Excerpt: Affinity

Jeannie Mueller very much wanted to look anywhere but into Affinity's eyes, but she fought the compulsion and said, "Affinity, I'm so sorry." The sound of the side door opening and closing was heard and over the top of Affinity's head, Jeannie could make out her husband's bright shirt, but he stood still in the dining room, waiting, for what Jeannie wasn't quite sure. "Affinity," she began but trailed off as Affinity wrapped her arms around her knees and made herself as compact as she possibly could. Affinity was not a small woman, but any stretch of the imagination, but Jeannie could see her shrink in on herself now. It was almost as if she was disappearing before Jeannie's eyes.

Mark walked into the room and knelt down next to Affinity. "Affinity," he began, softly but with his customary deep voice. "Sister, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but Harris and Lydia didn't make it either. The police officer got the call while we were...at the accident site." He stopped, waiting for a response, but the only response that Affinity could give was to hunch down deeper into her afghan. "I can't tell you how sorry we are."

Affinity nodded at that and then asked, "What now? What am I supposed to do now? They're all gone."