It was early March and the Italian countryside was starting to warm up. Leaves were starting to come back to the limbs of trees and the kids were starting to prepare for the summer.
"Nonno can we go to the beach every day this summer? And take Bach and Chapman?" Ella Perl asked Elio as he was handing her, her after school snack.
"Well I guess we could, but I don't think we need to take Chapman he's pushing 19 and that's very old for a dog. Bach will be happy to go through." Elio looked at the two golden retrievers laying by the back door. Chapman was no longer golden but very gray, his face was showing his age. But he still got up with Oliver every morning and went for a walk as they have done for years.
"Good afternoon my piccino's, did you learn anything new at school?" Oliver burst through the kitchen.
"Oliver, must you do that every day?" Annella tossed the kitchen towel at him, it scared her every time.
"No bubbeh we didn't learn anything, it's almost summer we don't learn new stuff right before summer." Mini scoffed at him.
"That's completely untrue, I learned something new every day. Like today I learned that a sneeze can travel up to 100 miles per hour and can release 100,000 germs into the air. That's about the speed of a race car!" Oliver said excitedly as he sat down at the kitchen island. Sammy who was now five looked at him wide-eyed.
"Wow! Is that why my boogers shootout?"
"Yes, Sammy that's why, but it's still not ok to wipe them on your sisters."
"I know momma done told me if I do it again Santa will give me cole again in my stocking."
Elio stifled back a laugh, poor little Sammy had gotten cole in his stockings two years in a row instead of sweets. He was just a mischievous little boy, unlike his little brother who was very quiet.
"Well, that means you are going to strive to be good this year right?" Elio asked him, he nodded his head. "Once everyone's done go wash your hands and watch tv or play until your parents get here." They scattered like mice, Elio shook his head.
"Those kids amaze me every day. How was your day love?" Elio asked leaning across the island puckering his lips waiting for Oliver, he quickly returned the action.
"Oh it would be a complete bore if I didn't have my laptop, it's so quiet when everyone is doing tests. I spent the majority of my day playing email tag with Luca. The role of me has finally been cast."
"Oh really? I bet he's not as adorable as mine is."
"Oh, this man is gorgeous! And you will agree because we just watched one of his movies the other night."
"Who?"
"Armie Hammer." Oliver smiled, winking at Elio.
"Oh, mmm yeah I can see the resemblance. I wonder if he's going to come to stay here for a week as well?"
"Hey now, don't be getting any idea's, Elio Perlman." He said getting up and wrapping his arms around Elio shoulders kissing his neck.
"Hey now, don't get anything started that we can do right now." Elio swatted him with the plate he hand in his hand. It made contact with Oliver's butt.
"Oh! Mmm, don't you start."
"Pops!" Christopher yelled coming into the house.
"In the kitchen!" Elio yelled back. Christopher and David walked in, Chris was always dressed in the finest suits. He said it made the lawyers of the parents or guardians look disheveled, he wanted the children to know they were worth something. Chris loved being a children's advocated and children's welfare lawyer.
"Greetings my wonderful parents!" Chris said enthusiastically.
"What do you want?" Oliver looking at him questionably.
"Nothing just had a good day and also we saw Luca driving behind us on the way in."
"Oh good, he's bringing that young man who's going to play me in the movie." Elio rushed past everyone to get to the door. The kids saw the rush of adults head towards the door. Rushing to the window in the living room they saw a car pull up with Luca driving and a boy sitting in the front.
"Who's that Mini?" Ella Perl asked.
"I don't know, but he's pretty," Mini said turning red in the face.
"Eww! Mini likes a boy!" Sammy was giggling as he pointed at her.
"Shut up Sammy or I'll tell Uncle Jona that it was you who broke the vase in the hallway," Mini said sticking her tongue out at him.
"You said you won't tell my dad."
Mini shrugged and looked back outside Oliver and Elio greeted Luca with a hug.
"Good to see you both," Luca said he was glowing today. "Well, I'd like you both to meet Timothee Chalamet. Timothee this is Oliver and this is Elio." Luca said pointing to them. Timothee reached out his hand.
"It's very lovely to meet you both when Luca talked to me about your book and how he thought I would be perfect for Elio. I went and got a copy from my library. I read it so many times and didn't return it for months, I ended up owing them 100 bucks. But it's an amazing story and love story you both have created." Timothee was so nervous he was rambling.
"Well, thanks, Timothee. And I do have to say so myself you look a lot like Elio when he was younger, it's kind of scary."
"Well, you know what you will look when you're old and grey." Elio laughed putting his hand over his heart.
"Oh stop you are far from grey or old, you barely have a wrinkle love." Oliver scoffed at him.
"Well, it's the joys of having a carefree life here the majority of my life."
"You two are fascinating," Timothee spoke softly.
"Why thank you Timothee, our grad students say the same thing. Come on in and meet the rest of the family." Oliver put his arm around the younger man.
"Oh ok but you can call me Timmy, Timothee is just too much sometimes."
"Alright, Timmy it is then." Oliver smiled. Elio got to the door first and when he opened it and stepped to the side. Timmy was greeted by six small kids and two golden retrievers.
"Wow!" Timmy said in surprise.
"Uh yes, this is our brewed of grandkids," Elio said pointing to each child introducing Timmy to them. "This is Mini, Ella Perl, Sammy, Remi, Lottie, and Mettao. Kids this is Timmy he is going to be staying with us and getting to know us."
"Nonno is he going to play you in the movie?" Mini asked.
"Yes, piccino he is."
"Wow, he looks just like you in the picture in bubbehs office." Ella Perl said eye's wide.
"I think I'm going to be hearing that a lot." Timmy held back a small laugh.
"You might. But let's get you settled and we will show you around the house. Get an idea of who we are." Elio said escorting him to the back room.
"Sound great, I'm really excited for this. It's amazing that just from Oliver's words I can already see almost everything he described in this house." Timmy said in awe looking around.
"Yes, this house has been in my family far longer than anyone can remember. Ah, this is your room for the duration of your stay. You have the bathroom here and you have access to the door at the end of the hall. You can come and go as you please and here's the key to that door. I'll let you get settled in, we are usually all in the kitchen or backyard if you need to find us."
"Thank you, Elio."
Elio backed out of the room and nearly tripped over the children.
"What are you all doing?" Elio asked hands on his hips.
"Nothing," Sammy said puffing out his chest.
"Well, nothing seems to be something you all are not accustomed too. Go on outside until it's time for dinner." Elio shooed his grandchildren away from the guest.
Timmy stood in the room listening to the conversation Elio was having with his grandchildren outside of his room. This family he had agreed to stay with were not strangers at least not Elio and Oliver. Oliver had written about himself and Elio with such perfection that Timmy felt he'd known them for years. At least their younger selves. He tossed his bag on the bed and walked around the room, he could hear children screaming and laughing outside. He managed to get the window open and took in all of what he could see of the Perlman house. Excitement wouldn't allow him to sleep, so he changed his clothes into something more comfortable. Walking out into the hall he could really take in everything around him. Timmy was amazed at the architecture and artifacts that were in the house. Everything in this house looked probably as it had in the 80's with a dash of modern. Passing two rooms on his right, both doors closed he walked into the main hall of the house. But his nose caught the wonderful smell of cookies, he followed it to the kitchen. Where there stood an older woman with her back to him, Timmy knew right away this woman was Annella Perlman, Elio's mother.
"Excuse me, Mrs. Perlman," Timmy spoke softly, she jumped swinging around with a spoon covered in cookie dough.
"Oh! Merde, don't you know it's not polite to sneak up on a woman my age."
"Je suis tellement désolé Mme Perlman que je ne voulais pas vous faire peur." Timmy chuckled as she perked up.
"Oh, la movie star speaks French, huh?" Annella was amused.
"Yes, ma'am I do, with my dad being French and I spent a lot of summers there. My sister lives there as well." Timmy had placed his hands behind his back as he was prone to do when he was nervous.
"Well, we will have to talk sometime. I'll show you to the back where everyone is."
"Thank you, Mrs. Perlman."
"Oh, sweetheart call me Annella."
She showed him to the backyard. All the tree's had begun to bloom and the smell of this place was unlike anything he had ever witnessed before.
"You have that same look on your face that I did the first time I stepped out of that door too," Oliver said to the young man.
"This place is unlike any other." Timmy spoke as he sat down next to Elio.
"Oh, I'm sorry I forgot to introduce you to the rest of my family. Timmy this is my oldest son Christopher and his fiance David and my youngest Jona and his wife Lea." Oliver stood introducing everyone.
"Sorry if you've heard this already but holy shit you look a lot like papa. Good job Luca." Chris mused as he smacked Luca on the back.
"Well he's not only pretty but he can act. I promise he will do this film justice as well will Armie." Luca spoke with great insurance.
"So tell us about yourself, we have to get to know you just as much as you have to get to know us." Elio said patting him on the leg.
"Ah well, I'm 19 but I'll be twenty at the end of the year, I grew up in Hell's Kitchen. I also spent most of my summers in Le Chambon sur lignon where my grandparents live. I graduated from LaGuardia High School, I just finished my first year at Columbia and no offense Mr. Adler but I hated it."
Oliver laughed. "No, you're not offending me, unless you were in my class. Oh, christ did I have you in my class?"
"No, I tried to get into your class but they told me it's impossible for freshman to get into your class."
"This is true, very few freshman ever did. But thankfully I teach now in a more relaxed and free environment."
"Oh, do you play any instruments, sing, dance anything like that?" Elio asked Timmy
"Uh I only know a little piano, I haven't done it much since I was a kid. I love to dance but not like ballet or anything and I'm not sure I'm that great of a singer. I did a Cabaret in high school."
"Really? They let a Cabaret production go on in a high school? Who did you play?" Elio was enthralled now.
"Yeah I mean it's a performing arts high school but I played The Emcee."
"I would have loved to have seen that, to play that you must be full of life." Oliver gushed.
"I mean once I loosen up I'm a complete fucking goofball. Oh sorry, I forgot about the kids."
Everyone at the table laughed.
"They have spent most of their lives in Italy they have heard worse language during dinner as my dad has a heated discussion with a dinner guest at this table." Christopher ensured Timmy.
"Hey, I don't use such language around those children." Oliver defended himself.
"Really because Sammy asked me what a pompous twat was. I asked him where he heard it, and he said bubbeh." Jona laughed.
"I have never used that word in my life."
"What pompous or twat?" Elio egged on.
"Is it always like this?" Timmy asked whispering to Elio.
"Always but when my father was live it was never loud unless my mother got involved. And you've met her, once she gets a couple glasses of wine in her she's an even more interesting woman. Come on I'll show you around the house, dinner will be ready shortly."
The two men go up and walked into the house.
"This is where I teach piano, when the time comes I will teach you the pieces that I played when I was younger and maybe even the guitar."
"Really you would teach me?"
"Yes of course, who better to teach you how to play like Elio other than me?" Elio laughed, putting his arm around Timmy's shoulder.
"And this, this room has seen many things. The study is where I first met Oliver, too many years ago."
Timmy slowly broke away from Elio gazing at all the books, and then he reached the pictures scattered around the room. He picked up a picture staring at it.
"Is this you and Oliver during your summer together?" Timmy positioned the picture so Elio could see.
"Ah yes, one of my father's many guests was an avid photographer. So Oliver and I didn't know we were being photographed, he caught many raw moments of us. He sent those to my mother a few months before he died. That one is our favorite, little did anyone what was going on under the table." Elio smiled reminiscing about their youth.
"You two really had everything in just six weeks didn't you?"
"We did, but life outside of this house happened. I thought I was going to go to University in the states and be closer to Oliver. Then the Christmas before he told me he was getting married. But you have to understand, what I felt for Oliver first was annoyance because I was attracted to him. I played the schoolyard game I like you so I'm going to be mean to you. But Oliver, Oliver did the opposite he was attracted to me so he stayed away as much as he could because he wanted to be good. Like he said he wanted me from the first time he laid eyes on me he just hid it better. In America 17 is still considered a child but here that's not the case. So he thought his thoughts and feelings were wrong. But I'm a very strong-willed and persistent person."
"I really want to do this right Elio. It's too beautiful and I want it to be perfect."
"Well, you will have plenty of time to observe and to soak up everything. If it helps I still have my diaries from that summer, I have nothing to hide you can read them if you want."
"Really? You don't mind?" Timmy asked.
"No of course not. I'm an open book ask me anything." Elio smiled.
"I'll remind you of that when you get tired of me asking."
"No, I don't get annoyed easily. I mean do you see how many grandkids I have?"
Timmy snickered. "True"
"Now can I ask you something?"
"Yeah of course."
"Have you ever been in love?" Elio asked leaning against the door frame. He saw the young man's brows furrow. Elio could tell he was thinking, he bit his bottom lip.
"No, I can honestly say I never have. I've not done anything stupid in the name of love either."
"Well by the end of all of this I guarantee you will have fallen in love in some way. Everyone walks away from this place with something they never had before."
The dinner bell rang just as the doorbell did.
"What was that?" Timmy asked startled.
"That would be dinner and our guests for the evening."
"Is this every night?"
"The closer it gets to summer the more people we see. You'll come to understand Oliver knows no strangers and neither does my mother." They both shared a knowing look between them and walking out to the backyard Elio and Timmy were greeted.
"Elio!" George bellows.
"Good evening George. George I'd like you to meet Timmy Chalamet, he's here shadowing us."
"It's nice to meet you, Timmy." George shook his hand.
"It's nice meeting you too."
"Shadowing you what the hell for?"
"George you remember Oliver telling you they are making his book into a movie. Timmy is going to be playing me." Elio scoffed at the older man.
"Oh shit, I remember now. Well, he looks enough like ya. Boy, you better be one hell of an actor to be able to mimic Elio, he's the most talented man I've met."
"I'm going to try like hell Sir to get it right," Timmy said sitting down.
"Well we are kid free tonight so let's eat too much, drink too much and swear our fucking heads off." Oliver laughed holding up his glass.
"Hey just because the grandchildren aren't here doesn't mean you can act like a fool in front of your momma." Annella shuffled out of the kitchen.
"Can you believe that I'm almost 56 years old and I'm still being told to watch my language by my mother in law." Oliver looked at Timmy.
"Well, my mom still gets after me for putting my feet on the coffee table." Timmy said with a small smirk on his face.
"Hey I don't say anything about your language during your poker nights but tonight we have a guest." Annella waved her finger at him.
"But my poker buddies are guests momma."
"Ah, they are bums. They just want to try and take your money and get a good meal."
Elio shook his head laughing.
"Alright lets at least pretend we know how to behave, I mean we all know George can't."
"Hey, now there's no reason to gang up on poor old me like that Elio after I said all those nice things about you."
"I'm sorry George. I know you have such a rough home life."
"Oh yeah he's got a wife half his age and she probably believes that you're on what professors retreat." Oliver laughed smacking George on the back.
Timmy watched as these people who'd known each other far longer than he'd been on this earth. He watched Elio's movements and gestures. Timmy wanted to take everything in and he took what Elio had said about falling in love to heart. He knew he was going to walk away from this with more than he came into it. The night went on, the more he drank the more he showed who he was. Timmy was not a shy creature at all but like he said he was a fucking goofball. Timmy pulled out his iPhone and put on a random 80's song and pulled Elio up to dance with him.
Oliver watched as he was nearly pulled back into a time when life was just beginning for him. He watched his Elio show the soon to be Elio how he danced then. Two worlds were going to collided and he couldn't wait for it. His life versus the adaptation.