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

Family dinner

"How are you going to ask them?" Elio asked looking at Oliver while he drove.

"Uh, I haven't figured that out yet. I was hoping just to slip it into the conversation." Oliver shrugged.

"I still don't see why you want to bring her up."

"She is their mother."

"Who's never called or sent even a damn letter to see if they are okay. It was different when she was sick. I don't know Oliver, they may close themselves off."

"Come on Elio, it's been a long time and they need to heal. I know Chris wasn't up for it when he first talked to her but Jona wasn't involved in the conversation. They both need to make peace with her."

Elio looked at the backseat seeing the younger two children asleep in their car seats while Mini had her headphones on while reading a book.

"If I'm honest I think I'm against it all because I don't want to share them."

"Share who?"

"The kids." Elio gave him a small smile." I'm the boy's papa and the babies I'm their Nonno. With Mini, I don't have to worry we are her only grandparents we don't have to share her. But with Ella Perl and Sammy, we have to share them with Lea's parents. I just want to be selfish for awhile."

Oliver linked his fingers with Elios pulling his hand up to kiss it.

"You are allowed to be selfish but you also have nothing to worry yourself about. We will be back in B before you know it and Chris and his will be there too. You will have them all to yourself."

"Even though that was the sweetest thing in the world to say to me. It doesn't make me feel better saying that and putting that out into the world. In reality, I'm the bad guy, I took everything from her. Her husband, kids, and grandkids I took it all."

Oliver pulled the car into the restaurant parking lot, looking at Elio he saw every emotion on his face. Elio believed what he had said, he believed all of these things that were not true.

"Look at me you didn't do anything wrong. She kicked me out, I knew that my heart never would belong to her and she knew that too. She is the one that never asked for help and when she did get it. She was the one that decided not to come back. You are right about one thing, if Chris hadn't walked up to her, she still wouldn't be in their lives. And I believe that the only reason she's making an effort is that she sees what she's missing."

"I know but I'm still allowed to feel guilty. But enough of that I know we are going to be talking about it all night. Let's get the kids out of the car. I am starving."

The Adler-Perlman clan had to sit at the biggest table in the restaurant. The kids talked loud, picked on each other and were the life of the night.

"What did you kids do with nonno and bubbeh today?" Chris asked Mini and Ella Perl.

"Um we went to the park, bubbeh got us ice cream before we ate lunch. Sammy tried to eat a rock and oh there was a lady that was waiting on the porch when we got home." Mini cheerfully replied.

"Lady, what lady?" Chris asked his parents, he could see the horror on their faces.

"Uhh, David, Lea let's take the kids next door for some ice cream," Elio said while getting up.

"But I want to know who this lady is," Lea asked.

"Oh you'll find out but let's just let Oliver and the boys talk ok?" Elio hurried them out of the restaurant.