𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐄 𝐀 𝐏𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄 // 𝘫𝘰𝘩𝘯 𝘣

𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚗

The walk home from John B's house only took about 10 minutes and the whole way home through the quiet streets of the Cut, Affinity's mind didn't spin around like it usually did. After tonight, she felt like she had finally worked her way into this group. She and John B finally found peace despite their differences and that feeling lifted such a suffocating weight off her shoulders. But now, she had to try to explain everything to her father. How the hell was she supposed to do that? Affinity walked up the creaky steps of her porch and opened the front door.

"Do you know how late it is?" Her father asked as soon as she walked inside.

She forced a smile and shrugged. "It's not like I sleep anyway."

"Fin, I'm being serious," he sighed and moved over so Affinity could sit down next to him on the couch. "Since when don't you tell me everything?"

Affinity could see how hurt he was in his eyes, which made the guilt that washed over her almost unbearable. "I know," she muttered as her head fell into her hands. "Honestly, I didn't really know anything either, and- I don't know, I guess if felt like it wasn't my place to tell." She leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. "But that's not a good enough excuse, and I'm sorry."

Mr. McCormick wrapped his arm around her shoulders and hugged her close. "I don't want you to apologize, Fin. I just want you to be honest. You don't have to give me a bunch of details but I do need you to clear some things up, like who this John B kid is and why he came sprinting into my house."

Affinity took in a breath before answering, "John B's father is presumed dead and right now...we're doing everything we can to help him find him or- or at least help him get closure."

Her father's eyes widened and looked up from the ground. "His last name is Routledge, isn't it?"

Affinity's brows furrowed. "Yeah, why?"

He slouched back into the couch and began to rub the stubble on his chin. "Because I was one of the officers that were assigned to Big John's case. God- that poor kid's still running after him." He ran his fingers through his hair anxiously as he rose to his feet and muttered, "Damn it."

"Dad, what is it?"

"I'm surprised he doesn't remember me."

"What do you mean?"

"I was the one who told him I would find his father...but I was also the one who told him that he was gone," he spoke, his words slightly cracking as the exited.

"Dad-"

"No, Fin," he interrupted. "I gave up too damn easily and that poor boy has to live with the pain of the unknown. Maybe your mother was right, I wasn't cut out for that j-"

Affinity jumped up from where she sat and brought him into a hug. He stopped talking, letting go of the sudden tension that had built up in his body. "You can't do this to yourself. The blame isn't yours to take."