190 Worrying will not help

~ Seattle, the Continental Views apartment building ~

Earlier that evening…

The group met in front of the Continental Views apartment building. They all agreed that everyone will get something for dinner on their way there.

Sabrina, Ashton, and Derek were the first group to arrive with boxes of pizza. Olivia, Jake, and Mike were second, and the three of them brought water and juice. Nathan, Madeline, and Mrs. Wilson came with the carryout from the Asian restaurant which Hunter recommended. Foxy and Rhonda brought desserts from the local bakery, and the two of them also picked up disposable plates, utensils, and cups. Hunter and Mia arrived with boxes of food from the nearby Italian restaurant.

Joshua observed the strange group who headed toward the elevators and he was about to stop them, but then he saw Olivia, Hunter, and Mia. All three of them have access granted by Max and Liz that they can come up anytime, so he assumed that either Max or Liz are throwing a party of some kind.

Mia led the way inside Liz's apartment and the atmosphere was solemn.

They arranged food in the kitchen, so that everyone can get a plate and help themselves, but no one ate.

Olivia was the one to speak up first. "Why is everyone so gloomy? We are barely searching for a few hours. We didn't find Liz and Max, but that only means that we didn't consider all the options!"

Mia did her best to sound cheerful: "Right! Let us take a step back and figure out what we are missing!"

"What if the two of them are enjoying somewhere, while we are here stressing out?", Sabrina asked casually. Part of her hoped that she is correct and that all this is a misunderstanding, and that Max and Liz will walk in and everyone will have a good laugh and that the two of them are safe.

"That maybe sounds like Max, but that is not Liz.", Mia responded to Sabrina's question.

Hunter clapped his hands loudly, making everyone jolt. "We need to take a step back and revisit our strategy. We are all running on empty, so let's eat and think about the possibilities."

"No one can think clearly on an empty stomach.", Madeline said while urging everyone to help themselves.

"Let's stay optimistic. Worrying will not help.", Foxy tried to encourage others (and herself).

Rhonda agreed with Foxy. "It helps to take a step back in order to see the solution. We should try to think about something else and enjoy the food, and we will have a new outlook after a small mental break…"

"And some relaxing music might help!", Olivia added while going to the television and picking a channel that plays ambient music.

People started chatting in small groups and the atmosphere eased.

"I saw Max and Liz last night, and I wondered if there is anything going on between them.", Mrs. Wilson shared her thoughts with Nathan and Madeline. "Max was next to Liz and they looked good together, especially at the end when they danced. Now that I know they are dating, it all makes sense." She turned to Madeline. "You are lucky. Max is an outstanding young man and Elizabeth is impressive. And I see that Hunter and Sabrina are kids who make you proud as well."

"Hmph! Max was not so outstanding before he met Elizabeth. If you knew how many headaches that boy caused me…" Nathan stopped talking when Madeline pinched his arm.

"Why are you always scolding Max? He is not here. Our kids are missing, and they might be hurt, yet here you are, scolding him. Isn't he doing great? When will you stop mentioning the past?", Madeline grumbled.

Nathan lowered his head. "If that troublesome boy shows up now, I will not hesitate scolding him for making me worry sick." Nathan snorted and his vigor returned: "As for the past if I don't mention it, everyone will forget. And we should not forget that a woman can impact him to this extent. As much as he is the source of my pride now, I am concerned that he is not stable. What if Elizabeth leaves him?"

Madeline pinched Nathan again. "Are you jinxing them? If they break up, it will be your fault."

Mrs. Wilson shared her thoughts. "You should not forget previous mischiefs. However, if Elizabeth is the one who made him a better man, doesn't that only mean that they are a good match? After all, what man does not change for better when they find their significant other?"

"Exactly!", Madeline exclaimed. "I want them to get married as soon as possible, and I hoped that Liz is pregnant…"

"Ah, you and your wishes put us into trouble. I will never forget Liz's expression when she asked us from where did we get the idea that she is pregnant.", Nathan reminded Madeline. "Stop pushing your thoughts onto kids."

"As a mother, it's my right to push my wishes on my kids!"

Mrs. Wilson smiled at Nathan's and Madeline's banter. Foxy and Rhonda listened as well.

At the dining table, Olivia, Sabrina, Jake, Ashton, Derek, and Mike sat with plates filled with food.

"Sabrina Anderson…", Olivia said between bites, unable to contain her curiosity. "I would really like if you tell me something about yourself."

Olivia saw that Sabrina was confused, so she decided to start first: "I am Olivia. A twenty-three years old art student who works part time as Elizabeth's housekeeper. And… that's about it. Since working here I've got a chance to meet Max and Hunter, and I would really like to know something about you as well because you seem like a nice person."

No one can stay tense around Olivia whose easygoing personality makes her a social butterfly.

Sabrina observed Olivia for a few seconds before responding: "There is not much to tell. I am not into sports like Hunter or into office work like Max. My idea of a fun time is shopping and a good spa treatment. As for the part which allows me to shop and pamper myself, I have my own business."

"What kind of business?", Olivia asked.

"Interior design. Recently I got several larger customers and it picked up. I opened my store a few months ago."

Olivia thought about interior design and asked: "Do you sell lamps and paintings and such?"

"Yes. And much more. My primary income is from customizing space for people. So, when you come to the store, other than lamps and paintings, you can get a consultation with a professional designer who can help you spruce up your space.", Sabrina explained briefly.

"How does that work?", Olivia continued probing.

"You tell the designer what you like and what your budget is. Then the designer will look at the space and ask you some questions to get a better understanding of your vision before coming up with suggestions."

"Sounds awesome.", Ashton included himself in the conversation and turned to Sabrina. "You should be more confident when you talk about it."

Sabrina laughed at the sight of Ashton who was trying to motivate her. It's not that she is insecure, but she thought that if she boasts about her business it would sound like she is bragging. After all, the people here are not her clients, so she is trying to keep it low key.

"Must be the clothes. When I put my business suit on, my confidence improves as well.", Sabrina told Ashton half-jokingly.

Sabrina knows Ashton, Jake, Derek, and Mike as Hunter's friends and she never interacted much with them, but after few hours of going through Seattle with Ashton and Derek, she has a good opinion of them. They are good kids (kids, in Sabrina's opinion because there is a six years age difference between them).

"I would love to come and see your store.", Olivia said. "Is it OK if I come?"

"Absolutely.", Sabrina responded and reached into her purse. She gave her business card to Olivia. "The address on the card if for the store. Stop by anytime."

"Can I have one as well?", Ashton asked timidly. "I might need some accessories for my place…"

"I would be crazy to refuse a customer.", Sabrina said while giving him her business card.

Ashton looked at Sabrina's business card in his hand before asking: "Do you give design consultations?"

"Sometimes…"

Jake was busy with food, Mike was listening to the conversation between Olivia and Sabrina, and Derek was scrutinizing Ashton who was carefully keeping Sabrina's card in his wallet.

'Since when is Ashton into accessorizing his apartment? He can't be hitting on Hunter's sister, right? No, not possible…', Derek shoed those thoughts away.

"An art student?", Mike asked Olivia. "Do you do paintings and stuff?"

"Yes."

"Do you have any worth seeing?", Mike asked with a smirk.

"As a matter of fact, I do." Olivia got her phone and opened the photo gallery app before pushing her phone to Mike confidently.

"These are good.", Mike said while scrolling through photos. "Very good. I assume they look better in person?"

"Of course, they do. Nothing beats the in-person 3D experience."

"I would like to see them.", Mike pushed the phone back to Olivia. "In person. If it's not a lot of trouble."

Olivia grinned. She likes that Mike praised her work and is interested in finding out more. "That can be arranged…"

Derek scrutinized Mike. 'Since when is Mike into the arts?'

Hunter and Mia were sitting at the kitchen island with plates full of food in front of them.

"You don't think that they are… hurt, right?", Mia asked Hunter between bites.

Hunter swallowed food from his mouth before responding: "Max was into a lot of trouble, but he always manages to come out unscathed. The only damage he ever received what when our parents scolded him. And I am confident that he would not abandon Liz."

Mia exhaled. "Then, where are they? Why can't we reach them?"

Hunter didn't have an answer to this question.

Mia looked at the people in the apartment and looked at Hunter guiltily. "What if…"

"What if they are fine?", Hunter interrupted Mia. "It's just an unreachable cell phone. We know that Liz was at the fundraiser last night, and before that she was helping to organize it. That means that yesterday the whole day she was busy. Maybe her phone ran out of battery or something."

"And Max's as well? At the same time?"

Even Hunter doubted his own words, but he can't show that to Mia. "He was at the same fundraiser…"

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