No Strings Attached

Christy glanced toward Clara's stomach and lowered her voice with a conspiratorial wink. "You're dressed down today, more than usual. Is there, by any chance, a little bun in the oven?"

Clara's eyes brimmed with unshed tears, a tender smile tugging at her lips as she gave a subtle nod.

Christy's jaw dropped in excitement. "For real? Does Mr. Hayes know yet?"

"I haven't told him."

"Is it that you haven't told him, or you don't want to tell him? Are you taking the split seriously? You don't know this, but Roger didn't come home the night you and lan broke up. He said lan got totally plastered. He's never seen lan take it so hard."

Clara felt a sting in her heart at those words. How could she not know how much lan was hurting?

Every night after work, he'd be lingering outside her place. Sometimes, he'd get in the house, chat with her dad, and check on her. Other times, when he was too late for visits, he'd just stand at her door, smoking alone.

times to dash outside and throw herself into his arms, to tell him, "Ian, let's make up, please." But then she'd think of the

was hoarse with emotion as she looked down. "I can't risk

you worry, your secret's safe with me. And hey, I've got a stash of prenatal stuff from back in the day-you can have it."

got home just in time to catch the moment. He snapped a photo on the sly and sent it to lan. [Your ex-fiancée's at my place. Want me to stage a

[Heard you nabbed a fine bottle of wine

his teeth.

a leg up in

[Be there soon.]

carried Della and descended the stairs to play. As she stepped into the living room, she

holding a doll and with a softer smile than usual, approached them. "Got this for you, Della. Mind

the doll and more fascinated by lan's face, gazing up at him

wondering why her godfather's so stingy. Her godmother showers her with jewels and clothes, and you think a rag