CHAPTER 64 - Responsibility and Irresponsibility.
Olli snuggled into the pillow.
It was just as comfortable as he remembered and he was gleeful to find that the place had central heating. He liked it here.
And though a tad large for him Christian's sweat pant and tee shirt were a comfort for him.
As he stared at the ceiling he wondered why he felt so calm? Shouldn't he feel betrayed? Angry? Instead he felt happy. Weird. *Olli you have gone mad* he told himself. But he still felt mighty cheerful.
He turned on the television and was delighted to see that "Groundhog Day" had just started.
During a commercial break he ran out to the kitchen and brought back the whole bag of supplies he had bought on his way up here.
He tore open a packet of chips, twisted open a bottle of ginger beer and was soon lost in the movie, all other thoughts banished for the night.
Christian was at his wit's end.
It was 2 in the morning and Olli hadn't returned. First he and Charlie had been of the opinion that he may have gone off to Charlie's flat to which he had a key. But when even after 10 oclock he hadn't turned up at his aunt's both Charlie and he started to panic in earnest.
As they had planned a busy night of celebration both men had left their cell phones in the apartment so as to completely avoid Olli's hankering to check up on his employees during their celebratory night on the town after their engagement party.
Now Christian wished he hadn't begged Olli to leave his cell phone.
Another couple of hours passed but Christian could only sit and hope that maybe Olli would call him. But no such luck. His cell phone stayed silent.
He stalked the house like a caged animal and finally came to stand at the window only to witness evidence that the weather had worsened.
Christian slammed his fist on the window sill as he watched the snow come down with a vengeance.
He could only hope and pray that Olli had the good sense to find shelter somewhere safe.
When at six o'clock there was still no news Christian gave into panic and ventured out. Olli and he had a common group of friends who had assured him that should Olli contact them they would promptly pass on a message to him. But none had called so far. "Where the hell are you?" Christian asked his empty car as he headed out to search for Olli.. The police informed him that Olli would have to be missing for at least 24 hours before they could file a missing person's complaint. He had visited hospitals but there were no John Does of Olli's description there Fearfully a little past noon screwing up courage he had even visited the morgue. But thankfully Olli hadn't landed up there.
Charlie called for the umpteenth time to ask if Olli had returned or not and Christian's heart ached as he answered her in the negative once again.
Feeling frustration Christian flung himself on the bed buried his face into his pillow and screamed into it. Then flipping onto his back he lay staring at the ceiling trying to figure out, once again, where Olli could have gone. He sat up and got off the left side of the bed and found himself staring at the wall full of framed pictures and finally he had an inkling as to where Olli could be. Hurriedly he pulled on his jacket and long coat stuck his feet into a pair of shoes, locked the flat and ran down to his car.
Olli yawned and turned over to his side. Though the smell of moth balls in the sheets had been a bit irritating in all he had slept peacefully through the night. He wondered if he had tortured his husband-to-be enough and whether he should head back home. Getting up he brushed his teeth and prepared breakfast, more like lunch because it was almost 2 o'clock in the afternoon.
As the eggs fried and the bacon sizzled Olli buttered his toast then poured out a glass of orange juice.
Once it stopped snowing he'd head back home he decided. But first - breakfast.
"OOOOO! I'm gonna strangle him!" Christian hissed once he confirmed that the bike, standing beside the porch covered by a tarp, was Olli's.
AS if on cue Olli came out the door bag of trash in hand.
"Hey Schatz! You're here!" the older man exclaimed cheerfully, earning a venomous glare from his tired, extremely worried and now furious fiancé.