105 Lunch in a secret oasis above it all 1

Liz observed the surroundings carefully while Max drove them through a well-established residential neighborhood in Seattle. The older-looking elegant houses have a large spacing between them with mature and well maintained landscape.

Liz noticed that they are driving toward East, away from the ocean and there are definitely no restaurants around.

After number of twists and turns, Max stopped the car in front of the property whose house was peeking through large maple trees, massive thuyas and colorful rhododendron bushes.

Max took a picnic basket from the trunk before making his way on the other side and helping Liz to get out of the car. He kept his suit jacket in the back seat before leading Liz inside the property.

"Where are we?", Liz asked.

The landscape is well maintained, but she does not see anyone around.

"My grandmother used to live here.", Max started explaining. "In last few years, other than the cleaning and landscaping crews who come to take care of it, the place is mostly empty."

Everywhere Liz looked she saw neatly grouped colorful flowers with a perfect green lawn and manicured bushes in-between. And she observed two bird-baths and one small fountain. Few benches are strategically placed to provide visual enjoyment of this garden oasis.

"It's beautiful." Liz said while they made their way on the light gray pebble path which snaked through the roses.

Max smiled. "My grandmother thought the same. That is why she never moved in with us even after my grandfather left us."

Liz grasped that this was the home of Max's grandparents when they were alive. From the way Max spoke about his grandmother, Liz understood that she passed away recently, and that Max was fond of her.

Liz does not have any memories of her grandparents. They were gone before she was born. There are few albums with old family photos and a box full of various trinkets and memorabilia that her father is keeping in the attic of their home in New York and… that's it. Liz never cared about those things, but after hearing the longing in Max's voice, Liz thought that she should check the albums and the contents of that box when she gets a chance.

From the outside, the well maintained house doesn't look big. They approached it from the East and there is a large porch which provides a great view of the landscaped garden. What stands out is that North side is connected to the cliff which towers above the house and for a brief moment, Liz imagined that the cliff is embracing the house protectively.

Liz wondered, why everything related to Max reminds her of security? Even the way his arm rests on her upper back and his large palm grips her left shoulder firmly but without causing her any pain or obstructing her movements, makes her feel safe. Liz thought that it must be his confidence and the way he looks at her like she is someone precious and he will protect her at any cost. Those feelings inside her are getting stronger daily and now she is at the point where she believes that nothing bad can happen if Max is by her side because he will keep her safe. It is not logical, and Liz can't explain it, but she can't help it either so her only option is to give up useless struggle and to enjoy Max's company and the feeling of safety which comes with it.

To Liz's surprise, they didn't go inside the house. Max led the way to the side, and they climbed stone stairs which are etched in the cliff.

At the top, they emerged at the clearing which is almost completely surrounded on three sides by white and red peonies and several large lavender bushes and there is a bamboo orchard in the back. In the middle of the clearing is a massive cherry tree with a table and a bench under its shade.

The most breathtaking part is the view which extends toward the West: tops of tree canopies are stretching below with a Seattle's skyline in the distance and the Pacific Ocean in the back.

This clearing is a secret oasis above it all.

Liz smiled while taking in the expansive view and imagining that the sunset from here must be spectacular. Her gaze moved up toward the crown of the tree colored in different shades of green and she can guess that this place is magical when the cherry tree is in full bloom. Liz hoped that Max will bring her here again so that she can see those things, not realizing that the next blooming of the cherry trees is about ten months from now and that indirectly she is making (almost) long term plans with Max.

Max saw that Liz is enjoying the view and her smile told him that she approves his choice of the location for their lunch.

By the time Liz's attention returned on Max, she saw that he is arranging things from the basket on the table. She hurried to help him, feeling guilty for spacing out and letting him do everything.

Liz looked at the sandwiches and fruits on the table and shook her head while thinking that this is probably something that she would get from the café on the ground floor of Franciscan Medical Center but having them on this clearing with Max, is much better. After all, it is all about the setting and the company. Considering that she was hangover that morning, Liz appreciated the lack of alcohol and that there was water and a variety of juices in the basket.

"I would get something more elaborate, but I came in a hurry…", Max started apologizing.

"No, no, no…", Liz interrupted him and scolded herself internally. Did she make an unpleasant face? She needs to fix this, quickly! "This is perfect. How do you eat this?" Liz pointed at the Mason jar with layers of colorful vegetables.

"The dressing is on the bottom.", Max took one out of the two jars from the table and flipped it upside down while showing Liz how to get the dressing to drip through the layers. "Once dressing reaches the top, you can give it a shake to mix everything… or you can mix with a fork."

Liz did as instructed: she flipped the jar and gave it a shake before turning it right side up and removing the lid.

Liz liked the interactive salad experience and the dressing was super-tasty. "It's very good. Where did you get these?"

"Deli on the second floor of Alpha group HQ building.", Max admitted guiltily.

He wanted something fancier than this. Since privacy is the top priority, where no one can recognize him and make Liz uncomfortable, Max was considering booking the whole restaurant or getting a private room with a great view, but he was tight on time so those were not available options. Max told Foxy that he wants a lunch for two where no one will see or disturb them, and she said that this will work: a picnic basket with food on one of the properties owned by the Anderson family with a condition that no one else is around. Max was not sure about it, but it seems that Liz likes it. Foxy was right that sharing something personal will show Liz that he cares about her and that people in attendance set the mood more than the food itself.

"You really like it?" Max wanted to confirm.

Liz nodded and said while covering her full mouth of food with her palm: "It makes me wish to come to your work and have a lunch there."

"I would love that!"

Liz was not sure how to respond to his enthusiasm. "Sure. One day when we have time, we can coordinate… You said that you came in a hurry. I hope you didn't neglect something important for this."

"Not really. I was not confident that I will reach in time, but Nathan said that it's OK for me to leave the meeting early so that I am not late for a lunch with you." Max saw Liz's eyebrows shoot up in surprise and he laughed. "He likes you… actually he likes that we are dating and looks forward seeing you on Friday. Rina and mom also."

"Don't get me wrong. I like that you came to have a lunch with me, but don't neglect your work."

"As I said, it's OK.", Max assured her. "If there was anything important, Nathan would not let me leave early."

Max also wanted to say that for him there is nothing more important than Liz, but he knows that she would probably not approve of that because she puts her work first. Only if she believes that his work is not neglected, she will be able to relax and enjoy. That is his Liz.

Liz would be lying if she said that she is not nervous about the upcoming weekend. "About the weekend… Who else will be there?"

Max looked up, like he is reading an invisible list. "Other than the two of us, my parents, Hunter, Rina and her fiancé, three Hunter's friends from college, they are something like childhood friends because our families go back a long way… and four Hunter's training buddies."

Liz noticed that Max missed mentioning an important person. "What about Mia?"

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