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

Home Sweet B

The beautiful notes of Beethoven flowed through the house. Oliver sat laid back in his chair in the study, eyes closed, soaking in what the advanced pianist was playing. Every day of the week music took over the Perlman-Adler house, due to Elios full schedule. Soon he was lulled to sleep. He could hear giggling off in the distance but he couldn't wake himself enough to comprehend what was going on around him. Soon he was hit with the smell of pumpkin pie, potatoes, and turkey. Dinner was getting close to being done, he woke when a loud bang came from the hallway. Getting up quickly he ran to the hall to see his three grandchildren surrounded by toys. The bottom of their toy box had come undone.

"What are you kids doing with your toy box?" Oliver asked giving them a fake stern look with his hands placed on his hips. Sammy who had just learned to crawl was pushing all the toys around making car noises.

"Bubbeh we were taken these to the kitchen." Ella Perl said pulling the front of her dress up out of nervousness.

"Well, momma, nonna, and nonnie don't need you three under their feet while they cook. Come on kiddos let's go find a storage tub and let's pick this all up." Oliver picked up Sammy and the girls followed him upstairs to the attic.

The infamies sound of the dinner bell rang. Everyone in the house knew what that bell meant. Even little baby Sammy's face lite up. As the four of them walking into the dining room as everyone was sitting down at the table. Elio looked up at Oliver and quickly stifle his laughter.

"What?" Oliver asked. Chris looked at his dad who was behind him.

"Uh, pops you got a little something on your face." Chris laughed.

"Where?" he asked as he turned to the mirror behind him. Oliver's mouth dropped open in horror when he saw all of the colored markers on his face. He had hearts, rainbows, stars and on his cheeks were the names Ella and Mini. He turned to the girls who had their hands over their mouths giggling.

"Girls did you draw on bubbeh's face while I was asleep?" he asked pointing to his face.

"Ella started it, but I swear bubbeh it comes off. Daddy only lets me have the washable markers." Mini said pointing to David.

"It's true Oliver it will come off. But all those colors suit you, you should keep them on." David laughed.

"I swear this is why I'm going gray so quick." walking to the kitchen.

"Oh, dad you're being dramatic!" Jona called after him.

"Girls you should apologize to your bubbeh," Chris said to them giving them a stern look. They slid off their chairs and walked slowly to the kitchen. Oliver was scrubbing his face, they walked up behind him holding hands.

"Bubbeh?" Ella Perl said softly. Oliver turned to see them looking up at him with their big blue eyes, Ella Perl had her bottom lip stuck out.

"Yes?"

"We are sorry for drawing on your face. Are you mad at us?" Mini asked giving Oliver the same pouting face. He bent down to the two children and cupped both of their faces in his hands.

"I could never be mad at you two but in the future let's use our markers on paper instead of bubbeh's face, ok?" Oliver grabs them both up and playfully kisses them.

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By summer of the following year, the Alder-Perlman clan had grown once more this time by two. The kids & dogs played in the sprinkler in the backyard while Elio and Oliver sat under the tree enjoying their new grandbabies. Oliver held Remi while Elio held Lottie, both so tiny. They were like night and day Remi was a little bigger than his sister as he was very quiet and she made enough noise for the both of them. The house was full today like most days, Chris, David, and Mini had moved three houses down. Jona, Lea and their brewed of kids now lived in C now but they dropped the kids off every day before school and work. They had become those grandparents, the house had toys strung from one end to the other. The only place toys were not allowed was in the living room or the study.