He was filing a voluntary termination of parental rights to escape the hospital collections completely.

Linda smoothed the front of her silk blouse with both hands.

“This is just how the system works, sweetie,” she said.

She gave a soft, perfectly rehearsed sigh.

“We have to be smart about our future.”

“Your father spent all week on the phone with the estate lawyers.”

“We had to find a firm that specialized in asset protection and family law.”

“They assured us this was the standard procedure in a case like yours.”