Coffee Shop

Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen| Cyrus
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I stop outside Angel's coffee shop for the first time ever. Marnie has been craving her double chocolate cookies and has sent me to go and get them for her.

I switch the engine off and climb out of the car, buttoning my suit jacket before entering the sweet smelling shop.

It's quiet.

I make my way over to the counter and Angel turns to stare at me with wide eyes. I furrow my eyebrows as I notice how she looks tired and stressed out.

"Hello Cyrus, I have Marnie's order in the back. I'll just go and get it." She rushes out and I nod my head.

Something doesn't feel right.

A couple minutes later she walks out with a white cardboard box and I hand her the money but she shakes her head.

"On the house." She whispers and I give her a small smile.

"Thank you." I nod. "Is everything okay, Angel?" I question.

I know my brother is smitten with this woman and myself and Marnie already see her as family.

"I'm guessing you've spoken to your brother, I'm afraid I won't be able to attend yours and Marnie's anniversary party this weekend." She avoids eye contact with me and I become even more confused.

I haven't spoken to Camil for a couple weeks.

"Why is that?" I question further and she gulps, her eyes beginning to well up. "Angel, it's okay." I reassure her and she begins to shake her head.

"W-We're not together anymore." What?! "He accused me of betraying him a-and he's started taking drugs again. I promise I would never betray him but he didn't believe me and he said some nasty things." She sniffles and I feel anger begin to rise.

"What did he say?"

"He accused me of working for my abuser, that I'm playing the victim act." I shake my head in disbelief. "I'm a fucking bitch, apparently. I left before things got out of hand, I know he's your brother, Cyrus, but that night I was very worried he was going to lay a hand on me. He's not in a good way and not even I can help him, he's too far gone." She confesses and I start to feel bad for the girl and angry at my brother.

"I'm sorry." I whisper. "When do you close?" She checks the time.

"In twenty minutes, why?"

"I want to have more of a chat."

Twenty minutes goes by quickly and I watch as she says goodbye to her last customers before switching the open sign to close. She slowly makes her way over to me and takes a seat.

"Look, Cyrus, I don't want to get in between you and your brother's relationship. We're no longer together, I don't want to be a problem in someone else's family." She sighs and I tilt my head.

"You are family and you are far from a problem." Her eyes widen at my confession. "I admit my brother is an idiot, a massive one, but he loves you, I promise you that. He had it worse when we were kids, I'd rarely ever see him smile. I'm not trying to defend his actions with what happened between you two, however, Camil is really good at self-sabotaging-he's rational, he doesn't think."

"He needs professional help." She whispers and I chuckle lightly, nodding my head.

"Trust me, Angel, I've been trying to get that man into therapy for a very long time." I sigh, resting back against the chair. "I know he's a massive idiot but please don't give up on him." I plead, knowing that she is the only good thing that has happened to him in a long time.

"I'm sorry, Cyrus. I've really tried to understand him but I have a daughter to think about as well and I really don't want to bring her up in a toxic environment- it's not fair on her. I love him so much but I don't think that's enough for him." I rub the stubble on my face understanding that she needs to prioritise her child. "He doesn't trust me, Cyrus. How can we build a relationship with no trust?"

You can't.

"I'm sorry." I whisper but she shakes her head giving me a gentle smile.

"It's not your fault, Cyrus and it's not Camil's either. He can't help the way he was brought up but he has the chance to help himself before it's too late. I'm worried that he's going to end up killing himself." She says with worry laced in her voice and I nod my head agreeing with her.

"Thank you for talking with me." I stand up from my chair. "Like I said, you're family so if you ever need help you know where to find us."

"Thanks." She smiles and then I take that as my cue to leave.

•••

I begin to bang on the front door to Camil's flat.

"Fuck off." I hear him shout.

I continue to bang on the door before pulling out the spare key and storming through, Anger evident on my face.

Just what I fucking need.

"I'm so close, Camil, so fucking close to killing you my fucking self!" I shout and I watch as he just stares ahead at the wall. His eyes empty. "Don't tell me you're deaf now?" I stand in front of him and glare.

"Leave me the fuck alone." He croaks and I sigh, ripping the whiskey bottle from his hands.

"I saw Angel today." That grabs his attention and he looks up at me with wide eyes before stumbling to his feet.

"I-Is she okay?! She won't answer my calls and I really fucked up, Cy, I really, really fucked up." He bites his lip.

"This is the problem, Camil. You're always fucking up." I say, being brutally honest. "We all love you and we hate the fact you are throwing your life away. I know that piece of shit fucked your mind up but he's dead, don't let him still control you when his body is somewhere at the bottom of the ocean."

"I thought she betrayed me and I-I jumped to conclusions without asking." He clutches his hair in frustration. "She hates me."

"She doesn't. But what she does have in her head is that her love for you is not enough, that she's not enough. Don't forget, Camil, she's been through just as much shit as you have and she's managed to get her life back on track." His lip trembles and he quickly bites it, looking away from me.

"I just want a normal life."

"And you can have one, Camil, but you need to start focusing on getting better, staying off these toxic drugs, they're going to kill you." He runs his hands down his face.

"I'll start seeing a professional." He finally says for the first time ever and relief washes over me. After years of refusing to see a therapist he has finally agreed to see one.

"Come here." I pull him into a brotherly hug. "That's the first step and I'm proud of you." I pat his back and he tightens his arms around me.

I'm just hoping Angel won't give up on him because I know that she is vital part in his life.

A/N
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