Two Weeks of Freaking Out About You

What is Love?

16

Two Years Ago

Piper

I lay in my mother's bedroom and wait on her to come out of the bathroom—the room is beautiful with art on the wall, the light blue color scheme is perfect, hand-painted by someone who knew what they were doing. Of course, mom had to have nothing lesser than the best—she changes everything each season minus the huge flat-screen TV that is mounted on the wall. Sam's idea. I grab the remote and flip through the channels—it's usually on food network which is funny because Sam begged for a TV to be in this room but it's rarely on something she wants to watch. I snort. Whipped. Finally, the door opens and mom exits the bathroom and a wave of mist follows her from the steamy shower.

There is always a routine she follows after bathing—she lathers her entire body, combs her damped hair, and applies some expensive stuff to her face.

"Mom." I call and then pause. "How did you know you loved, Sam?"

She pauses and then turns around and stares at me in confusion. "I just knew." She replies and I roll my eyes because that wasn't the answer I was looking for. "Do you think you love this Jacob boy?" She narrows her eyes and pause. "It's too soon for you to know, honey. I'm sure you'll be loving someone else soon enough—"

"Miranda." Sam chastises as she walks into the room. She plops down onto the bed playfully next to me with a huge smile and shining eyes. "Your mother fell in love with me at first sight—" Sam playfully jokes and mom roll her eyes before turning back towards her vanity mirror and applying her face cream. "—seriously, in the beginning, your mom and I showed our love for each other in." Sam blushes and clears her throat. "Um in a more aggressive manner. Did I ever tell you she shot me in the chest several times with a paint-ball gun instead of telling me how she feels?"

I furrow my eyebrows confused. "So, I should shoot who I love with a paint-ball—"

"Yes." Mom smirks devilishly.

"—no." Sam shouts and then narrows her eyes at mom who was currently trying to hide her wicked expression. "I'm just telling our story, sweetheart. It's way more complicated than your average romantic comedy."

"It's definitely a romantic comedy." Mom argues before turning around and standing. Sam looks at her oddly. Mom chooses to sit on the bed close to me and she runs her fingers through my hair. "When I met your mom the first thing I noticed was the hideous rags that were on her back, her bashful attitude towards me and Nathalie, and her over-bearing mother who always seem to want to hug me—"

"—wow." Sam mutters while rolling her eyes. "I'm telling my mother on you."

"However—" My mom ignores Sam who is currently pulling out her cellphone. "—it was the challenge, the passion, the love, and most of all the loyalty that made me fall in love for the very first time. I didn't know how to handle it—blame your grandparents but I wasn't accustomed to someone loving me for me—everyone wanted to change me. Make me kinder, softer, a housewife but not Sam. She loved me for me. And sure, our story is complicated and one day I will tell you everything but just understand that love is not easy, Piper. You're young and beautiful. It's okay to explore and figure out the things you like and dislike before committing yourself to someone—"

'—but it's also okay to love." Sam smiles.

Mom rolls her eyes but she leans her head onto Sam's shoulder. "Do you think you're in love?" She finally gains the courage to ask.

"No." I answer bluntly—I can see my mom sighing gratefully at my answer. "The two of you been fighting a lot lately." I start and play around with my fingers. "But everything looks okay now. I guess I don't understand how you can love someone so much but still fight."