Synching With the Devil's Son

Chapter 127

Lucien's P.O.V.

I laugh at the expression on Bella's face when I ask her to get a pregnancy test for my Mom too. I don't want to tell Bella this, but I've prayed she is pregnant so we have an excuse to get married. I know she is young and worries about being able to go to college, but I also know I will support her every step of the way. I want a big family. I know what it's like to be an only child, and I wouldn't wish that upon anybody, especially since we are immortal. I need to speak to her again about my Grandfather's offer...if she's immortal, then being kidnapped or tortured will never be a concern again, and it would probably make her pregnancy and delivery a lot easier.

I tell her I'll meet her at my house so we can pick up JoJo and my mother. She agrees and gets into her car, heading to CVS. When I get home, I come in through the front door and find my dog sitting with my Dad on the couch. "What's going on here?" I ask, a bit sarcastically. The very last thing my father would let me get as a kid was a pet. I didn't care what kind it was, I just wanted something that was mine and I would be responsible for. A fish would have worked, but I always wanted a dog. As I got older, Dad didn't want the responsibility of taking care of something when I went to cover for him in Hell, and then when my mother died, it became a non-issue. Now I find JoJo with her head in his lap as he absently strokes her head. He looks up at me with a sheepish grin. "Perhaps I was a bit too obstinate when it came to allowing animals in the house, I actually like having JoJo around," he admits.

When she hears her name, JoJo lifts her head and looks at my Dad with affection, thumping her tail against the couch cushions. "You're shitting me, right? All those years of begging to share our lives with an animal and now the first one that happens along, suddenly you're in love?"

"Guess so," he says unapologetically. My mother comes sauntering into the room with a plate of crackers, meats, cheeses, fruits, nuts and honey. She places it on the table and turns to me.

"How was your examination Lucien?"

"You can call it a test or just an exam, Mom, you don't need to be so formal, and it was easy," I tell her, indicating with a raised eyebrow my father on the couch with a dog.

My mother looks fondly at JoJo. "Isn't she just the sweetest?" she coos, walking over to the dog to scratch her behind the ears.

"Yeah," I say, shaking my head. "Bella will be here soon to take us to her family's feed store. She wants you to meet her father and brother," I tell my Mom.

"I'm ready," she smiles at me, turning to my father. "Bella called this a charcuterie board, I put some of your favorites on it. We will be home right after we get JoJo set up, right?" she asks, turning to me.

"I'll be sure to bring you guys home, but I want to stay at Bella's house tonight. Her father may not like that though, so we might come back here."

"If he needs convincing, call me," my father says, and my mother slaps him on the shoulder discreetly, but I got the message loud and clear and head to my room to pack an overnight bag.

Bella rings the doorbell a few minutes later, and when my mother answers, I can hear the gentle cadence of her voice. I stand there for a moment, reveling in the lilt and timber of it. I bet she has a lovely singing voice. When I walk down the stairs, I see the bag she's carrying and take it from her. She looks at me thankfully, and I head into the family room to get my dog and give my father the pregnancy test. He looks at it, shakes his head and sighs heavily, thanking me. "Hey," I tell him softly, "you were wrong about having a pet...you are wrong about this too. I wouldn't mind being a big brother."

He stares at me for a moment, then smiles slightly. "Tell Garrett I said hello," he says, turning back to his book.

I collect my dog and meet the ladies outside by Bella's car. "I just realized I should probably drive since I will need to take my Mom and JoJo home afterward," I tell Bella. She agrees, and we all pile into our big SUV and head to her family's store.

My Mom is in awe at the things she sees at Parker's Pet and Feed. "Watering dishes for chickens? I didn't realize there was a need for such a thing," she whispers to me conspiratorially.

I smile at her. "People keep chickens as pets these days," I tell her.

"What ever for?" she wonders and I laugh.

"Beats me, I guess they like fresh eggs."

Bella helps me collect the things JoJo is going to need - a collar, a longer leash, toys, treats and food. I have to special order a bed because the fabric my Mom picked out is unavailable...pink dog paws with a subtle white and grey swirled background. Bella tries to give me a friends and family discount, but I wave her away and hand her a wad of cash. "Lucien," she squeals, looking at all the money I handed her.

"Consider it a donation," I tell her. She shakes her head and goes to find her father, returning a moment later with him in tow.

"Dad, I'd like you to meet Lucien's mother, Catherine. Kate, this is my father, Garrett." Bella says, making introductions.

"It's a pleasure Catherine," her father says, shaking my mother's hand. "Your son is a great kid, you've raised him right." I see my mother beam at Garrett.

"Hey Lucien," Chris says, coming in from unloading the hay delivery. He's got straw all over him, and Bella starts plucking it off him.

"Hey," I say in greeting. "This is my Mom, Catherine. This is Chris, Bella's brother," I tell her.

"Such a handsome young man!" my Mom coos at Chris, grabbing him into a warm embrace. Chris looks startled at first, then gives in and closes his eyes as my Mom hugs him. There is something special about a mother's embrace and it get's me thinking again about the possibly of Bella being pregnant. How I hope it's true.

"And THIS," Bella says dramatically, "is the Amon's newest family member, JoJo."

Both Chris and her father introduce themselves to JoJo who licks and whines at them. "Got yourself a coonhound," Garrett says to me. "Great dogs, where'd you get her?"

"Found her off State Route 321, she was pretty hungry so I fed her and she followed me home," I tell them, sticking to the truth as much as I can.

"You should put in an add to the newspaper advertising you found this dog. She could be somebody's pet already," Chris tells me. I nod my head in agreement, but I'm not going to waste my time because nobody is going to call about her. She's not lost, her previous owners are now simmering in Hell.

"Hey Dad," Bella says, interrupting my pleasant reverie, "Lucien is going to take JoJo and his Mom home, then come back here to help me study for my math finial tomorrow, okay?"

When Garrett nods, I turn to Bella and say, "I will be back in about thirty minutes, okay?" She nods at me, the excitement in her eyes spurring me to gather JoJo and my mother so I can return as soon as possible..