Her unhappiness is rooted in a twenty-year-old grief. Before her brother Jimmy died, she promised him they would live a life of adventure, but Julia ended up choosing safety instead. After a explosive argument with Paul, the weight of that broken promise finally snaps. Julia decides to leave everything behind. She flees to the Portuguese Algarve
After an argument with Paul, Julia abruptly leaves her family for the Portuguese Algarve to live "in Jimmy's spirit".