Chapter 5
Serena's POV
After my repeated pleas, Colonel Davidson finally gave us the address of the VA rehabilitation center and Shawn's room number. My heart felt like it would burst from my chest, palms sweating.
Three years. I'm about to see him.
We rushed into the rehab center, and I was practically running through the hallways. "Room 315!" I looked at the door numbers, took a deep breath, and knocked hard.
No response.
"Shawn? It's me, Serena!" My voice echoed in the hallway, but the room remained terrifyingly quiet.
David hurried to the nurses' station and returned a few minutes later with a nurse named Sarah. The expression on her face made my heart sink.
"Are you friends of Shawn Mitchell?" Sarah asked.
"I'm his girlfriend." The words tumbled out, then I realized the title was no longer accurate, "I mean... I used to be."
Sarah sighed. "He checked himself out this afternoon."
What?
I felt my blood freeze instantly. "Where did he go?"
"We don't know." Sarah shook her head, "But... let's talk about his condition. You need to understand some things."
She led us to an office and opened a thick file. "Mr. Mitchell suffers from severe PTSD and survivor's guilt. For three years, he's refused contact with anyone, including family."
My hands clenched into fists. He's been here all along while I thought he was dead.
"What concerns us most is," Sarah's voice became more serious, "he's had multiple suicidal tendencies."
Those words hit me like lightning. I almost fell off my chair. "Suicidal?"
"We've been monitoring him, but today he insisted on leaving." Sarah looked at me, "He said he wanted to go somewhere that would remind him of better times."
Better times. My heartbeat suddenly accelerated.
"I know where he went." I stood up, "Thank you, Sarah. We have to find him immediately."
On the road to Pacifica
David drove through the night while I sat in the passenger seat, emotions churning.
"Where is he?" David asked.
"Pacifica, there's a secluded cove." I watched the lights flashing past the window, "A place only the two of us knew about."
If he really wants to... if he went there to...
I couldn't bear to think further.
"Serena," David's voice was gentle, "I need to ask you something. Are you really ready? Three years of separation, plus his psychological trauma... he might not be the person you remember."
"I don't care." My voice trembled but was firm, "I don't care what he's become. I just... I just can't lose him again."
David was silent for a moment, then smiled bitterly and shook his head. "I was always one step behind, wasn't I?"
I turned to look at him, guilt washing over me. "David..."
"It's okay, Serena." His voice was surprisingly calm, "I've known all along your heart wasn't with me. If not for your father's dying wish to see you cared for, you wouldn't have accepted my proposal, would you?"
I couldn't answer because he was right.
"Let's end this." David said, "Officially end it. So you can go chase your real love."
I looked at him gratefully. "Thank you, David. You're a good man."
"I just hope when you find him, he still remembers how to accept love."
The coastal highway wound ahead in the moonlight, the sound of Pacific waves growing clearer. I closed my eyes, letting memory take me back to that night four years ago that changed everything.
It was a full moon night, and we walked hand in hand on the empty beach.
"This place is beautiful like a dream." I breathed in the sea air.
"I searched for so long to find this place." Shawn said, "Now it belongs to both of us."
Suddenly, he released my hand and began running on the beach. In the moonlight, his silhouette was so perfect, those strong long legs carrying amazing power and grace. He ran so fast, so free.
"Come on!" He waved to me, "Run with me!"
I kicked off my shoes and chased him barefoot. We played on the beach, our laughter echoing in the night sky. When tired, we lay on the sand watching stars.
"Serena," he turned to look at me, moonlight illuminating his handsome face, "I want to make a vow with you."
He pulled me up by the hand, and we walked to where the waves could touch our ankles.
"I swear," he looked into my eyes, voice solemn, "no matter what happens, no matter how long we're separated, I'll come back here. Back to this place where we fell in love. Until we meet again, right here, where ocean meets sky."
"Until we meet again, right here, where ocean meets sky." I repeated, tears of happiness in my eyes.
We kissed in the moonlight, making eternal vows to the sound of waves.
But the next day at the airport...
"Promise me you'll wait." He held me tightly, "No matter how long, promise me you'll wait."
"I promise." I cried, "I'll wait for you to come back."
That was the last time I saw him.
"We're here." David's voice brought me back to reality.
Outside the car windows were rows of Mediterranean-style small inns, white walls and blue roofs looking especially warm in the sunset. We searched along the coastline, hoping to find news of Shawn.
After finding nothing at the first two inns, we came to the third. This was an inn that looked weathered, with a few palm trees planted in front.
"Excuse me, have you seen this person?" David showed Shawn's photo to the innkeeper.
The innkeeper put on her reading glasses and looked carefully, then nodded. "Yes, he comes to stay occasionally. He came this afternoon too, but he looked very troubled."
My heart tightened. "Where is he now?"
"He often goes to that little cove by the sea, sits there for hours." The innkeeper pointed toward the back of the inn, "About a ten-minute walk from here."
David and I immediately headed in the direction she indicated. The sun was setting, painting the entire sky orange-red, and the sound of waves grew clearer.
After walking a few minutes, we saw a narrow path leading to the beach.
"The cove is that way." I pointed down the path, "We need to go down."
As we approached the beach, I saw a lonely figure sitting on the sand, back to us, facing the ocean.
Oh my God, it's really him.
My heart almost stopped beating. Three years of longing and pain, and now he was there.
"It's really him... after all these years." I said softly.
"Are you sure?" David asked.
"I'm sure." I nodded, tears blurring my vision.
I took off my shoes and stepped barefoot onto the warm sand. David waited in the distance, giving us space.
I slowly walked toward that figure, each step making my heart beat faster. When I was close enough, I said softly, "Shawn?"
The figure stiffened, then slowly turned around.