The Amazing Technicolor Love

Trouble in Paradise #21

Peyton's POV

"Mom?" I asked in shock as Jack opened the front door. My mom was standing in the doorway, suitcase in toe. "W-what are you doing here?" I questioned her. Her face softened when she saw me, she looked as if she was about to cry. "Oh Peyton, baby, I've missed you." She dropped her black suitcase and flung her arms around me, pulling me close against her. The familiar scent of my mom engulfed me. My arms were still dangling at my sides but when I felt her arms embrace, I tightly wrapped my arms around her. Her scent took me back to my childhood, when I would miss my dad or have a bad day at school, she would hold me in her arms and rock me back and forth. The smell of my mom felt like home. We stayed like that for a while until my mom eventually pulled away. She kept her arms around me but leaned back to look at my face. A single tear fell down her cheek. "I've missed those pretty blue eyes of yours," she said quietly while studying my face, as if she was seeing me for the first time. I felt tears spring to my eyes after looking back at my mom for a moment, a smile barely passing my lips. "I've missed you too, Mom." I whispered. She leaned in and kissed my forehead before turning to Jack. "Come here, sweetheart," she said to him while opening her arms. He smiled at her and leaned in to give her a hug. My mom held onto him for a while and when she pulled away, she looked at him lovingly, "Thanks for the call, honey." He nodded and smiled. I glanced at Jack, confusion on my face. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked at him but he just turned around and walked back to the living room where Sam and Johnson were still sitting. "Well, us boys are going to go pick up some groceries for tonight. We'll be back later," Jack said, motioning for Sam and Johnson to follow him. They looked confused but quickly followed Jack's gesture. Before I knew it, the boys were clothed and leaving the house, leaning just my mom and me in the living room.

Jack's POV

"Thanks for getting out of the house with me guys," I said to Johnson and Sam as we drove in my Jeep to the store. "Nah dude it's no problem. I hope Peyton and Mrs. Logan work things out, I hate seeing Peyton sad." Sammy told me. I smiled, it was nice knowing my friends cared so much about Peyton. "Hey Johnson, could you call Grace off my phone and put it on speaker?" I asked Johnson. He nodded and grabbed my phone. Grace answered on the third ring. "Hello?" "Hey Gracie, it's Jack." I heard her smile. "Jack! Hey! Merry Christmas! How are things with Peyton and Mandy?" It took me a minute, I wasn't used to Mrs. Logan being referred to by her first name. "I hope they're going okay, we just left to give them some privacy. But I just wanted to thank you, you know for helping me coordinate this and everything. I really appreciate it." I told her. "Oh Jack, you don't have to thank me, I want them to be normal again just as much as you. Let's hope it works." I nodded. "Yeah, I sure hope so. Well, hey have a good Christmas and I'll talk to you later." I began to say goodbye but then Sam jumped in. "Hey Gracie, merry Christmas," he smirked. Grace giggled on the other line. "Merry Christmas, Sammy," Johnson and I rolled our eyes at Sam's constant need for flirting. "I'll talk to you later," Sam said before I hung up the phone. "Is there a girl whose pants you don't want to get in?" Johnson joked with Sam. We all laughed and then climbed out of the car to get some groceries for Christmas dinner.

Peyton's POV

My mom cleared her throat to fill the silence. "This is a very nice apartment," she said while looking around. I nodded and looked around at the place. I watched as my mom walked around, taking in the view and the rooms. Eventually, she turned around and faced me. "Pey, sweetie, let's talk." She said while motioning to the couch. I reluctantly followed and sat down. As happy as I was to see my mom, I couldn't help but still be angry at her. "What is there to say?" I asked bitterly. My mom sighed. "That I messed up. It doesn't mean I agree with you doing things against what I said, but it does mean I admit I'm sorry for not giving you permission in the first place." I faced my mom, shocked at what she said. She fumbled with her hands in her lap. She didn't look at me, rather she kept her head down. "Peyton, it's been hard raising you and Ryan on my own and sometimes I don't know what the right thing to do is. I'm just blindly going at this whole 'raising kids thing.' It's just me, I don't have your dad to bounce ideas off of and figure out what he thinks is best. I never meant for something I did to make you so angry with me that we would stop talking. Not talking to you these past few months have been terrible, I already lost your dad, I can't lose you..." My mom trailed off as her voice cracked with tears. "Mom," I said quietly while scooting next to her and wrapping my arm around her. "Shh, it's okay. I forgive you." I said gently while my mom cried. Seeing my mom break down about my dad made my heart physically break. I couldn't believe I had ignored her and caused her more pain when she had dealt with enough pain for a lifetime. I was so thankful for the way she raised me and Ryan. She was the best mother, even if she was alone. After a few minutes of sitting with each other, my mom stopped crying and looked at me. "How did you get to be so independent and strong?" She asked me, her eyes sparkling from her tears. "I got it from my momma." I smiled at her. She laughed and brushed my hair behind my ear. "I'm sorry Mom, for everything, I'm so thankful for you and everything you've done for me-" I began but my mom cut me off. "It's okay Peyton, you've never failed to show me your appreciation and I love you for that." I smiled. "I love you too, Mom. And by the way, merry Christmas."