One morning, when my youngest daughter was five, I received a call at my office saying she was "missing".  Close friends from Germany, who had three children themselves, were visiting and I'd consequently given my regular babysitter the day off.  "Oh Alexa is probably just hiding under one of the beds as a prank"  I attempted to reassure them.  "We've checked the entire house, she is missing" they repeated again in an anxious tone.  "When was she last seen?" I asked. "Out in the front yard watching Dominik [their pre-teen son] skate.  Dominik came in but he did not bring her with him.  When we went outside to find her, she was gone." 
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