Summer, 1983 (I'll call you by mine)

Promise is a Promise

Elio sat next to Oliver and the boys, trying his hardest to console them. He notice that Christopher's body wasn't heving like his brothers. Elio got up to get tissues for them on his way back he saw Christopher's face, full of anger, no tears. Christopher wasn't sad that his mother was gone, his brother was crying enough for the two of them. Jona was fifteen but in this moment Elio might as well be looking at a little 5 year old Jona.

Christopher was trying hard to hold back the anger. He wasn't going to shed a tear for a woman who had been giving him the cold shoulder the last year. His brother on the other hand was still getting affection from her until they came to Italy. He didn't care what her reason was but he knew his father wouldn't tell them. Telling them that she had left was hard enough, Jona had cried for so long that Christopher's shirt was soaked. Christopher forced his brother to look at him.

"Dude it's going to be ok, we are fine we've still got dad and Elio." Christopher smiled at his brother who nodded his understanding.

"I need to go for a walk, I want to just think and clear my head. I'll take Elios phone incase I get lost." Christopher stood putting out his hand for Elio who placed his phone in the boys hand. Christopher didn't say goodbye or offered any type of affection. Jona was still sat on the floor his tears drying up, he didn't know how to take his brothers reaction.

"I think he's in another world." Oliver said looking to Elio.

"No he's just a teenager." Elio responded.

Christopher began walking down the street, he's put his iPod on his angry playlist and drown out the world. He knew his mom would abandon him after the last year. Never in a million years would he have thought she would up and leave Jona. He had known since he was a small child that his brother was his mom's favorite. There was no question about it. But with their dad they knew there was no favoritism, what he would do for one he would do for the other. This birthday gift was amazing, he imagined Jonas birthday gift would be as equal to it.

He looked for Elios phone, he needed to talk to David, he would still be up. He found the number to the house hoping David would be there. The phone ran a few times.

"Pick up, fuck please pick up." Christopher whispered into the phone.

"Hello, Pearlman/ Adler residents."

"David?"

"Christopher is that you?"

"Yeah, I just need to talk to someone." Christopher's voice was beginning to falter.

"What's wrong is everything ok?"

"Everything is wrong right now, I can't decide if life just got more complicated or a hell of a lot better." Christopher thought he was losing his fucking mind. He went from being hurt, too angry to feeling completely free and relax.

"You have completely lost me Christopher, are you great or sad?"

"My mom left, like she doesn't want anybody to find her type left. My dad didn't give us really any details other than she gave up custody and she's going to be gone for awhile. Honestly that's all he said, I didn't have time to think about it because Jona instantly started crying." Christopher was cut off by David.

"Chris I'm so sorry, I know you love your mom. It must be hard."

"No, not really,  I'm relieved more than anything and I know that sounds heartless but you don't know what she was like. She didn't let anyone see one side of her, David." Christophers voice got shaky.

"Did she hurt you?" David was concerned now, Christopher could hear it.

"I don't want to talk about it now David, it was nothing major, I'm a big boy I can handle myself. But when I get back, I want to talk, there's a lot I need to tell you. Okay?" The other end of the line was silent.

"I um, yeah Chris we can talk about anything you need to talk about. I'm here for you, promise." David was truly worried for Christopher, he had seen Christopher's angry side and he was beginning to see where it might stem from.

"You know you are making a lot of promises to me, you keep this up you I'm going to have to pay you back in someway." Christopher was trying to lighten the mood, things had gotten too serious for him. He heard David chuckle on the other end.

"Uh yeah I can't help myself when it comes to you, there's just something about you that I can't help but say no too."

"Oh I can't bullshit, you say no to me all the time!"

"Ah correction, I've not said no to you, I've said I can't. That's not a no, Chris you are my Tesoro."

"Tesoro? What does that mean?"

"I might tell you one day, but for right now you are my Cara Tesoro." David was being endearing now, he'd grown soft on Christopher.

"I will find out what that means but for right now, I'm believing it's something really great."

"Dear lord, it is something great you goon, I promise it's something good. Just take it as is with no explanation, okay?"

"Ok, I will, but hey I need to get off here. I've been walking around London and I'm pretty sure I'm lost. I'll see you when I get back." They said their goodbyes and Christopher still wasn't sure what to feel but he did know he felt better after talking to David. He turned to walk back toward the hotel, he'd been walking for close to an hour.  Elio and dad would be worrying about him if he stayed out any longer. It had been the first time he'd noticed other people in the streets, he'd been amongst many people and he'd not paid any mind to their existence. How was it possible that he was so wrapped up in his own life that he'd not noticed others around him?

"He's been gone for too long Elio." Oliver was pacing the living room of the hotel room.

"I'm sure he's fine. He's was just told some life altering news." Elio wrapped his arms around Oliver who seemed so small, Oliver buried his head in Elio's neck.

"I think he is relieved." Olivers words were muffled.

"Yeah, I think he is too."

They heard the door unlock, both turning to see Christopher walk in. They studied his face, his anger was gone, he gave them a small smile.

"I'm fine, I swear don't worry about me, focus on Jona. He's the baby, he needs you all more than I do." Christopher was nonchalant about it, Oliver rushed to him enveloping him in an embrace that only a father can.

"I forget how grown up you are."

"Yeah I know you do, it's what I love about you pops. I'm going to bed, I'm pretty worn out from the walking." Christopher turned to walk into his room.

No one spoke of what happened that night, Oliver finally stopped asking the boys if they were okay. Christopher stopped trying to get Jona to talk. It was the last thing Jona wanted to do was talk, he was in his own head. He didn't know what he felt or how he should feel. His mom had left, when his dad left for two months he knew he was coming back. His dad called everyday unlike his mom who's barely spoken to them since they had left. He just wanted to go home, to New York crawl in his bed and sleep for a year. Now he only had his dad's house, his childhood home belongs to someone else. It was his fault Jona knew it was his fault, he never checked on his mom when he heard her crying. He wasn't a good son, he complained every time his mom wouldn't let him go to his friends house. He didn't defend her when she and Christopher fought. He needed to tell her he loved her so she would come back.