Chapter Four

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It's been three days since the theft at the shop. It's taken me a day or two to come to terms with what happened. It really shook me up the first day and I tried not to think about it. Of course my mum shut the shop for the time being, whilst the police tried to collect as much evidence as they could.

£200 was stolen from the register. That might not sound like a lot to most people but for us, it's an awful amount to lose. He didn't steal all of it–thanks to Declan–but it's still a big chunk of money that we can't really afford to replace.

We haven't had a chance to go back to the cafe because we had to check our income first, to see if we can actually afford to open this week.

It's been incredibly depressing sitting at home and feeling like this is all going to fall through. This is the last thing we needed and I can't believe someone would be so heartless to steal from a small business or any business alone.

This is our livelihood. Without this income we could say goodbye to the shop, even goodbye to our home. I don't even want to think about that outcome because I refuse to let it be a reality.

We've been wishing for a miracle for so long but I think our luck is running out. Not that we had any luck to begin with.

Whilst my mum has been doing her second job this week, I decide to pop to the cafe. I'm not intending to open the shop, but to get out of the house. As I walk from our house to the cafe, the weather is rather glorious despite my thunderlike emotions.

Why do bad things have to happen to good people?

I dig my keys out from my jacket pocket and shove them into the door. I wonder if anyone has popped by the last couple days and pondered why we're not open, not if they haven't already heard the local news.

Alex and River came to visit me as soon as they found out, I don't know why I didn't tell them at first. I was slightly embarrassed but they didn't see it like that, they wanted to make sure that I was okay.

Both of them came round with smiles and hugs, telling me and my mother that if we need anything at all then they're always there. I've never been more grateful for my friends, especially when Demi popped over with a bunch of flowers and a card.

All of them care and I know they'd do absolutely anything for me.

When I step into the cafe, I glance down at the mail that we've missed the last couple days. Most likely junk mail and bills. But one of the pieces of paper catches my attention because it's not in an envelope, it's on its own.

I pull it away from the other letters and glance down.

A number is scribbled onto the paper along with 'Call me - Declan'.

For a moment I'm stunned. When did Declan come back to the cafe?

It's not like I had his number before or anything so that I could call him or he could call me. But why would he? I'm nothing but a server to him and he's a customer to me. Although I replay what happened when he came into the cafe with that knife against my throat.

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