RESTLESS HEARTS

CHAPTER 49

Juliana

As soon as I landed at SFO airport, I took a cab straight to the hospital. My nerves had been on edge during the whole flight and many bad scenarios were running through my head.

How the hell had Shawn ended up at the hospital in the first place? Was he sick?

It was already dark by the time my flight landed at the airport and I quickly checked the time on my phone and saw it was already twenty minutes past six.

Ten minutes later, the cab finally pulls up in front of the hospital. I paid the taxi driver and quickly jumped out of the car, pulling my traveling bag behind me.

The hospital loomed before me, a daunting maze of white walls and echoing footsteps. Everywhere I looked, nurses in crisp blue scrubs hurried past, doctors deep in conversation, and patients being wheeled to unknown fates.

The air smelled of antiseptic, and the buzz of activity was overwhelming.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my trembling hands, and ventured inside. The corridor stretched endlessly, lined with closed doors and hushed voices.

Each step felt like an eternity, my anxiety growing with every passing moment. People rushed past me, their urgent footsteps echoing in my ears, and I felt like I was drowning in a sea of strangers.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I spotted the reception area in the distance. My heart leaped with relief, and I quickened my pace, determined to find the answers I desperately needed.

"Hi, I'm looking for Shawn Falcon. Can I know which room he was in?"

The tall, young blonde woman standing behind the counter in a neat blue uniform turned around and met my eyes with a warm smile.

"What's your relationship with the patient?"

I knew that if I said I was only visiting, they wouldn't allow me to go see him. Only close family and relatives or friends were allowed to the patients.

So I said the only thing that popped into my mind, that I knew would work.

"His girlfriend." She nodded in understanding and started typing on the computer in front of her.

"He's located on the fifth floor, private ward 3O5 which you will find when you make a left turn."

"Okay, thank you."

I dashed off towards the elevator and got in along with a nurse and her patient, an old man in a wheelchair. They stopped on the third floor while I went straight up to the fifth.

My palms felt sweaty and clammy as I waited patiently for the doors to open. I wasn't prepared for this moment. Hell, I wasn't prepared to come back at all.

All I'm here to do I make sure that he's okay and once everything is alright again, I'll go back to Costa Rica.

My heart pounded in my chest as I stepped out of the elevator, my palms clammy with nervousness. I made a left turn, searching for room 305. The corridor stretched ahead, a sterile, white expanse filled with the antiseptic scent of hospitals.

My eyes scanned the room numbers until I found it. But when I looked up, I froze. There, outside room 305, stood my brother Vincent and his girlfriend Shanelle, lost in their own world.

I couldn't help but smile at the sight of them, laughing and talking. Happiness filled me, seeing Vincent so content with Shanelle.

For a moment, I watched them, their love evident in every gesture.

My heart swelled with affection for my brother. Their laughter was a melody, and I cherished the harmony between them.

As they shared a kiss, I discreetly hid behind a nearby wall, giving them their privacy. I waited until they were out of sight before daring to peek again.