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

Different

By the end of the week, they had all fallen into a rhythm of sorts. By the time Oliver, Elio and David had finished breakfast the kids had already left the table well before they finished. David and Oliver would retire to the study and work, after a few hours David would take one of the bikes and either head off to town or head down to the lake.
Elio would go down to the lake every so often to join them depending on whether or not a guest would arrive. Not much had changed during his fathers time, guests still showed up, doctors and lawyers, friends that Elio had grown up with, neighbors that wanted to visit. Especially when his mother was having a good day, his aunt would come for a visit with her grandchildren.
Marzia had come by this morning, her husband and son had gone to C for the day and she couldn't stand to be in the house by herself.

"Things never change, all the kids from B end up here. We were either in the lake, pool or on the tennis court."

"I think it's because Oliver and I are relaxed and trusting parents."
Oliver came out of the study to join them, sitting down on the blanket, he brought one of his notebooks with him. Kissing Elio, he looked out at the lake looking out to see all the teenagers that were swarming the lake.

"About time you came out of your den, Oliver." Marzia teased.

"I had too, it was getting too quiet in the house."

"So what do you think of Valentina and Christopher, spending so much time together?"

"I think it's great, Elio and I were just talking last night that we may have to have Valentina visit us this year."

"Oh, well have you seen my daughter today?"

"No, why?"

"She has a massive hickey on her neck, she really tried to hide it."

"Your kidding? Well, at least he's doing more than just gawking at her."

"This is news to me, normally he tells me things." Elio was mift.

"When did he start telling you things?" Oliver was taken aback.

"Well for the last couple of weeks he has confided in me and doesn't give me that hurt look Oliver.."

"Our parents were completely oblivious as to what we were doing at their age." Marzia pointed out.

"Maybe yours were but mine knew what I was doing, even if I wasn't telling them." Elio contrived.
"No, your parents knew about?" She said pointing to everyone.

"Yes, my parents knew that I had been sleeping with you and Oliver, I never came out and said it and they never came out and asked. But it was what they said to me, later on."

"Jesus, Elio! Well, that explains why they always treated me like family."

"Yes, my father was very good at seeing those things."

Down at the lake, Jona was becoming quite the daredevil. He was climbing to the tallest parts of the trees hanging over the lake and jumping from them.
Christopher didn't know what had gotten into his little brother scene they had arrived but he started taking a lot of risks and asking curious questions. Christopher tossed it up as being 15, but Jona had been different. Later that night when Christopher had come home from his date with Valentina, his brother was propped up in his bed playing his guitar.

"Jona can I ask you something?"

Jona was startled by his older brothers concerned face.

"Yeah, why?"

"I just wanted to make sure you are ok. You know you've been really different scenes we've been here."
Jona set his guitar down and gave his brother a stupid look.

"Christopher, if you haven't noticed mom doesn't give me a lot of freedom. I am more relaxed around Dad and Elio things are just different."

"Okay" Christopher shrugged as he flopped on his bed. Jona grew very quiet he could hear his brother tap his pick on his nightstand.

"If I tell you something you promise not to tell mom or dad? Or even Elio."

"I'm not going to tell them anything, promise."
Christopher waited for his brother to get up the courage to say whatever it was that he was going to say.

"I think I'm going to live with dad and Elio when we go back home."

"That's it?" Christopher asks throwing his pillow at him.

"Yeah, but I don't want to hurt mom's feelings. She just drives me nuts. She's always babying me, she doesn't let me go to my friends' house like you do. And dad and Elio treat us different. I never thought I would say this but I love the dad we have now that he's with Elio."

"I know, he is definitely different. You know he asked me if I needed condoms the other night when I went out with Valentina?"
Jona choked out a laugh.

"Dad ask you that?"

"Yeah, it was weird."

"Like I said he's well free. Kinda always thought dad was always hiding something. Just never thought it would be that he likes guys." Jona admitted.

"I asked dad about that if he only liked guys. He said no and Elio's the same way but they just happen to love each other. Have you told any of your friends yet that mom and dad are divorced?"

"Yeah I told Jenny and Steven, they were even more shocked that dads with Elio. Why haven't you?"

"I mean I've told Josh but he's my best friend he was gonna find out no matter what. He practically lives at our house, but I just haven't told any of my other friends."

"It's ok Christopher tell who you want to tell. Hey, do you think mom will think I hate her if I moved in with dad and Elio?"

Christopher rolled his eyes.

"No you goon she's not gonna hate you, might make her cry and she will probably not let you be honest."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

"She will be ok, just don't tell her as soon as we get home at least give her a few days."

"Are you going to have sex with Valentina?"

"I dunno, I mean she's hot like completely gorgeous. But I have no idea what I'm doing!" Christopher took his pillow covering his face and flopped back onto his bed.

"Hey I bet you could ask David, he might tell you what to do."

"Dude that's weird."

They sat up talking for a few hours about anything and everything. They had never really done that, since their parents' divorce life had become less conservative. Neither one of them could believe how much their lives had changed in the last year and hopefully, it was going to get even better.