All the Missing Pieces (UNDER REVISION)

Twenty Two

              The trip home hardly takes as long as the trip there. We end up driving to Richmond, spending the night in another motel, and promptly returning to sweet home Philly the next morning. James isn't sure he's ready to go home yet, so after dropping Marina and Emily off, I drive him back to my house. It's amazing to me that all James brought on his great adventure was a Suitcase and a canvas bag full of art supplies, but I help him bring them up the stairs before I get my own stuff out of the car. As soon as I ring the doorbell, my parents answer. Of course I kept them updated on the whole ride home, I even let them know when we were back in Philly, but the both tackle me and James the second they see us. "Oh, díos mio, mijo. I have never been so scared in my entire life." My mom says. I smile and return her hug. She then ditches me and hugs James. "And you, I'm glad you're safe. You scared me more than my idiot son." She says. "Hey!" I protest, but she doesn't apologize. My dad gives me an awkward latino dad hug, and welcomes me home but bring my suitcase into the house for me. "There's leftover pizza in the fridge. I'm sure Cassandra's around here somewhere." She then turns to the stairs and shouts, "Casey! Your brother's home! ¡Ven aquí por favor!" Casey scurries down the stairs, and gives me a hug before returning to her room. "She's happy you're here too." My mom says. "Yeah, I know."
"And James, sweetie, please stay as long as you need to. We have an extra bedroom down the hall. If you're not ready to go home, I understand, and we'd be more than happy to let you stay here," She turns to me, "In separate bedrooms."
"Seriously?" I ask, "That's a given that you did not have to state."
"Maybe I'd have let it slide if you didn't scare the living Christ out of me." She says. I roll my eyes.

              After an illustrious dinner consisting of pizza and coke, my mom suggests we watch a movie. James runs a hand through his wavy hair. "Sure," He replies. "I know exactly what we're watching."
"What?" James asks, "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." I say.
""Have you seen Ferris Bueller's Day Off, James" My dad asks. He shakes his head, no. "It's insane, right? This movie is a cinematic masterpiece." He smiles, "Let's watch it then," and we do. We asked Casey if she wanted to join, but apparently she has better things to do. My mom and dad take the couch, and James and I manage to squeeze into the unusually small loveseat. Our arms and legs are tangled into some kind of knot, a bundle of warmth. I laugh as Ferris forces Cameron to steal his dad's car. "Stop laughing you butt, it's uncomfortable." James turns over onto his stomach to look me in the eye, but he's smiling, the gentle light of the television reflecting in his eyes. I wrap my arms around him and pull him close to me. "Then make me," I say. "If you insist." He squirms towards my face and lays a hand to my cheek. Then he pecks me on the lips. I almost forget my parents are watching. I feel exposed, but in all the right ways, and I know he does too. My parents look at eachother, before my mom says, "In an hour I am going to check to make sure that you are in different rooms. If it weren't for the dark room, my face would be an agonizing shade of red. "Mom!"
"I'm just saying." She says, and she and my dad disappear. James and I move over to couch, because cuddling is significantly easier on a couch. Somehow we transition from watching the movie to making out. I don't know how to explain it, really. It's just right. Nothing could change my mind of that. James pulls away for a second, with the side of his nose resting against the side of mine. "Peyton?" He says. "Mmm," I reply "I think I'm in love with you." He pauses for a second before pressing the tip of his nose to the tip of mine. "I know I am." He mumbles. He's so close that I can feel the warmth of his breath on my mouth. So I kiss him again.

               The puzzles of our lives aren't so complicated after all. In the end, it doesn't matter what you do, or what you created. It doesn't matter who you impact or where you go. In the end, the only thing that really matters is love. Who do you love? How do you love them? Who loves you? Love is the finished result of our puzzle. It doesn't take a life time to figure it out; I know here in this little corner of the universe that I've figured that out. All you need is love, and you can't accomplish anything without it. And then, all the missing pieces fall into place.