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̷F̷I̷V̷E
"I was surprised you wanted to see me again so soon. It was only yesterday that we spoke."
Cyrus's pad of paper was out once more, his ballpoint pen posed over the thin lines. Elodie sucked pensively on her top teeth, working her tongue against the smooth surface of her two front teeth. After a stretch of silence, she let her eyes fall to the floor, running over her laced leather oxfords.
"You could say I'm a little overwhelmed."
"And why would that be?"
"My brother." Elodie began, pausing to pick her words. "He's ... set me a task and I don't know if I can succeed in it. I'm out of my depth."
"Could you, perhaps, say that to your brother? His name was Elijah, wasn't it?"
Elodie nodded, sighing.
"Frankly, no. My brother has entrusted me with something very important and I need to follow through. I've never failed him before, but ... I'm worried that I'm going to this time, regardless of how hard I try."
Cyrus scribbled something on the notepad before setting it to the side, balancing it on the arm of the couch. He leaned forward, clasping his hands together, resting them on the tops of his legs.
"It sounds like perhaps you have a ... A negative valuation of the self here. You've just told me that you have never managed to fail your brother. I feel this is a statement that's a lot bolder than you realise. Most of us fail our family. Often, too. It's a natural part of being in a familial ecosystem. Already you've stated yourself to be exceptional, but then the double back. You're convinced despite the prior evidence that this is the time you will be unable to keep up that track record."
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She'd never been spoken to so directly by Cyrus, usually their sessions involved Elodie speaking while he listened in silence. This was the first time he'd pushed back on her thinking.
"W-well for one, I suppose Elijah and I have an exceptional relationship." Elodie started, trying to not sound unconfident in her words. "I consider him to be my only family, even though our parents are still around."
"And the track record? What makes this time different?" Cyrus pressed.
She swallowed, suddenly aware of the quickening pace of her heartbeat. Something about interrogating her own thoughts made her want to squirm. It was a bitter reminder of the doubt that lingered in the back of her mind.
