show on the first weekend in May. I put up flyers at school today. I'll have my work, plus two paintings each from Kassie, Kendra, and Stacey. I might have some others, as well."

"Are you going to call John Margolis from Lakeview Partners?"

"Obviously, given I took his money! I'll let him see everything on Thursday."

"Interesting," I smirked.

Deanna laughed, "I meant artwork! He didn't pay me enough to even think about sleeping with him!"

"I'm curious what that number is," I said with a sly smile.

"I don't know, but I know $1000 isn't it!"

"But there is a number!"

"Of course there is. Would you fuck Ellie for $10 million?"

"Probably."

"But not for $1000?"

"Point taken. That said, there is no amount that would be enough for me to give a blowjob!"

"If Spurgeon offered to turn over Spurgeon Capital and all his assets in exchange for a blowjob? With an ironclad contract?"

I laughed, "First, he would never do that; second, a contract with a commitment to a sex act would be illegal!"

"Oh, stop being pedantic for five seconds and answer the hypothetical!"

"You might have a point," I chuckled.

"There's actually an easier path to that! How old is his daughter?"

"Eight next week," I replied, immediately understanding Deanna's point.

"So, in ten years, you marry her, become the heir, and get it all! Or, if you had the ethics of her dad, start fucking her when she turns fourteen, so you ensure you marry her!"

"I get your point, but no amount of money would be worth twenty years in jail for having sex with a girl that young. You know they'd throw the book at me if anyone ever found out. And that assumes I have any interest in underage girls, which I do not."

"So, wait until she's seventeen!" Deanna teased. "You win everything at that point!"

"It's an interesting thought. Before I forget, I haven't said anything to Stefi about Sofía, and I'd prefer not to complicate things. What have you said to Alexa?"

"Nothing about that, but I'm positive Sophie would have told her everything."

"Maybe not; Sophie didn't describe my measurements to Alexa."

"Interesting!" Deanna declared. "So she was just as surprised as Claire and all the students in class."

"Yep. Back to Margolis — he'll buy anything you have on display that isn't personal. And he'll try to buy those, too."

"Obviously! And I'll price them accordingly. If, for some reason, he balks, then I'll put an appropriate price on them for the show."

"I'll make a good capitalist of you yet!" I chuckled.

"Do you hear me objecting in any way to how you make money?"

"No, and you know I was teasing!"

"I know! Are you going back to the hospital?"

"Not until the morning. Bianca wants to sleep between nursing Sofía and wants me to get a good night's sleep because we were up so early today."

"Sleep with me? And I just mean sleep. More is up to you."

"I'd like that."

We finished our meal and headed to the school, where Alexa and I posed in bathing suits. She looked very sexy in a white string bikini, and I let her know that.

"I still find it amusing that you've seen it all but are drooling over me in a bikini!" she said after our session.

"Not drooling, just noting that I like it. I don't find it inconsistent to think you look sexy in the bikini and that your naked body is gorgeous, even goddess-like!"

"You're welcome to worship at my temple any time!"

"Our last session is April 25th," I said. "Why don't we get together on the 28th?"

"Deal! Can you pick me up at Northwestern?"

"Yes. How about 4:30pm?"

"Great!" Alexa exclaimed.

We finished changing, and I left the office to meet Deanna so we could head home.

April 10, 1984, Chicago, Illinois

"How are my girls?" I asked when I walked into Bianca's room at 7:30am on Tuesday morning.

"I'm still tired, and I feel like I passed a watermelon, but I'm happy, and Sofía seems content. How are you doing?"

"I got a good night's sleep," I replied.

"Doctor Wisniewski should be here in about twenty minutes. She'll sign the discharge papers, and we should be able to leave by 9:00am. I know the answer, but I have to ask – do you have the car seat in your car?"

"Yes. Jack helped me buckle it in properly this morning. It's in the back seat, behind the driver's seat. I believe everything else at home is ready."

"Yes. CeCi helped me with putting the bedding on the crib, all the clothes from the baby shower are washed, and we have diapers and formula."

"Ignorant dad question here — when does she start receiving vaccinations?"

"I'll make her first pediatric appointment for when she's two months old. That's when she receives DPT and polio vaccines. The nurse gave me a schedule last night, and it's in my bag if you want to look it over."

"Thanks."

I got the paper from the bag and reviewed it. I saw Sofía would receive vaccinations at two months, four months, six months, a year, and at fifteen months. I put the paper back in Bianca's bag, and a few minutes later, Doctor Wisniewski came into the room. She examined both Bianca and Sofía and pronounced them healthy and fit to be discharged. She filled out the form, congratulated both of us, then left.

Bianca got dressed, and about thirty minutes later, an orderly and nurse came in. They helped Bianca into the wheelchair and handed Sofía to her. I picked up Bianca's bag and followed them to the door to the hospital. They waited while I retrieved the car, then wheeled her to it. She got into the back seat, got Sofía situated, and we headed for home.

"Can I say how strange this is?" I asked as I drove.

"Having a baby?"

"Not just a baby, but my daughter. Yesterday morning, I was Jonathan Kane, stockbroker, hedge fund manager, and Chief Analyst. Now I'm a dad and have a family. It's ... I don't know what it is!"

"Pretty amazing, isn't it? We created this little girl and brought her into the world."

"Yeah."

When we arrived home, I helped Bianca, who was carrying Sofía, into the house. We put Sofía in her crib, and Bianca went to lie down. I called the office to check in, and made lunch for the two of us, then left to attend the hearing about the subpoena.

I met Gwen Meyer and Thomas Hart outside the courtroom.

"The way this works," Gwen said, "is the lawyers do all the talking. If you have something relevant, signal me, and I'll come speak to you. Don't speak unless the judge directly addresses you or I ask you to say something. All you can do is cause yourself problems."

"I'll keep my mouth shut."

The three of us went into the courtroom, and Gwen indicated I should sit on a bench behind the railing while she went through a gate and sat down at a table. I was surprised when Thomas Hart sat down next to me but decided not to ask any questions. Another attorney — I guessed it was Jack Switzer — came in and sat down at the other table. About five minutes later, the bailiff stood.

"All rise! The Circuit Court of Cook County is in session. Judge Karl F. Bradford, presiding."

We stood, the judge came in, and the bailiff said we could sit.

"Ms. Meyer?" Judge Bradford said. "Are you prepared to argue your motion?"

"Yes, Your Honor. Your Honor, we are here on the matter of enforcement of a foreign subpoena against my client. We are asking that this court deny that enforcement.

"My client has provided a detailed affidavit and has no further information to provide. He is a new father, with his child being born yesterday afternoon, and is a key employee at his firm. Generally speaking, except in criminal cases, out-of-state subpoenas are discretionary, and my client exercised his right to testify by deposition. My motion contains the precedents and citations.

"When the Ohio litigant retained counsel in Illinois to enforce the subpoena, my client offered to sit for the deposition, so long as the questions were limited specifically to the matter at hand. The Ohio litigant, through counsel, refused any limitations or accommodations. That refusal to negotiate led directly to the filing of this motion.

"The Ohio litigant has a remedy that does not require an open-ended, unlimited deposition — she may petition the issuing court for exclusion of the affidavit. Doing so would eliminate any testimony the Ohio litigant feels is harmful to her case. Based on that, we ask that this court deny the application to enforce the foreign subpoena. Thank you."

"Mr. Switzer?" Judge Bradford asked. "Do you wish to respond?"

"Yes, Your Honor. I will not rehash the arguments in the motion, but I will counter what Ms. Meyer has said. While it is true that the foreign court could refuse to admit the affidavit, per Ohio statutes, Family Services may use the affidavit in their determination of custody, and that determination is always admitted. Mr. Kane's affidavit would, in effect, be snuck in the back door, and the Ohio litigant would have no recourse.

"While it is inarguable that Mr. Kane is a new father, and it is probable he is a key member of his firm, we are only asking for two hours of his time, which is not unreasonable. In order to counter the testimony in the affidavit, we need the ability to ask any relevant questions, including any events material to the questions of guardianship or custody. We ask that this court rule against the motion and order enforcement of the foreign subpoena. Thank you."

"Ms. Meyer, based on the back door admissibility of your client's affidavit and consistent with precedent in such matters, I deny your motion and order your client to sit for a deposition. Said deposition is limited to two hours and may include any relevant questions about facts material to the Ohio litigant's case. It is so ordered."

"Your honor," Thomas Hart said, standing up. "Thomas Hart of Hart-Lincoln. May I approach and be heard on an emergency application?"

"You may approach," Judge Bradford said.

Thomas Hart went through the gate and stood at the lectern.

"What is your application, Mr. Hart?" Judge Bradford inquired.

"Your Honor, I ask for an emergency temporary restraining order against the Ohio litigant."

"On what grounds, sir?"

"On application and belief, the Ohio litigant is acting vindictively in an attempt to harm my client, Mr. Kane."

"Objection, Your Honor!" Jack Switzer said, rising. "Ms. Meyer is Mr. Kane's counsel of record in this matter."

"Your honor, I am not appearing to argue Ms. Meyer's motion, on which you have already ruled. If I may be permitted to continue, I will explain."

"Mr. Switzer, will you withdraw your objection until counsel completes his argument? I will hear it then."

"Yes, Your Honor," Mr. Switzer said. "Withdrawn."

"Continue, Mr. Hart," Judge Bradford said.

"Thank you, Your Honor. Mr. Kane, as he testified in his affidavit, was the legal guardian for the minor child in question in the Ohio litigation. When the Ohio litigant was arrested, Mr. Kane, acting in what he felt was the best interest of the minor child, delivered the child to her grandparents over the objections of the detained mother. Because of this, the Ohio litigant sought a deposition, the sole purpose of which is not to gain material facts, but instead to harm my client.