Chapter Text
The Monday after, I went for my usual jog and showered after. I dressed and went downstairs for breakfast. I greeted my mother good morning. I thought I would just be as civil as possible. She sat at the head of the table where my father used to sit. She had some tea and was reading her iPad.
“So your hand is back to normal?” she asked me as I sat down and poured me some orange juice.
“Yup,” I said holding it up and flexing it.
“Good to hear,” she said with a smile. It’s as if I had had an unfortunate accident. I just smiled and didn’t say anything else. “Will you and Elio be coming to the stables at 10?” She asked.
“No, actually I’m taking Elio to a museum today,” I said with a small smile.
“Oh that’s good. I know your father wanted you to take him to several,” she said. I looked at her. “That’ll be wonderful. Do you think you’ll be back before dinner? If not I’ll let Rose know she can leave after lunch,” she said.
“What about you? You need dinner,” I said.
“I’ll be fine,” she said smiling.
“Yeah, I think we’ll stay in LA for dinner,” I said. “That way he can take his time looking around.”
She nodded. Elio walked through the French doors.
“Hey,” Elio said. “Good morning.”
“Good morning, Elio, hope you slept well,” my mother said glancing up at him.
“I did, thank you,” Elio said to her with a charming smile.
We had pleasant and polite conversation while we ate. Once we were finished I was surprised when my mother looked at me with a smile and said, “So, have you told Elio of your plans today?”
Elio looked up. “What? What are we doing?”
“I thought I would take you to a museum today,” I said smiling.
“Which one?” He asked excitedly.
“It’s a surprise,” I said laughing.
“Ok, I need to go get ready!” He said and had jumped up from the glass table and had run inside.
My mother smiled. “He’s such a sweet kid. So likable,” she said with a smile and patted my left hand.
I looked at her and smiled. “Wanna talk?” I asked. I was feeling hopeful that maybe we could talk to each other.
“Sweetie, Everything is fine!” She said smiling.
“It’s not a sign of weakness if everything is not,” I said. Her smile faltered a bit. “Do you still love dad?” I asked.
“I will always love your father,” she said smiling. I believed her.
“Mom, you can talk to me -“
“Enough!” she said forcefully. “There is no need for me to be discussing any of this with you,” she said. The words stung.
“Ok!” Elio came through the French doors, huge smiled on his face.
“Have fun you two!” She said cheerfully as if nothing was wrong. She went back to her tea and iPad. I pushed the conversation I had just had with her away from my thoughts. As I got up and walked inside the house. I didn’t want to be angry.
Instead, I looked at Elio. He had a gray v neck tee shirt, his Star of David visible. He also had this long leather strip that had the shark tooth hanging from it that he had gotten at the Mission on the Fourth. He had black jeans on and red Doc Martens, the top holes left undone. He looked cool and casual and amazing. His dark curls framing his gorgeous face.
He held his phone up at the entrance hall, “Come here, Oliver!” He said, I put my glasses on quickly. He took a selfie of us. We walked out the front door, he was looking at the photo. “God, you always look so fucking sexy,” he whispered to me as we walked towards the garage.
I shook my head and laughed. “Send me that picture,” I said.
He looked at my shirt. It was a black button up with big red flowers on it. I had black pants on and dark red slip on shoes. I saw him throw his ever preset backpack in the backseat. “I like how that looks on you,” he said.
“Thank you,” I said as I opened up the passenger door for him and swept my hand in towards the car.
He laughed, and got in. “Shouldn’t it be me opening door for you, My King?” He asked me.
I smiled and walked around to the driver’s seat. “I can pamper My Knight whenever I please,” I said smiling at him and slipping my sunglasses on.
He smiled at me. “You need to tell me where we’re going,” he said putting on his seatbelt and sliding on his sunglasses.
“It’s a surprise,” I said, getting in and turning my car on. I started backing out.
“But I can google the museum and see what I NEED to see,” he said.
We drove past the gate and down the driveway. “If you don’t get to see what you want to see, I will take you back as many times as you desire,” I said smiling.
He sighed and leaned his head back in frustration. I laughed. He was so adorable.
I decided to take the PCH because I knew he liked to look out at the ocean. We drove all the way down it until we reached Santa Monica. “That’s another pier we have to come to,” I said. I turned left on Wilshire. As much as I hated LA traffic I never minded driving up Wilshire.
We drove up and I saw him lift his sunglasses up on his hair and look around. We hadn’t been in LA since I had picked him up at LAX. It was only about five miles up and then we reached the intersection with Westwood.
“Here we are,” I said with a smile. Elio looked at me confused. I turned left and passed the very first high rise. He finally noticed the building next to it with a sign that said HAMMER hanging on the side.
“The Hammer Museum!” He said. I turned into the parking lot. We parked and got out. He put on his backpack and rubbed his hands together as we started making our way inside. He hung his sunglasses on his shirt. It made me so happy to see him this happy.
“There is a Monet here, View of Bordighera,” he said smiling. I nodded. “He painted it in 1884. You know Monet went for what was supposed to be a three week working stay to Italy that turned into a three month stay,” he said smiling.
I smiled at him as we walked inside. I felt so happy. He was very excited and he started looking around at some of the exhibitions.
He stopped and took a small sketchbook out of his backpack. I looked at him in surprise. I suddenly remembered all the art students I’d see that would go and sketch at museums.
“Elio, if you tell me you draw on top of being a literary and musical genius, I’m going to fucking drop dead right now in this museum,” I said.
“Ha ha,” he laughed his gorgeous laugh. “No,” he said, “well, I mean I’m no artist, but I’ll sometimes sketch and take notes and...” he blushed. He looked down at the ground and swayed side to side. “It’s a thing I do,” he said quietly. I smiled and wrapped my arm around his neck and gave him a squeeze. I led him forward. He couldn’t be more perfect.
We finally made it to a beautiful room with wooden floors and gray walls. I had been here several times. I looked at him as he looked at all the art. He and I walked to the Monet first, I knew he wanted to see it. I stood beside him as we took it in. This felt really good. I slipped my fingers in between his. He looked at me and smiled. I felt so complete. I looked back at the painting. I looked at the blue of the water and lighter blue sky with pink hues. The town in the distance with orange roof tops, the trees. It was a beautiful sight.
“When, ah... well when and if you ever come to Italy,” Elio said looking up at me and squeezing my hand, “I’ll take you there,” he said softly.
“I would love that,” I said. When and if. I knew we still had months together here but I’d be lying if I hadn’t thought about what would happen when his time would come to go. I knew what I wanted.
He started sketching on his sketchbook and scribbling notes. I smiled. He put his sketchbook down and looked at the painting further. Once he was done, he let me know. I smiled.
Next we moved to a Van Gogh, Hospital at Saint-Remy. “He painted this while he was at the hospital,” Elio said. “He admitted himself and stayed for a year, from May 1889 to May 1890.” I nodded as I looked at the painting. “I love how the sky goes from that dark blue to that green,” Elio said. I looked at the painting and agreed.
He picked up his sketch book and I watched his beautiful fingers as he sketched a tree like the ones in the painting and scribbled something for himself. I didn’t know what I was loving more, the art, or Elio. Probably Elio. He put his sketchbook down and crossed his hands in front of him and stared at the painting in silence. I didn’t disturb him. I stood beside him and let him take it in. “Ok, I’m ready,” he said smiling up at me.
“Next I would like for us to look at the Rembrandt,” I said. He smiled and we slowly walked and stood in front of the portrait.
“Juno,” Elio said, “the wife of Jupiter, King of the Gods,” he said smiling. “He painted this sometime between 1662 and 1665.”
I looked at it, “it’s like she’s right here,” I said. I truly enjoyed this painting. “She looks very alive.”
“Yes,” He whispered, almost as if he didn’t want to disturb her. “In a letter Rembrandt said with his painting he wanted to achieve the greatest and most natural of movement,” Elio said softly. He took out his sketch book and started scribbling his notes. I smiled as I watched him. His dark curls falling forward, I absentmindedly swept one behind his left ear.
He looked at me and gave me a small smile. Once he was done with his sketchbook and again crossed his hands in front of him. He stood a long while and stared at the portrait. It was so peaceful being here with him. I loved how he treated the art like another person in the room. “Ok,” he said nodding.
“Ok,” I said, “Now, time for my personal favorite masterpiece here,” I said.
“Favorite?” He asked. I nodded. “I’m super excited,” he said as I steered him to the right and led him King David by Gustave Moreau.
“Wow,” Elio said. I watched his face as he took the painting in. He crossed his left arm across his body. He lifted his right hand, while holding his carbon sketch pencil, and started massaging his Adam’s apple. I loved how he did that. It was always a good indicator of how much he like what he was looking at.
“I know,” I whispered. “This was painted in 1878.” I smiled and kept looking at him.
“This is beautiful. He has his own museum in Paris,” Elio whispered. “He was greatly inspired by Italian Renaissance painters like Da Vinci and Michelangelo.”
I finally tore my eyes away from him and looked at the painting in wonder. “I never get tired of viewing this,” I said. “It’s so impressive.”
“Look at the golden armor on the angel,” he said, “it’s like you can see the sun reflecting off it,” he said, sounding slightly breathless.
I looked at him and smiled. This piece of art always made me feel something. It was great to see he felt moved too. He lifted his sketch book up and knelt down in front of the painting. I saw he did a pretty decent sketch of the angel. I shook my head and laughed softly.
“You can draw, why do you always downplay all your talents?” I said to him.
He looked up at me and chuckled. “Sketching and this,” he motioned to the art in front of him, “Are two extremely different things!”
I smiled and shook my head. He sketched the angel and then he scribble some notes around it. He stood up and then looked at the painting. He took his time and looked it over. Finally he said, “Ok, I’m ready to move on.”
We walked around the museum more, Elio with his sketch book, sketching and scribbling notes. It was the best thing ever. I had a wonderful time and I noticed more than once how people passing, both men and woman, would stop and look at him as he sketched and scribbled in his sketchbook.
We went to the gift shop afterwards. While he was looking around I texted Christina the picture of us he had taken. “Us earlier today on the way to the Hammer Museum” I wrote and sent it. It would be the first time she would see a picture of him. I put my phone away. I, of course grabbed a couple of post cards. He picked up a book on art essays and a pair of socks with art on them. I laughed when he showed them to me.
When we were done we went across the street to a beautiful restaurant called Skylight Gardens. I was looking forward to taking him there. I knew he would like it. We were seated in the second floor over looking the atrium. We decided to order a couple of things and shared them. I told Elio to order, when the time came. I loved hearing his Italian as he placed our order with the waiter.
“And I thought your French was fantastic,” I said to him with a smile. “You sounds just as sexy speaking Italian.”
He smiled at me, leaned forward and said “Remind me to do more French and Italian when we’re in bed,” he said with a wink.
Dinner was wonderful. But then, everything I did with him was wonderful. We chatted and laughed. I could tell he was in a wonderful mood. When the time came we decided to share a dessert.
“So, I asked my mother about my father this morning and she told me she still loved him, but when I tried to dig deeper she just shut me down completely,” I told Elio as we shared a creme brûlée.
He furrowed his brow and shook his head. “Who knows what’s going on,” he said with a shrug, studying me. I knew he worried about how this was affecting me, but with him here I felt ok. My normal response would have been to flee. Maybe sticking around and trying to talk to my parents about this was a hidden plus to having Elio around. Being with him just made me be so much more present with my feelings.
Once we had finished I reached across the table and held his hand. I smiled at him. While we ate dinner and talked he moved his hands around a lot. Now that we were relaxing he had finally sat his hand down on the table and I was able to hold it. He smiled at me and squeezed my hand back.
It was almost sunset when we exited the restaurant. I asked him if he wanted to catch the sunset by the ocean. He nodded. I drove down close to the pier and parked. We got out and strolled along the high palm trees along Ocean Avenue. We leaned against the fence and looked out at the setting sun. We stood by side by side in a comfortable silence.
We looked at each other and he bumped my shoulder with his, giving me his sweet smile. I watched as the oranges and purples of the sunset cast a beautiful hue on his skin. I looked back out at the ocean and watched the sunset.
Once the sun was set we strolled back to the car. I felt my phone vibrate as I was walking to my car door. I pulled it out.
“Oliver! He’s dreamy and gorgeous! You guys look so good together!” A huge smile spread across my face as I slid my phone back in my pocket.
He looked at me, “What?” He asked.
“Nothing,” I said as we got into the car.
“Today was awesome, thank you,” Elio said as he took my right hand and held it as we drove back.
“You’re welcome,” I said smiling at him.
When we finally arrived home, we walked through the front doors. There was noise coming from the kitchen. Elio and I looked at one another.
“Elio! Oliver! Come in here!” We heard my mother call.
We walked down the hallway and walked into the kitchen. My mother was in the sitting area. She had a glass of wine in her hand and the tv on.
“Come, have a seat with me, I’m about to watch a movie,” she said. We looked at one another and sat on either side of her.
“Oliver, get a couple of glasses,” she instructed me. I was surprised but got up and got a couple of wine glasses. “Have some wine, Elio,” she said. “You’re European. You guys drink wine young don’t you?”
“We do,” he said smiling. I picked up the bottle from the coffee table. It seemed my mother had already drunk almost half. I poured Elio some and handed him the glass. I poured myself some.
“It’s from a local Santa Barbara winery,” my mother told Elio.
I sat back down beside her. “What are you going to watch?” I asked her.
“Love Story,” she said. “I love this movie.” She gasped and looked at me, “Oliver, I never told you! I named you Oliver because of this movie!”
I looked at her surprised. “Really?” I asked her chuckling.
“Yes!” She said. I loved this movie as a teen and you know, Oliver isn’t like Michael or Brian, I figured you’d always be the only Oliver around. I fell in love with the name with this movie.”
“That’s really nice,” Elio said, huge smile on his face.
“Isn’t it?” She asked. She started the movie.
We started watching the movie. I was actually drawn in. I had to keep from looking at Elio when it turned out that Oliver’s love interest was a piano player and she wanted to study in Paris.
“That’s really shitty!” I said when the father cut off Oliver when he said he wanted to marry Jenny.
“Shh!” My mother said. We continued watching.
I stayed silent through the rest, sipping my wine. It was pretty sad after. I heard my mother sniffling when Jenny died and I saw Elio patting her arm. He was so sweet.
Once the movie was over. My mother sighed. “I love that line, love means never having to say you’re sorry.”
“It’s a lovely line,” Elio said.
“Isn’t it?” My mother said. We all got up and she took the bottle and her glass. “Good night boys!” She said and walked out of the kitchen.
Elio and I looked at each other. “Well, my mind is slightly blown right now,” Elio said.
I laughed. I picked up the glasses and took them to the sink to wash them. We then walked upstairs to our rooms.
I was getting undressed when Elio walked in and locked my bedroom door.
He got on my bed and watched me as I undressed and put on some lounge pants. “Did you like the movie though?” He asked me.
“It wasn’t that bad,” I said shrugging. “Did you?”
“It was interesting. Oliver from a rich family falling in love with piano playing Jenny from the wrong side of the tracks,” he said chuckling. I laughed and sat down on the bed. “It was sweet that Oliver got disowned because he would rather be with Jenny though,” he said.
“Oliver had to do what Oliver had to do,” I said with a smile.
Elio smiled at me. “Can I sleep in your room tonight?” He asked me softly. I nodded.
He got up and went and got his pillows. He got on my bed and crawled under the covers. I turned off the lights and got in bed with him. We whispered a bit and then I saw he started yawning. I pulled him close to me and held him. I fell sleep very soon after.