Restoration in the River

I Don't Wanna Know

Julian had finally joined his brother and Charlotte for breakfast.

He had been staying with them for a week now.

"We have today off, don't we?" She asked Sean as she sipped her steaming hot coffee.

"Yeah, come to think of it we do!" Sean answered, "Why don't the three of us go out today and do something? Get you out of the apartment Jules?"

"And go where?" He asked, pouring himself a bowl of cornflakes.

"Up to you! The possibilities are endless!" He said, the smell of his freshly made waffles wafting up into his nostrils.

"You seem down, Jules?" Charlotte observed "what can we do to lift your spirits? You're safe while you're here with us!" 

"It's not just the attack Charlotte, I really miss my Aussie doctor!" Julian admitted, "but she's not my doctor anymore as I was discharged!"

"Well, go back to Cairo and pay her a visit!" Sean said.

"I called the hospital yesterday, they told me that she had left!" Julian said, reaching for the bottle of milk in front of him.

"This Emmaline, means a lot to you doesn't she Jules?" Charlotte asked with a smile.

"You're in love, aren't you?" Sean asked, grinning.

"I rather fancy her, yes" came Julian's answer.

"Well, you mentioned she was from Australia" Charlotte began.

"What am I meant to do? I don't know where in Australia she is from, all I know is that she said Brisbane but I don't know where she lives currently!" 

"Social media? You tried that?" Sean asked.

"Facebook, no" Julian told him, taking a sip of coffee. "Twitter, no. Snapchat, no but I might have found her on Instagram, I am now following her."

"Sent her a DM?" Charlotte asked.

"No, not yet" Julian pondered "I'm not quite sure what to say! I'm almost kind of hoping that she'll make the first move and either follow me back or like my photos!" 

 "Going for the subtle approach then, are you?" Sean asked.

"I'm going for the "I hope it's the right person I followed' approach" Julian said, nodding.

Charlotte gave him a tender smile and rubbed his shoulder comfortingly.

"You know what I would like?" Julian asked. "I want a better walking stick! You know one of those nice wooden ones with the duck or the lion or the horse on the handle, brass or gold or silver? Do you know what I'm talking about?"

"Sure!" Sean agreed "there's an antique shop just down from the Dakota!" 

*

The old antique shop smelled of old, musty books, dust, mothballs, cedarwood, kerosene, and woodsmoke, causing Sean to recoil instantly as the smell almost made him throw up.

"Sorry, brother!" He apologised, holding back a rather strong gag. "If I stay in here..." 

Charlotte was already pushing him out the door. "I'll help him find a stick, Sean"

Julian looked around as she came back into the store. "I love the smell..." He began, browsing the beautiful collections on display. An old grandfather clock in the corner caught his eye. "And I could take that clock home with me!" 

She smiled at him "why don't you treat yourself then?" 

"I'm sorry, but the clock just got sold, Sir!" A young man said from behind them, "My Grandparents own this shop and we've had that clock for years, someone just finally decided to purchase it! But may I help you with something else? Are you looking for anything in particular?"