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

Very Unhappy Birthday

Christopher woke that morning and he realized he was no longer a child. Eighteen, he was eighteen, a soon to be Yale freshman undergrad. But on his happy day, he was feeling very unhappy. He didn't have time to think about what this day meant because his parents and grandmother burst through the door.

"HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY CHRISTOPHER!" They all cheered together.

Nonna and Elio had made Christopher all of his favorite breakfast foods. Fried eggs, pancakes, bacon, sausage and crepes. Everyone at the table moaned when the food was placed on the table.

"This looks and smells amazing thanks pops and nonna."

After breakfast, the three boys laid out by the pool.

"Christ man I never want to leave this place." Jude moaned while rubbing his full stomach.

"I know that's why we never complain about coming here. I swear one day I'm moving here. Leave every care and worry I have behind in New York. Settle down maybe meet a nice girl, have loads of kids." Christopher said closing his eyes imagining that life.

"Well, what if you meet a guy that you want to be with forever?" Jona asked.

"Then we will adopt a bunch of kids. Kids that get lost in the system."

"Why are we talking about marriage and kids? I'm planning on being wild and free, no woman is going to keep me tied down." Jude barked out laughing.

"Jude you can't even keep a girlfriend for longer than 4 months."

"What can I say, when I'm tired of them I find a new one."

"You are so full of shit. When Kelly dumped you before Christmas you cried curled up in a ball on my bedroom floor." Christopher threw the book at him that he'd been reading.

"I did not!"

"Yeah you did man, I heard you from my room." Jona laughed.

"Fuck you guys, I'm going to the lake."

"Jude where do you think you are going? Boys come help us set up for the party." Oliver yelled after them.

This year was going to be bigger than last years party, the Adler boys had befriended the entire teenage population of B last year and Oliver and Elio had become established in the community. Everyone from B was attending, Oliver and Elio were throwing the biggest party B had seen. Christopher was hoping it was going to be bigger than Jona's 16th birthday party but all of B came to that as well.

By six people started showing up, Nan and Mark had flown in from London where they vacationed every summer.

"Oliver! You are a sight for sore eyes!" Nan belted out, Christopher was always amazed at how such a tiny woman could be so loud.

"NAN!" Oliver picked her up swinging her around like a little rag doll.

"Elio I'm glad to see you walking around. That fucking bastard deserved more than to get knocked out by Ollie."

"Oh he did, last I heard he's sitting in prison for the next five years. With the drugs, they found in his apartment and he apparently a few other things I don't want to say in front of children." Elio smiled giving Nan a hug.

"Good!"

"Mark, how are you?" Oliver asked.

"Oh just peachy, got to see Dunkin in Le Mis."

"Oh that's right, I bet Nan is proud."

"You have no idea. You'd thought my son won a Nobel peace prize when he told her the news."