The Art of Knowing [Completed]

33. • aftermath •

[to all who have found courage through life altering decisions, all who are no longer bound by the chains of fear.]

                                    •  •  •  •
"Hey," Ryan murmured.

The illuminating rays of the sun pierced through the pane of the steakhouse. He breathed in deeply whilst making his way to his seat, greeted by a table filled with the all the members of the family he'd been so close to losing merely a day beforehand. The socialite felt rather mesmerized by the gorgeous scenery out of the window, the rays intently radiating against his skin the closer he got to the pane. Breathing in the sight, the distorted images of Chicago's overbearing buildings resting atop of the cold lake's surface seemed to calm him for a moment— as calm as he could be when considering what he was about to do, after all.

Ryan turned away from the sight, his back towards the tranquil scenery behind him as he took his seat and faced the family. Subtle trembling overtook the table as he shifted and subtly bumped it to cause the black coffee within their cups to sway rapidly. Despite the silence, his first instinct was to look at his sister. She exchanged the glance and allowed a soft tug to play on her lips in a reassuring smile. It was weak, as if she could tell what was burdening his mind; and after what she knew of the day before, it was no secret that plenty of thoughts would be racing through her brother's head.

"You look good, dad," he added with a swift shift in stare. He hadn't lied about that. After a good amount of rest and minimal labor, Gerald Eckhardt seemed to fortify his strength enough to request a lunch date with the family.

"I feel good. Actually, a lot better now that I have you guys with me." The lawyer displayed a smile across his lips, and although it was somewhat comforting, it felt rather out of place after years to being accustomed to his stoic attitude before the traumatizing scare of a heart attack.

The young socialite felt a sudden wave of heat drape over his being, immediately feeling a bit sick at the sight of such happiness when poisoned with the idea of infidelity through Cassandra's long lasting remark. Truthfully, things took a turn for the worst once that possibility met the air, and it didn't take long before the artist opted to go back home. It didn't feel right to leave with so many questions so, after careful consideration, they both found the idea of her staying in a nearby hotel for the day to be a bit better. He knew she would be leaving in a couple of hours that same afternoon. And while they hadn't really talked to each other after the argument, it didn't change the fact that he truly couldn't see her go again. He found himself in the most uncomfortable situation he'd ever encountered, pressured between the decision of believing her or defending the remainder of the fictional, happy family he had been clinging to.

"I don't think we've ever had lunch together like this," Shay mumbled weakly. "At least, not that I can remember."

Ryan couldn't have felt more guilty as he spaced out between the conversations going on. After all, when did his family ever converse in such a civil manner? Nearly all of their dinners were laced with animosity, and yet, the day some sort of miracle was transpiring in front of him, he couldn't push away the nagging thought of his parents' loyal marriage possibly being a lie. He scolded himself for always ruining genuine moments with ugly truths, and this specific case wouldn't be any different. It took all he had to hold his tongue, smiling once in a while in response to muffled chatter.

The sight practically floored him as he watched Shay laugh at something their mother had said. Not a strained, hypocritical laugh, but the most genuine form of happiness he'd seen displayed across his sister's face in the presence of their parents. His heart raced at the desire to know the truth. Was his father truly capable of cheating on the woman who had stuck by him through the entire journey? Could he ever mend the hurt his mother would face at the possibility? He didn't know. Nevertheless, he considered the motive behind Cassandra's declaration, fully aware she wasn't the type to say such things without a valid reason. In fact, she'd been a continuous push for him to embrace the family he had despite their flaws. Therefore, making her statement increase in its weight.