𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐄 𝐀 𝐏𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄 // 𝘫𝘰𝘩𝘯 𝘣

𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚢-𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚎

"GOOD MORNING!"

Affinity jolted awake, almost kicking John B off the couch. Her groggy yet frantic eyes zipped around the room until she found her father grinning mischievously in the kitchen. She knew she was in for it. John B immediately stood up and distanced himself from where he had fallen asleep next to Affinity on the couch.

"So," Mr. McCormick sang with a smirk. "How'd you two sleep?"

"Um- fine?" Affinity answered as she cleared her throat.

John B rocked back and forth on his heels as he stumbled on his words. "Yeah, uh- yeah I slept- fine."

Mr. McCormick hummed as he finished getting ready for work. "Good, good."

"So uh- Dad, how has work been?" Affinity asked, trying to change the subject. "Anything new with that homicide case?"

"Homicide?" John B questioned.

"Fin, you know I can't give away details. All I can say is that we are rather stumped," he answered. "These people just showed up out of nowhere. Nobody knew them, so how could anyone have any clue as to why they ended up dead."

Affinity gave him a closed-lipped smile. "Don't worry, you'll figure it out. You always did."

Her father stopped next to her on his way out the door to give her a kiss on the forehead. "Thank you, Fin. Now, you two stay out of trouble. I'll see you two later!" He called out as he walked out the door and shut it behind him.

Affinity let out the breath she didn't even know she was holding as she let herself sink deeper into the cushions. "Well, that was awkward."

"You took the words right out of my mouth," John B huffed. "Are you going to tell him?"

Affinity nodded. "Yeah, but not yet. I just don't want him to worry- or something like that. You can see how protective he can get. I'm just trying to protect him for once."

Affinity's smile faded away as her glance fell to the floor.

"That's not it, is it?" John B asked in a comforting tone.

"We told each other we'd be 100% honest, but I'm still not telling him the full truth. I guess I feel guilty, and I know for sure that he isn't being completely honest with me about work. He claims everything is going well but he never tells me about his day or how being back on the force is. I worry about him a lot, that's all."

John B stood to his feet and started into the kitchen. "Fin, you tend to worry about a lot of people, and anyway, none of us will have to worry about a damn thing when we're rich."

Affinity smiled and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you're right."

John B bowed playfully. "I always am."

John B's phone buzzed on the table next to Affinity.

"Hey, Fin, can you check that."

Affinity reached over to check that message on John B's phone, but what she found caused her heart to sink slightly.