looking through the rearview mirror

6.

"Have either of you seen my husband?" Zoey asks, walking back to their table that Mark now seems to have joined, he and Michael snacking on a mix of leftover sushi and cheese and crackers. Michael looks at her in confusion. "You know, my soulmate, the love of my life, you were best man at our wedding? I've walked around twice and I can't see any sign of him."

"Did he leave?" Michael says, his face falling. Zoey assures him that while Chase has the car keys he's not going to do that, especially not without texting her to let her know. Michael doesn't seem assuaged, frowning and shifting down into his seat as he loudly snaps and chews on his cracker.

"Have you guys seen Chase?" Zoey says, Quinn and Logan having just walked in. They shake their heads and say that the only person they've seen recently is Stacey.

"She's here?" Mark gasps, looking unusually animated.

"Did you ask her if she has any of the fancy tea of hers? I could really go for that second course right about now," says Michael. Still seeing no hint of Dean Rivers, Zoey walks off to continue her search party and Quinn also slips away, much to Logan's frustration. Michael grabs him by the arm as he starts to leave saying, "Hey man, sit. Del Figgalo and I were just talking about what an idiot you are. Care to join us?"

"No," says Logan, shaking Michael's hand off. "I need to find and talk to Quinn."

"Figures," Michael mutters.

Having exhausted everyone sitting at the tables, Zoey pokes her head outside to check the pavilion. She's more than a little concerned upon watching Lola make a scary face at Sam, him laughing and copying it; she wonders if Lola has, in fact, kidnapped a child to go full method actor, but also decides that's a problem to be fixed later. By the time she finds herself back near the long tables she's getting worried, surveying her surroundings before finally noticing the table missing a cheese platter. Curious, she lifts the tablecloth and bends down to find Chase munching on cheese and crackers with a glazed expression.

"Hey, sweetie," Zoey tries, not entirely sure what to make of the sight.

"Hey, babe," he says, not looking directly at her.

"You good?"

"Yep. Just pondering the relentless march of time and how we're ever supposed to let it heal our wounds when time itself is the true inflictor of our deepest and most painful fears," he says casually. Zoey's eyes grow wider.

Suddenly Chase snaps out of it, his eyes no longer glassy.

"Brie?" he says, his tone quite cheerful as he offers her the serving platter. "I saved a whole bunch of grapes for you," he adds, rotating the plate with his finger.

"Awww," says Zoey, happily taking him up on the offer. She throws a grape into his mouth before popping one into her own.

"Anything interesting happen yet?" he asks.

"Not really. So far only Martha seems to have joined a pyramid scheme and the nerds are fighting over which tech start-up they should buy next and how to rank the new Galaxy War trilogy," she replies. "A lot of people became accountants. And consultants. And lawyers."

"Fun," says Chase.

"It's not that bad," she says, to which he raises an eyebrow. "To me."

"Well, there's always room for you here if you feel like falling into an existential crisis," says Chase, gesturing to the somewhat limited space next to him. "Or if you want to develop lactose intolerance."

"I'll keep it in mind," Zoey smiles, breaking off a bit of cheese to go with her grapes. "Love you!" She blows him a kiss and drops the tablecloth back down to cover his hiding space.