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

Truth & Heartbreak

Ticking of the grandfather clock lightly echoes throughout the house, morning light crept through the windows of the Perlman home. Warm and inviting are the faint smells of last night's dinner still lingered in the kitchen. Elio's bare feet patted on the hard Italian floors, dressed in Olivers flannel robed. Entering the kitchen, he was slightly shocked there was no sign of anyone starting breakfast, he walked to the cabinet looking for the can of coffee to start the mornings' pot. Nothing had changed in the kitchen, his mother never updated her home. She was an archaeologist wife to her very soul. Keeping old teapots, books and little artifacts his father had found all over the world. She believed that they all had their own beauty, Elio knew how she felt he had kept so many things over the years.

A low rumble woke Oliver from his warm state of sleep, realizing it was his stomach protesting its emptiness. He reached up to rub his stomach, noticing the right side of his body was missing the warmth of Elio's. Oliver woke like this most morning, Elio was up before he even thought of starting his day. Looking over his shoulder out the window he saw the trees were visible, he could see the green now which meant the snow had melted. He reached to grab his grey tracksuit bottoms pulling them on. Standing he stretched groaning as his aging body protested the movement, searching the room for the black t-shirt he had been wearing the night before. In the hurried passion of last nights events, his and Elio's clothes had been thrown around the room. He found it including the hooded sweatshirt that was the partner to his pants, grabbing the shoes he looked out the window peering into the skylight of the guest house. He prepared himself before focusing on the continents of the bed. Luckily he only saw his eldest son, stretched out like a starfish in the middle of the king size mattress that took up most of the loft. A reminiscing smile crept across Oliver's face, Christopher had always slept like this even as a small child. He always hated the confines of clothes and blankets. Oliver remembered a time when he had to apologize to the entire neighborhood for a naked 4-year-old Christopher running through their front lawns. He had taken a run out of the house after a bath realizing that he had to put clothes on.

Annella Perlman sat in the kitchen at the small table by the back door partaking in her morning routine. She was still elegant, her dark curls had turn white, she pinned back her hair now. Annella smiled,
"Women my age wear their hair in buns, I am not such a woman. Imagine the spectacle, pinned up hair. Silly really, when we are young we need structure and order but at my age, I am in a state of freedom." She took a long draw off of her cigarette, blowing it out toward the back door that she had slightly ajar.

"I would never expect you to be anything but yourself momma. The day you start wearing matching sweat suits, sensible shoes and going on power walks I will have you committed." He said waving a spoon at her. She let out a good belly laugh, he loved hearing his mother laugh. Oliver walked into the kitchen, stopping at Annella first giving her a morning kiss on the cheek then walking to Elio pecking him on the lips and taking his coffee.
"I think I'm going to go grab Christopher and head out for a quick run, promise to be back before breakfast." He said leaning against the kitchen sink trying to drink his coffee quickly.

Opening the door to the guest house he saw and heard no one. Oliver quietly made his way to the loft, climbing the small stairs reaching the platform he leaned over the bed trying not to scare his son out of sleep.

"Christopher, come on buddy let's get up and go for a run," Oliver whispered slightly pushing on his shoulder. Stirring Christopher protested the presence of his dad.

"Dad, it's the weekend." He grumbled taking the pillow and covering his face, Oliver yanked it from his grasp.

"Come on bud, time to get up and enjoy the cold air burn your lungs!" Oliver chuckled, finding his jogging clothes and tossing them at his head.