RESTLESS HEARTS

CHAPTER 51

•JULIANA•

I went to see Shawn again the next night. It had been a crazy day, dealing with stuff about the house I bought in Costa Rica. I decided to sell it. Now that things were good between Shawn and me, there was no reason to leave again. So, I made up my mind to stay.

It might turn out to be the best or worst decision ever, but I figured, why not go with the flow for once and see how it all pans out?

I spent just one night at a hotel and then moved into my new apartment. It's a great place, really spacious with floor-to-ceiling windows that offer an amazing view of the city. Two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a surprisingly roomy kitchen area. Although truth be told, I don't cook much. The kitchen is mostly just a place for me to raid the fridge when I'm hungry.

I spent the following days buying furniture and overseeing the movers setting things up. There are still plenty of items I need to get for the house, but I'll deal with that later.

I bought a bouquet for Shawn, planning to take them to the hospital. The last time I visited, I noticed nobody had brought him any flowers or 'get well soon' cards. It made me happy to be able to brighten up his hospital room a bit. Also, I got myself a new car, which makes life so much easier than relying on taxis or Uber.

It's kind of surprising how I'm suddenly buying all these things. Truth is, I had money saved up in my bank account that I hadn't touched in a while. I've never been one to spend much on myself, aside from essential things like tampons or a razor.

Most of the money I had was from family shares and other sources. The rest was from my own earnings. I never used any money from the jobs I did, especially the ones involving, well, taking care of people. It never felt right to keep that kind of money, so I donated it to places like children's orphanages, charity events, and elderly care homes. 

Why keep it when it can do some good?

I parked my new car in the hospital's underground parking lot and took the elevator up to Shawn's private room. We had been texting all day, and he said I could visit him at this time. I couldn't make it earlier due to my busy schedule, but now I was finally free.

I softly knocked on the door before entering, expecting to find Shawn in his hospital bed. To my surprise, the room was empty, and he was nowhere to be seen.

"Shawn?" Still no answer from the bathroom either.

I placed the bouquet on the small table and pulled out my phone, ready to call him. My heart jumped when the bathroom door suddenly swung open. Instinctively, I reached for the gun in the thigh holster under my coat and aimed it at the intruder.

"Whoa! Jesus, calm down. It's just me," the guy exclaimed, holding his hands up in surrender.

I didn't recognize him, so I kept my gun trained on him. 

"Who the hell are you?"

"Josh," he answered, his voice shaky.

Realization slowly dawned on his face, and he lowered his arms. 

"Wait, are you Jules?" I furrowed my brow in confusion. 

How did he know my name?

"Yes, now where's Shawn? And what the hell are you doing in his room?" I asked, lowering my gun but remaining cautious.

Josh hesitantly lowered his hands and took a few steps closer. 

"Okay, okay, I'll tell you. Can you please get that thing out of my face first? You're scaring the shit out of me!"