An eight-hour flight and a two-hour ride later, Oliver, Elio, Christopher, and Jona arrived in B. As Oliver drove up to the house and surrounding the property are blanketed in perfectly white snow.
" Piccino ! Oliver! I miei nipoti! Mi sei mancato! Come in, come in." Annella Perlman was no longer in her wheelchair, she had been using a cane these last few months. What doctors assumed his mother had was Alzheimer's, because of her age and her rapid decline in health after his father passing.
"Signor Perlman, I am very certain with the death of your father, and housekeeper that your mother lost herself. When she started forgetting things and living in the past I assumed it was Alzheimer's, it was deep depression am very sorry for putting you and your family through that."
Elio had no words, he hung onto the phone long after the call had ended. He wondered now if his mother would want to come and live with them now? He wanted her too, but she simply said that she wasn't leaving his father, his soul was in that house and she wasn't leaving it.
"Momma, what are you doing out in this weather?" Elio asked, enveloping her small frame in his arms.
"Oh piccino , I could run ten miles in this weather it's nothing."
"With the way you smoke, running that would be impossible. We will grab all the bags and be in the house in a few moments." Elio motioned the boys to help their dad bring the bags into the house. Walking in the house it had been decorated for Thanksgiving. Decorative turkeys, orange, and yellow leaves strung throughout the house. The smell of pumpkin and nutmeg covered the house, Oliver walked in behind Elio.
"Dear God it looks like a hallmark card in here."
"I know, she went a little overboard." Elio heard the boys walk into the house. "Take your bags to your room."
" Piccino , I thought you said David was coming with you?" Annella asked bringing them drinks.
"He has a later flight and he might be bringing his boyfriend, we still aren't sure yet. He's supposed to call if plans change."
"He's such a sweet boy, I miss him reading to me in the afternoons."
Christopher tried hard not to roll his eyes at the word boyfriend. Joan saw his face mouthing stop it, to his brother. They hauled their luggage into their room.
"You gotta stop doing that everytime someone says, Davids boyfriend. Dad or Elio are going to see it and start asking questions. What have you got against Idris?" Joan asked.
"Besides the fact that he uses David, nothing."
"How does he use David?"
"He doesn't have a job unless you count scamming lonely older gay men a job."
" Well, I've never heard David talk about his job, doesn't he work?"
Christopher remembered a few weeks ago when he joked with David about how could afford a nice studio apartment without a job. David tightened up and wanted to change the subject. Then the night before Christopher and his family left for B, David told him the secret he didn't want many to know.
"Look, Chris if I tell you something, please don't tell anyone not even Jona or Jude but when my parents disowned me when I was 21. I had no money, my parents refused to pay my dorm anymore. So I couch surfed for a few months until I met Idris who got me a job. He had access to rich men, I don't want to say out loud what I did to get money, but I did do things. I didn't do it for very long. I was heartbroken when my parents disowned me but when my grandmother found out that Christmas the reason behind why I was not there. She held a meeting with my dad and her lawyer. She had him watch as she dropped his inheritance down to a dollar and gave everything else to my sister, my Uncle Frank and me. My grandmother said she could see the panic on his face, she said a family is important and disowning me for who I love isn't acceptable. If that was the case she would have disowned him for his choices with his first two wives. But my Grandmother has a trust fund set up for my sister and I when we turn 25 until then we have an allowance." David looked at the floor, he never met Christopher's eyes.
"So why do you let Idris leach off of you? You don't owe him anything." Christopher asked
"Yes, I do he helped me when everyone else pitied me. I was the little rich boy turned homeless. I heard my "friends" talk about me, the ones that I grew up with whose parents had the same financial status as mine just turned their backs on me."
"David I'm so sorry. I can't imagine what that must have been like."
"Not everyone has parents like yours or friends for that matter. Why haven't you told your parents yet? About who you are?"
"Honestly, I think they know something but they don't come out and say it. They are different, my dad is really different Elio has brought out the best in my family. He tends the do that."
Annella yelled for the boys to come and eat lunch. Jona gave his brother a partial hug.
"Man, they know. But I don't think they know about David. They would say something if they did."
"Maybe but I don't know anymore."
Jona started laughing to himself.
"Dude maybe they think Jude is your boyfriend!" Jona howled with laughter falling back onto the bed.
"You are not funny!" Christopher grumbled, punching Jona in the leg.
"What Jude would make a good boyfriend, he's a little needy though."
Leaving their room to go join the rest of the family for lunch. It wasn't the dinning style of the summer everyone gathered in the dining room the table could easily fit 10 people.
"My sweet little piccino 's how has school been?" Annella asked the boys.
"Great Nonna, as of right now I'm going to graduate as Valedictorian. My GPA is 4.3. It's hard for the star quarterback to get grades above average. Thankfully no hard blows to the head." Christopher was proud of his very few injuries, he'd been playing football since he learned how to hold one.
"That's wonderful, I'm so proud of you. What about you Jona?"
"Not doing too shabby myself, I started AP Biology it's so easy, oh and I got the part of Stacee Jaxx in the musical Rock of Ages that our school is doing."
"Oh, that's perfecto! My piccinos are so talented! I will come see you in your musical and I will be coming to see you graduate. My songbird and my Valedictorian!" Annella gushed about Jona and Christopher's achievements to all of her friends for there time there.
The jet lag had begun to set in. After lunch, Elio and Oliver laid on the sofa in the study, the leaves had turned white covered by the snow. The evening had started to get colder, Elio pulled the knitted blanket off the back of the sofa covering him and Oliver.
"There's something about Italy that instantly relaxes you and beckons you to nap in the afternoon," Oliver said lazily running his fingers lightly up Elios arm.
"Mm, I love coming home, takes me back to the summer of 83, when I met this tall, arrogant, gambling sexy man whom I worshiped." Elio chuckled softly, Oliver nudged him smiling pulling Elio in for a heavy kiss.
"You are not as funny as you think you are," Oliver said against his lips.
"Oh but I am." Elio gave Oliver a wicked smile.
"What are you planning?"
"Mm, well the boys are somewhere around the house. My mother is taking a nap and if memory serves me right we've never fooled around in here before." Elio pushes against Oliver's shoulder pressing him against the sofa.
"Christ Elio you are never a dull moment." Oliver laid back as Elio overtook him, getting lost in the rhythm of each kiss.
In the guest house Christopher set up his room, he had decided to sleep out here. Jona and he had shared a room all summer and it was the only time. They never wanted to do that again, by the end of the summer they were sick of each other. Christopher wanted to shove his brother in a trash can along with all of his things because he was such a mess.
Flopping down on the bed, the weight of the trip and the massive amount of food they had eaten took a toll on him. His eyes became heavy, he felt like boulders were pulling his lids down. He didn't dream often but when he did they were blurred and unwarranted. This dream was warm, bright and smelled of orange blossoms. The soft comforting sound of his name reached the knowing part of his brain. He didn't want to wake up afraid the dream wasn't real. He spoke in a soft tone almost a whisper.
"David?" A smile reaching his face, opening his eyes seeing David lying next to him. The afternoon sun outlining him with the light.
"Hi" David pushed a strand of displaced hair out of Christopher's face.
"I'm glad you came."
"Why wouldn't I come?" his smile reached his eyes, David was seeing Christopher during his best moment. Still in his trying-to-wake-up faze, he loved this faze he had only experienced it a few times while they had known each other.
"I thought you would stay with your sister? Have Thanksgiving with her."
"Well I am having Thanksgiving with my sister, she came with me. I wanted her to meet my other family."
"So you brought your sister, but not your boyfriend? Interesting."
"It's not interesting, I just wanted to bring my sister, Emma has wanted to meet your family for a while now. Come on she's in the house and your nonna is telling her how beautiful she is and that she's got a grandson who's turning 18 soon." David laughed getting up from the bed, extending his hand to Christopher. He flipped over on his back, propping himself up on his elbows.
"Oh that's right your sisters 18, does she like her men the same way her brother does?" Christopher howled trying to run away from David's smacking hands.
"You're not funny Christopher Adler, now come on meet my sister but keep your hands to yourself." The comment caught David off guard not being able to stop the laugh that came barrelling out of him.
Walking into the house, Christopher heard the piano playing, moving through the large house to the living room where Elio and Jona sat at the piano. Playing Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, Davids sister stood in front of the piano. She slightly resembles her brother, but she had dark highlighted hair, she was very tan and smiled constantly. Something David didn't do, she was gorgeous. Christopher must have had a stupid look on his face, because David elbowed him, mouthing, Don't-even-think-about-it.
"What? I was just thinking she looks like you and she's pretty is all." Christopher whispered. Elio and Jona played out the last few notes, singing along in harmony. When the last melody finished, they stood to bow taking in all the applause they were being given. David walked toward his sister.
"Emma, I can now officially introduce you to these beautiful people. This is Oliver, Elio, Christopher, Jona, and Annella or better known as nonna. Everyone this is my sister Emma."
Oliver reached out his hand taking hers.
"It's very lovely to finally meet you, we've heard a lot about you. We are very happy you are here with us. Our home is your home, don't hesitate to ask for anything." Oliver was his usual charming self.
"Wow I wasn't expecting a concert when I walked in, David has been gushing about this family. I thought he was going to change his last name."
"I wouldn't do that, well maybe."
"Hey, you know what we could do tonight? Show Emma Italian nightlife, that disco we went to all summer is open this time of year." Christopher suggested.
"Yeah, and the joy here is you have to be over 16 to drink. Soon I will be able to enjoy Italy a little more, December 2nd hurry up and get here already!" Jona begged the universe.
"Does that sound like something you want to do or do you want to stay in, I know the jet lag can be a killer?" David asked his sister.
"Um, the disco sounds amazing, I think I want to do that. I've never got to do anything like that yet. Let's do it!" Emma jumped hugging her brother around the waist, she was petite barely coming to his chest.
"Okay it's set, after dinner, we will all go out. We can't leave until after, Nonna would be offended if we skipped dinner." Christopher hugged his nonna.
"Of course I would be, I'm French-Italian food is life, it's family and it's full of love! Sophia has been studying all of Mafalda's old recipe books, she's nearly mastered them all." Annella put her hand over her heart, she missed Mafalda terribly.
"Oh Mafalda, how she handled herself in the kitchen was an art form, and the way she tried keeping Elio in line was a struggle, I'm sure that's where all of her worry lines came from." Oliver poked at him.
"Ha, Ha, yuck it up. She worried about me too much, she used to try and give me bedtimes and curfews."
"That she did, the way your papa and I raised you always worried her, she disapproved of it so much. Always wanting to treat you younger than you mentally were." Annella grabbed Emma's hand patting it. "See my little piccino has always been an old soul, while other boys his age were playing in the dirt. He would lay on that old sofa in his father's study, reading his papa's archaeology books. He listened intently to every guest we had sitting at our table when someone he knew was coming that spoke a different language he would ask them so many questions because he wanted to learn. I think by the age of 9 Elio had learned french, german, polish and a little Spanish. That's not including his first languages Italian and English."
"Sorry for my momma she loves to talk about my accomplishments if you let her she will start talking about the boys."
"Oh piccino stop it, I love my boys.'
Dinner that night Annella had decided that her boys needed real Italian pizza, the crust was so thin and flaky. There were eight pizza's as big as your head lined down the table. There was burrata, Tuscan sausage, 4 cheese, Margherita and others that they weren't quite sure what they were. One looked fried, Christopher and Jona were up for that one.
"David I wish you would have told us you were bringing your sister we would have had a room ready for her," Oliver said trying to eat the burrata pizza.
"Oh, it's fine Mr. Alder, I don't need anything fancy."
"I think Sophia is already working on her room upstairs at the end of the hall."
"If you hadn't of turned your grandfather's old room into a closet we'd have more rooms," Annella said.
"Mama this house has seven rooms and a three bedroom guest house. Losing one room that was oddly built isn't a big loss."
"Professor my sister and I can stay in the guest house we will be fine in there. That way there is no fuss, we haven't lived in the same house for so long it will be nice. Besides, we don't want to wake anyone we talk really loud when we are together."
"That sounds perfect, Christopher do you mind?" Oliver asked his eldest who was midway through trying bite off the chuck of pizza he was eating.
"Naw it's cool. I'll sleep in the loft and they can have the rooms."
"Are you sure?" Emma asked putting her hand on his arm, Christopher looked down where she had placed it.
"Yeah, the loft is like sleeping on a cloud. It's got the skylights for the morning sun. It's one of the best places to be."
Elio sat in the ugly green chair groaning.
"Oliver I ate too much, I'm miserable but it was worth it."
"I agree, do you think we can walk upstairs?"
"Oliver I don't think sex is going to be on the menu tonight."
"There is always room for that, I don't care if I'm 90 years old and on the verge of breaking my hip. I will do it for sex."
"Alright then carry me upstairs." Elio raised up his arms, seeing if Oliver would move, he gave Elio a grumbled look.
"Give me an hour, I'll be ready to sweep you off your feet then."
"You are such a damn romantic, that got me so hot, I want you right now." Elio moaned in sarcasm, Oliver not wanting Elio to win slid off the sofa. He took in a deep exhausted breath, crawling to Elio and fitting his upper body between Elios legs.
"Come on, I want to take you out. I have something to show you."
"Unless its the back of my eyelids, it can wait until tomorrow," Elio grumbled putting his arm over his eyes.
"No, I want you to see it. It's already been set up it's just waiting for you to see it. Come on, please?" Oliver looked at Elio with his gorgeous blue pools, that the world called eyes. Only Oliver could make Elio feel like a teenager his stomach was fluttering with butterflies, needing to do whatever Oliver wanted from him. Elio pulled himself up cupping Oliver's face, slowly kissing his forehead, nose, each cheek and his lips. Breathing in the scent of him, the sweet aroma of cigars that Oliver had started smoking, the cool musk of aftershave.
"I will go anywhere you ever ask me to go."
Sunset came early during the winter months, Elio pulled his cardigan tighter around himself as he got out of the car.
"Why have you taken me to the piazza?" They had there many times over the years, it was special but it was past closing for all the shops.
"Come on." Oliver extended his arm, wrapping it around his shoulder, this was home to Elio this spot on Oliver's body. Elio looked up, seeing the bar they had gone to, the old building where the translator used to be now it was a clothing shop. Walking across the street seeing all the cafe's dark and vacant.
"Things are still so compelling and comforting here in B, no matter how many times I come back home, it still feels the same."
"Well, I hope this makes it just that much better." Oliver had brought Elio to a storefront window, looking in he recognized it was the bookstore that he and Oliver had visited many times. Where Elio had first purchased something for Oliver. There in the window on a display was a poster size book cover with a familiar name on it.
"A novel by Oliver Alder; Summer 1983. Oliver, it's beautiful, are those pictures from that summer?" Elio asked in awe.
"Yeah, your momma had tons of pictures from that summer. Apparently one of the many guests that came around was a photographer, she said he used to just walk around the property."
" I remembered him, I never noticed what he was doing. I was always focused on something else."
"I bet you were. I do recall him taking that picture of me by the pool but the rest I'm not sure when they were taken."
Elio turned to Oliver looking up at him, capturing his gaze.
"Why is it in this particular window?"
"My publisher asked me where I wanted to start selling and signing copies after it hits shelves. I told him here. So far everyone that has gotten an advance copy of the book has given it nothing but praise. Elio, everything I feared about the story of us getting out in the world I should never have put those thoughts in my head."
"I told you, Oliver, we are unlike anyone. We are each other, I am you and you are me."
They were in a deep embrace in their own universe in front of the bookstore, the world going by as they kissed. Nothing could stop them from this moment, nothing could turn their love ugly with their words.