Seth: Can you pass the potatoes please?
Seth could barely be heard by the clanking of silverware around the kitchen table. Kirsten, who was sitting at the head of the table, picked up the large bowl sitting to her left and passed it off to Marissa, who then handed it over to Seth. Seth spooned a heap of potatoes onto his plate before offering some to Lindsay who was sitting on his right, but declined.
Zach: Pass those over here Cohen.
Seth nodded and passed the bowl across the table to Zach who helped himself to the food before offering it to Summer who was seated next to him; to the left of Summer sat Sandy, seated at the other head of the table. A heaping, yet untouched plate of food sat in front of Sandy, as he slowly sipped his glass of wine and peered out the French doors towards the pool house.
A few hours had passed since the meltdown in the kitchen, and Kirsten had already sent Sandy out twice to pick up essentials for Samantha. The first time he had returned with the wrong diaper size, and shortly there after he had spent about half an hour trying to figure out what the correct baby formula was. Regardless, Sandy had returned home, just in time to pass the delivery boy as he was pulling out of the driveway. So now, since Kirsten had convinced everybody to stay for dinner, there they sat, awkward and confused. Nobody knew what to think or what to say, so everybody simply resorted to eating. Everybody that is, except Ryan, who had retreated to the pool house shortly before the food arrived, claiming that he wasn't hungry, and had quickly walked out of the kitchen before anyone could get a word in. Kirsten had told Sandy about it as soon as he got home.
Zach: Mr. Cohen, will you pass me the peas?
Sandy snapped out of his daze, he wondered how long he had been sitting at the table thinking about Ryan and his newfound child. Sandy smiled at the boy and reached down next to him, passing a platter off to Summer who then handed them over to Zach.
Zach: Thanks.
Sandy nodded his head slightly and looked down at his plate of barely touched food. He raised his head again looking past his wife, seated across from him, and out the French doors towards the pool house. Sandy could feel Kirsten's eyes on him, and ignored them for as long as he could before making eye contact with her. They could both read the concern and worry in the other's eyes. Kirsten broke away first, looking down on the sleeping baby, still contently curled up in her basket. Kirsten reached down and pulled at the blankets in the basket, which was sitting at her feet. She had replaced the original faded red blanket with a new one, which she pulled up to the baby's chin, and gave a slight pat before returning her attention to the table.
Sandy stood up, sliding his chair back and walking towards the kitchen counter. Sandy picked up the open bottle of wine and topped his glass off before setting the bottle down and looking back towards the table. Marissa had leaned close to Kirsten and the two of them were talking quietly, presumably about Ryan. Marissa had been sneaking glances towards the pool house since dinner had started, and Sandy could tell she was getting restless. Lindsay and Seth seemed engulfed in conversation, or more along the lines of Seth was talking, and Lindsay was just trying to understand…but either way, the two were thoroughly distracted. Zach was the only one at the table actually eating, and while he was helping himself to seconds, Summer sat quietly across the table from Seth and Lindsay, watching them the entire time.
Sandy returned to the table and let out a small sigh as he plopped down in his chair, and pushed his plate away from him. Sandy looked across the table at his wife, but then noticed Marissa staring intently at the pool house.
Sandy: Why don't you go check on him.
Marissa turned her head slowly to find Sandy looking at her. Marissa looked slightly confused for a second, but then as Sandy nodded his head, Marissa slowly slid her chair back, stepping away from the table and heading out the door into the back yard. As Marissa approached the pool house, she couldn't see any movement coming from inside, although that wasn't surprising to her because she hadn't seen any movement coming from the pool house through all of dinner. The shades were drawn down half way like they usually were, and one small lamp created a dim light in the room. Marissa stopped as she approached the door, letting her right hand rest on the door handle before slowly opening the door and stepping through.
There was an eerie sort of quiet in the pool house while Marissa scanned the room with her eyes. There was no sight of Ryan. She slowly walked into the room, making her way towards the bathroom. Marissa paused outside the door before knocking twice, and after not getting a response, opening the door to find yet another empty room. Marissa turned, closing the bathroom door behind her. She didn't need to come to the pool house to know Ryan wasn't there, she knew it anyway. She wasn't sure how, but she knew; and now that the realization was setting in, she began to worry. Marissa quickly moved out of the pool house, not bothering to close the doors behind her. She quickly walked back to the main house and stepped into the kitchen. Causing Sandy and Seth to immediately stand up after seeing the look on Marissa's face.
Seth: Are you okay?
Sandy: Where's Ryan?
Marissa looked at Seth and then over to Sandy.
Marissa: He's gone.