"How much does a ring like this usually sell for?" I ask.
"At least a million, I would say, if not more."
I feel my mouth gape open and Lucifer chuckles. Wow, I feel really bad now. I only spent a couple of thousand on Mason"s ring and thought that was expensive. He in turn bought me something that could finance a small country!
"I wish you hadn"t told me that. Now I"m going to be paranoid I might lose it."
"I wouldn"t worry about it too much," Lucifer tells me. "A million to Mason is like a hundred dollars to a regular person."
Lucifer sits silently. I get the feeling he"s run out of things to say but doesn"t seem to want to leave just yet.
"Would you like some coffee?" I ask.
He grins wickedly. "Are you inviting me inside your home?"
"Uh, no. I"m not stupid."
Lucifer laughs. "No, I suppose you"re not. Thank you for the offer but I should be leaving. I have plans for this evening."
"Dastardly plans?"
"Do I have any other type?"
"No," I say, resigned to the fact that Lucifer may never want to be saved from his own egomania, "I suppose not."
"I"ll see you later, Jessica. Congratulations on your engagement."
After Lucifer leaves, I go over to Mama Lynn"s to give Leah the good news about Remy. She"s ecstatic when I tell her.
"Do you think if I called to him now he would come?" She asks me.
"I don"t see why not. My dad comes almost immediately each time I"ve called for him."
"How do I do it? What exactly do I do?"
"Just close your eyes, picture his face and call out his angelic name."
Leah closes her eyes and says her dad"s name.
Remy appears instantly beside her.
It looks like Heaven has been good for Remy. I barely recognize him. His hair is cut, his beard and mustache are gone, the gla.s.ses are off and he actually looks rather handsome dressed in his grey slacks and white V-neck sweater.
Remy taps Leah on the shoulder. She opens her eyes and throws herself into his arms.
"Hey, baby girl," Remy says, hugging Leah tightly to him. "I sure did miss you."
I see Leah"s shoulders begin to shake and I know she"s crying. Mama Lynn, Faison and I walk into the kitchen to give them some time alone together.
I tell Mama Lynn and Faison about my time with my mother.
"My goodness," Mama Lynn says, holding a hand to her heart. "I can"t imagine having to make a choice like that. Only a true mother would do what"s best for her child no matter the cost to themselves."
Faison smiles at me. "At least you know now that she really does love you."
I nod but don"t say anything because if I do I know I"ll start to cry.
"So what happened to you and Mason last night? Where did you go?" Faison asks to lighten the mood. She may look like innocence itself with her question, but I have a sneaking suspicion she knows darn well what Mason and I were doing.
"Getting matches," I tell her.
The confused look on her face makes me want to laugh. I cover my mouth to prevent it.
"Oh my G.o.d!"
Faison grabs my left hand and stares dazed and amazed at the giant rock sitting on my ring finger.
"Is it real?" Mama Lynn asks, her eyes as large as saucers.
"As far as I know, it is," I answer.
Both Faison and Mama Lynn seem to be at a loss for words, an unusual state for either of them to be in.
"So have the two of you set a date?" Mama Lynn asks.
"No, we haven"t talked about the wedding yet. But I was thinking about asking my grandfather if we could have it in his home. I think it would make him feel more like a part of the family."
"I think that"s a wonderful idea," Mama Lynn says. "We really should have him over for dinner soon."
"Why don"t I call him now and give him your number so you guys can set a time for that?"
I call my grandfather and let him know about the engagement. He offers his home for the wedding without me even having to ask. I give him Mama Lynn"s phone number so she and he can arrange a time for him to come over for dinner. It"s one less thing for me to have to worry about.
A little after I get off the phone with my grandfather, Mason sends me a text.
Found Faust. He wants to ask you for a favor before he"ll hand over Balaam"s staff...
Why me? He doesn"t even know me. What"s the favor? And why didn"t you come get me before going to see him?
I"m not sure why he wants to speak to you. I don"t know what the favor is. And I thought I might be able to get the staff without disturbing your time with your dad.
I appreciate your thoughtfulness but next time take me with you. We"re a team. Please remember that.
Am I in trouble? A bad kind of trouble...not the good kind?
No, you"re not in trouble. I"ve spoken to my dad, G.o.d, Lucifer and my grandfather while you"ve been gone. And someone else I would like to tell you about in person....
You"ve been rather busy, Agent Riley.
On my way home from Mama Lynn"s. Meet you there.
When I get home, Mason is sitting on the steps to the porch. He watches me walk over to him and a slow happy smile spreads his lips. My heart aches at the sight of him and I feel proud that I"m the one who can make him feel such joy.
I sit down next to him, grab him and kiss the dog out of him. When I"m done, I let him breathe again.
"Not that I"m complaining, but what was that for? I thought I was in a bad kind of trouble not the good kind."
I loop an arm around one of his and snuggle in closer to his side. "I love you. Isn"t that reason enough?"
Mason smiles. "It"s all the reason I"ll ever need."
He kisses me tenderly on the temple. "Now, tell me what happened during all these conversations you had today."
"You can tell Joshua and Nick they can stop looking for my mother," I tell him.
"Why?"
I tell Mason about my visit with my mother. I cry a little but they are happy tears.
When I tell Mason about Lucifer"s crown, he looks troubled.
"G.o.d shouldn"t have placed that burden on you," Mason says. It"s the first time I"ve heard him say anything against something his father did.
"He must think I can handle it. From what He said, He thinks Lucifer will listen to me. Why would he listen to me? I don"t know because I don"t think Lucifer listens to anyone but himself."
"Which is exactly the reason my father shouldn"t have placed you in such an awkward and possibly dangerous position!"
"Listen," I say, trying to soothe Mason"s ire, "He wouldn"t have asked me to do it if He thought I would get hurt. I got the feeling He thinks I might have a good chance of persuading Lucifer to accept it."
"I still don"t like it," Mason grumbles. "I don"t like anything that places you in danger."
"Lucifer won"t hurt me."
"You keep saying that but how do you know he won"t? The Lucifer in the alternate Earth tried to kill you when he learned what you are. What makes you think our Lucifer won"t do the same thing?"
It was a good question. One I actually had an answer for.
"Because our Lucifer cares about me, Jess the human. The other one didn"t know me at all."
Mason sighs deeply and shakes his head, looking down at the ground. "Only you would make friends with the devil and think you"re safe. Jess, Lucifer was best friends with Michael. He loved Michael. But that didn"t stop Lucifer from trying to kill him during the war. I fear you"re deluding yourself if you think he cares for you enough to never harm you."
"I know there"s a chance he would hurt me," I admit. "I just choose to put a little faith in him."
Mason shakes his head at me and I know he thinks I"m just not thinking straight where Lucifer is concerned. But, deep in my heart, I know there is still a part of Lucifer who wants to ask for forgiveness. He wants to retake his place by his father"s side in Heaven. He just doesn"t believe it could ever truly happen. Maybe if one person just showed a little faith, a little trust in him, he would at least try to be more than he is. Isn"t that all any of us really need?
"G.o.d told me to tell you something," I say, hoping to take Mason"s mind off my dangerous friendship with Lucifer.
"What?"
"He said to tell you he would be happy to do what you asked. He wouldn"t tell me what it was you asked for though."
Mason grins. "I asked him to marry us."
"He does that sort of thing?"
"I guess he does now."
"I don"t remember you telling me He came to speak with you."
"He didn"t. I just asked in a prayer. It"s normally how I talk to him."
"Oh."
I sit there quietly thinking.
"What?" Mason asks. "What"s wrong?"
"How come the only two times I"ve prayed he"s come for a personal visit?"
"I think he wants you to know he"ll always come if you need him. You just started believing in him, Jess. He probably wants to strengthen that bond with you as much as you"ll let him."
"It"s not like I"m playing hard to get."
"Just enjoy his visits. Not many people get them."
"Speaking of the wedding, my grandfather offered us his house to get married in. What do you think?"
"Anywhere is fine with me."
"Do you have any special requests? Anything in particular you want at the wedding?"
"No, as long as you"re there, I"m fine with whatever you want."
"I think I"ll let Mama Lynn, Faison and my grandfather deal with the specifics. I"m not really a wedding planner. They"re more suited for that. Did you have a particular date in mind? I was thinking we"d do it as soon as possible so I can make an honest man out of you. I don"t want people to think I"m just using you for great s.e.x."
Mason laughs. "Well, then I guess we better do it quickly."
I lean up and kiss Mason"s cheek and he grins shyly.
"So tell me, what do you think Faust is going to ask me to do for him? I don"t even understand how he knows I exist."
Mason changes from happy to concerned in a heartbeat with my question.
"I don"t know but a jinn asking for a favor is never a good thing. They"re notoriously spiteful creatures. We"ll need to tread lightly where he is concerned."
"When do I meet with him?"
"I told him I would bring you to him as soon as you were ready."