Synching With the Devil's Son

Chapter 134

Bella's P.O.V.

It's been two days since Lucien left with his Uncle. Our graduation ceremony is tonight, but I doubt he's going to make it since I haven't heard from him. I don't know how many graduations he's actually had the opportunity to attend. He told me he's been to college, and I assume Pigeon Forge isn't his first High School, but it would have been nice to see him receive his diploma, even if it would have been his twelfth one. He looks like he is around eeighteen, but he's over four hundred years old. Why did his father enroll him in High School and not college? I'm going to have to ask him the next time I see him.

My friends and I make plans to head to Daniel and Scarlet's new house after our ceremony. For a graduation present, their parents helped them put a down payment on a small ranch house ten miles from the high school, so we are going over to christen the place. Daniel got a job as a long hauler with a trucking company, and Scarlett works in customer service at her father's auto body shop, filling orders and answering phones. Mick and Jeff plan on going to Walter's State Community College in Sevierville to get their associates degree, but I'm not sure if either of them have plans to further their education after that. Liz works at Dollyworld as a VIP tour guide and sometimes gets to dress up as a character. She doesn't have much aspiration to do more with her life, and seems perfectly content living in Pigeon Forge. Harmony is going to work in the school district as a teacher's aide until she decides if she wants to pursue a career in education. I know Ryan is staying to help run his parents' grocery stores, and Trish will be with him every step of the way while she continues to work at Parker's Pet and Feed Store. Everyone has some semblance of a plan, and we remark on how unbelievable it is that High School is over already.

The graduation ceremony is short, sweet and to the point. Lucien's name is called immediately after Francis Aguirrre's name, but, of course, he's not there to accept his diploma. I wonder how he's faring. I hope his Grandfather doesn't smite him for killing those horrible men....He wouldn't do that, would He? He has to know Lucien is a much better man than those miscreants. I sigh because I'm really starting to miss him. I try to keep my spirits up and laugh along side my lifelong friends. They all ask where Lucien is, but once I tell them he had to leave for a few days, nobody probed any deeper. It makes me warm inside knowing my presence is all my friends require, so I give my full attention to them when we're together. Daniel and Scarlet's home is cute. It's a small two bedroom two bath home with newer carpeting and recessed lighting throughout. The kitchen and bathrooms need work, but Daniel seems pretty excited to do the work himself, and Scarlet continually gushes about how handy he is. The house is nothing like the one Lucien put an offer on. I wonder what happens to his offer when he doesn't answer the realtors calls. It's just a passing thought since I know there are many other houses to choose from, and I'm assuming there is no cell reception in Heaven. At this point, all I want is for him to come home. His absence has left a large hole in my life that sort of sucks all the joy out of me.

I fill my days helping my Dad at home and at the store. He asks about Lucien the most - where is he, when is he coming home? Did we have a fight? Is everything all right between us? My platitudes and assurances sound stale even to me, and I need to ask Lucien's parents if I can tell my Dad what's going on. When I receive the special order dog bed Lucien placed for JoJo, I put it in my car to bring to the Amon's after work, using it as an excuse to go talk to them. When I knock on their door, Kate answers and looks immediately around for Lucien. "Hi!" I say effusively. "I am the bearer of great gifts...here is the bed for JoJo that Lucien ordered," I tell her with a flourish, revealing the cute paw print fabric covering the large round bed.

Kate nods slightly and smiles at me, still looking for her son. "Please come in Bella," she says to me, opening the front door wider. When I walk in, I see Lucien's father pacing in their family room. He turns when he hears me and furrows his brows when he notices Lucien is not with me.