Feathers Of A Bird

Chapter : Fourteen

(Listen to the music while writing for a better experience!)

I stood there with my mouth wide open. Ryan was my therapist's son?! Wow. I didn't know whether I should've been feeling happy about it or sad.
There was no reason to be sad, though.

I was surprised, awfully surprised. Arla stood by the door holding it open with her mouth open as well. But she was laughing.

"Wow!"
She said.
"So the CAT or Kathy Ryan talks about is this sweet girl?! Good."

I wished I knew what to say.

"Could we come in?"
Dad laughed.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah! For sure, for sure! Come in!"
Arla facepalmed.
"I was too shook to do something."

"It's okay, I get it. This is like- you know something happened and you are surprised and you know you shouldn't feel negative about it. Nevertheless, there is this sensation in your heart that makes you feel like 'wow, how should I feel'? Right?"

Arla nodded,
"So true."

Seemed relatable to me as well.

"Kathy, are you gonna stand there with your mouth open?"
He entered and said.
"Or you gonna come inside?"

I shut my mouth instantly and walked in. Arla closed the door.

"So! What would you guys like to have? Coffee, tea, wine, water?"
Arla asked as she pointed at the couches.

We sat down.

"Can I have wine?"
I asked.

Dad and Arla both laughed.
"Sure! You'll have my special wine as known as milk!"

"But milk wasn't in the option!"

"Milk is wine, wine is milk. No need to debate on it, I'll give you a glass of milk, drink it like a good girl."
Arla announced and looked at dad.

"Mr Anderson, what would you like?"

"Tea, a blessing."

"Alright!"
She chuckled and went to the kitchen.

I looked around the house.
It was big, luxurious and more importantly, beautiful. The living room where dad I were, was huge. Paintings were filling an entire side of the wall in front of us.
I could guess there was someone in this house who was perfectly obsessed with painting. Picasso, Monet, Leonardo Da Vinci, Vincent Van and so many other's paintings were hanging on the wall.
There were hundreds, but one of them caught my eyes. The biggest painting in the room- it was of a girl wearing a pearl earring; and was held in a gorgeous frame. Something about her fascinated me.

"Here is the milky wine. And the tea."
Arla said after a while.

Looking at the glass, I wondered where Ryan was.

Arla sat on a couch with her cup of tea. And said,
"So! Now tell me everything! I can't wait to hear the story."

I took the glass and dad took the tea.

"I don't have any clue about anything Arla!"
I said.
"Dad knows everything!"

Dad laughed,
"Yeah, I'll start the story!"
He took a sip.
"So, Kathy told me about this boy named Ryan and I instantly wanted to meet this grand man. But, none of them had each other's number."
Dad sighed and shook his head out of disappointment.

Arla turned her head towards me with big eyes filled with surprise as if we did something very impossible and stupid. Then she shook her head out of disappointment too.

"Then I asked what their parent's name was. I thought she didn't know it as well, but she did. And oh my God."
Dad facepalmed, looking very dissatisfied.
"She didn't even remember her therapist's full name."

I took the first sip of the milk and raised my hand like a student does before asking a question in the class.

"Yes?"
Dad said.

"I remembered her name! It was Arla Anderson. But Ryan said her name was Arleana Anderson. I wasn't smart enough to get it!"

Dad and Arla shook their head again. I gave up.

I wondered where Ryan was again.

Dad continued,
"So, I knew the grand man was your son, Arleana! And I took her here. And for a plot twist, I told her to call you."
He laughed.

Arla laughed too. She, then, looked at me.
"Why haven't you finished the milk yet?"

"Oh, right! Sorry."
I gulped it all at once.

And understood it was high time I should ask about Ryan. I opened my mouth but Arla talked again.
"James is at work and will be home in 30 minutes or so! You two can't leave before he arrives!"

"I'm down, haven't seen him ages!"
Dad announced.

"And..."
I mumbled, probably blushed AGAIN.
"Ryan?"

Arla waved her hand in disappointment this time.
"He's in his room, doing some business. God knows what this boy is up to!"

"Ah! Okay..."
I chuckled awkwardly.

"You could join him!"
She said.

"Oh? Can I?"

"Sure!"

"Sure...I wou- would like to...join...him."
Said I. With gaps among every word.

They grinned. I put the cup on the table in front of us and stood up.
"Where in this world is he?"

"In his room. Upstairs, second room on the left."
She answered with a chuckle.

I nodded and exhaled as if I was leaving for war. Then I started taking steps to the stairs.

I tripped on the very first step but nevermind, right?
Dad and Arla laughed.
"You okay?"

"Yes, yes. Very okay."

I cringed and started walking again.

I found the room of Ryan and I could definitely have found it even if Arla didn't instruct me.

On the door, there was written Tranquillity in bold letters.
I smiled.
"He lives in peace, huh? Should I shout and destroy the stability?"
I thought. Nevertheless, I didn't do anything. I knocked on the door, under the tranquillity sign.

No movement inside. I thought the door was locked, but when I knocked again, it opened. Kinda like those horror movies, just without any screechy sounds.

The door with the tranquillity sign was open and I stood on the other side waiting for him.

"Ryan?"
I called.

No one answered.

I stood there with confusion for a second. Then slowly, awfully slowly put my head into the door, holding the door.

The theme of the room seemed to be black, almost everything I saw was black. The first thing I saw was his bed, the only cleanest and neatest thing in the room. The floor was covered fully with a black carpet; there were books randomly laying on the floor. There was a little, round table on one corner, there were stuffs on it too. However, the room wasn't necessarily untidy.

But where is he?

I gradually entered the room. There was a lengthy, wooden table on this side. And I was surprised to see the same painting of the girl with an earring upon the table.

But where is HE?

My eyes suddenly went towards the part of the floor behind the door.

And my heart jumped.

"What happened to you!? Why are you laying like that on the floor? Ryan?!"

He didn't answer.