No Strings Attached

Della wriggled her tiny arms and legs with unbridled excitement upon seeing Clara.

Christy chuckled, "Look at how much she adores you. She doesn't even get this worked up when she sees her daddy."

Roger, feeling a pang of jealousy, retorted, "Who says? My little girl loves me the most. She proves it every day, wetting and soiling my clothes." Their laughter and banter filled the hallway as they entered lan's hospital room. They found him alone, sitting on the balcony, enjoying a cigarette.

Clara marched up to him, snatched the cigarette from his fingers, and stubbed it out in an ashtray. She flung the window open to air out the room, her face set in a stern expression. "Doctor's orders are there for a reason, lan. If you keep this up and your wound doesn't heal, don't expect me to fuss over you."

Roger couldn't help but feel vindicated. "Exactly, let's not baby him. Some people just don't deserve the attention. No wonder he's still a bachelor, while I, on the other hand, am the model husband, always listening to my wife and never doing what she dislikes, right, honey?"

to visit the sick,

dust. Tough as nails, though.

home anymore? Moved on to drinking, have we? Seems like Christy's been quite generous with

this about picking up wilted lilies?

but Chase said, why waste money on fresh flowers

That's it. You're getting

it to Clara. "Mr. Hayes, Clara, don't stoop to

gracefully and handed it to her. "Take it, Clara. It's our goddaughter's way of showing her affection for her godfather. We'll get you some nice clothes with it." As he spoke, lan shot Roger

blow into their house like leaves in

He couldn't afford to slip up. With a