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

Repaid

"I don't think she's ever going to forgive me." Marzia breathed into the phone, holding back her tears.

"Marzia don't say that she will come around. She's our daughter, she can't stay mad forever. Neither of us has hate in us." Elio reassured her.

"Yes but she's like your mother, very stubborn. I forget sometimes she shares more of your side of the families qualities"

"Ah, yeah which is a blessing but also a curse."

"I miss them, how are they?" Elio could hear Marzia sniffling.

"Aurora is doing amazing, she has picked up the piano. It's funny how Oliver has this strong connection with all of our grandchildren. I see a glimpse of him in them whether it be personality, sense of humor, or even just a look. And with Mini, I see so much of David in her but then there's me. I had no connections, I've been there for everything but I don't see myself in them. Same with the boys. But now that Valentina and Aurora are in my life daily, I feel at home, I see myself in them, always have. This morning I was lounging on the sofa reading and Aurora crawled up laid on me and read her book, she grabs my arm wrapping it around her. We have done that every morning for the last four months. And I know you miss them but I've done all I can Marz. I have talked to our daughter until I'm blue in the face but it is her decision to make not our, we made ours a long time ago."

"I know and I'm the one paying for it. We both made the decision and I'm the one paying the price, Elio." Her tone was sharp.

"My debt has already been paid, I spent thirty years not being able to raise my daughter. Not being able to claim her as my own, having to bite my tongue. Having my father hating me for our choice. Marzia I don't want to defend the situation right now. You and I have never had a cross word toward each other in our entire friendship and I don't want to start now. I've said everything I can say to her, I think it's your turn to speak to her. Make her listen to you, Marz. Listen I've got to go, Oliver needs me." He hung up the phone, it had become difficult to talk to Marzia. Their friendship had been tested to the max lately.

"Nonno?" Aurora said walking into the living room, he smiled at her. She was Elio from head to toe.

"Yes, my love."

"Bubbeh is cursing in his study, I think he got something stuck down in his caste again." She wrinkled her nose. Elio rolled his eyes, forcing himself to get up out of the ugly green chair.

"Alright let's go see when he got stuck down in there this time." They walked toward Oliver's study, Aurora giggled as she could hear Oliver swearing like a sailor. Elio poked his head into the study, he could see Oliver digging into the caste with a yardstick.

"What are you doing?" Elio questioned, Oliver looked at him deflating.

"Trying to get the damn pencil I lost down in there, goddamnit. This blasted thing makes my leg itch. I swear to fucking god when this thing comes off I'm going to break Khalil's leg so that he has to go through this torture." Oliver grumbled.

"Oh, you are being dramatic. Besides him hitting you with his car has led to some good. He and Valentina have been getting along perfectly. She really likes him, this is their seventh date in two weeks." Elio smiled.

"I know we'd do anything to make our children happy, but I don't think they meant this." Oliver started digging into his caste harder.

"Oh for christ sakes! When they take this thing off in a couple weeks they are going to find the entire contents of your desk in there." Elio took the yardstick away from him. "You need to prep for your interviews, if we are going to be doing some of these press tours for the movie then you need to be prepared." Elio walked out of the room taking the yardstick with him.