"Will things ever be the same, is the question most people have."
Is the above phrasing correct? The first part of the sentence is an indirect question, but I cannot find anything in Chicago that instructs how to punctuate the indirect question if another part of the sentence follows it.
The part before the comma is not an indirect question. A subordinate closed interrogative (which I assume is what is meant by indirect qurestion) would start with subordinators whether or if and is not separated from the verb is by a comma:
Whether things will ever be the same is the question most people have.
If things will ever be the same is the question most people have.
If you're intent on using a main clause interrogative as in the example given, you'd have to put quote marks around it and there still would be no comma required:
"Will things ever be the same?" is the question most people have.
