Lost of love- Completed

Chapter 9

"No," she moaned pitifully, "of course not."

The rich chuckle that burst out at that lifted her foolish heart and buoyed her sullen spirits like magic.

"Want to meet up tonight?" he asked.

Lucy stared at the phone stupidly. He was a good hour's drive away in Toorak where all the rich lived in their drool-worthy-mansions and Lucy couldn't go anywhere on her first evening back. Her Mom and Dad would kill her. No two ways about it. Grounded for life probably. Didn't matter if she was over eighteen. They were old fashioned that way. Lucy wouldn't even know how to go about it. Emily was their family's social schemer. She was the one to draw up schemes of climbing out windows to attend all night raves. With Lucy for company and Jace for protection, there had been many such hair-raising schemes in the past. But Lucy, for the life of her, couldn't think one up now. She would need advice from Emily on this.

"How?" Lucy asked desperately.

"Leave that to me," he said soothingly," Just tell me you want to see me."

"I want you!" Lucy exclaimed excitedly.

"Not quite the same thing," Jace chuckled over the phone, "But it'll do. Consider it done, luv. Mwah!"

Lucy made the appropriate kissy sounds to return, secretly aghast she had been reduced to noisy air kisses over the phone. What was she turning into? But her heart thudded in her chest sluggishly, overwhelming her into doing stupid lovey dovey things. A few more heated murmurs and Lucy reluctantly hung up. He was driving and didn't need the distraction. She sunk back into bed and covered up in gloom counting the ticking clock till her parents returned.

It could have been minutes, if not hours later, when the squeals from Emily marked her parent's return. Lucy knew she didn't have long to wait. Tightening her jaw with her inherent stubbornness, she listened for the cue.

"Lucy!" Her mum called out. Hearing her sweet voice brought on a rush of hope. Mom had never reprimanded her over anything. Lucy knew she wouldn't do that now over this. Mom loved Jace. Dad did too. Clinging to that hope Lucy got off her arse and hurried down the stairs.

Both mum and dad were seated at the dining table where they had all their family conferences calls. Lucy hated being the reason for the call. Emily and Cat were unmistakably missing. It looked like this would be a private conference. Her heart shook with cold fear.

"The Neil's called us and told us what happened, " begun her Dad. Lucy looked up from the floor to check his expression and found her gaze diving back down to stay routed to the floor. Dad looked horrible. She had never seen him look so devastated.

"To cut the long story short. Daniel broke off all ties with us. Over 40 years of friendship and just like that he set me aside as if I didn't matter. As if... as if...."

In shock Lucy watched her Dad shake his head as he stumbled over what he had to say. Mom put her hand on his shoulder and took over, "They want you to break it off with Jace, but your dad and I felt that was not our place to say. We just thought you should know."

There was a strained silence as Lucy took in what they just said. She wanted to know more but couldn't bring herself to ask in face of their heartbreak.

"Have you given some thought to what you intend to do now that you've graduated. More studies? Work?" Mum prompted a change in topic and with a heavy heart Lucy strived for a light tone before responding. But it was hard.

Talking about her past, about her present and about her future, were all hard. Lucy didn't yet know what she wanted to do. Not about her education, or about Jace and as with her father and her missing brother, Lucy was equally clueless. But she was sure about one thing and said so now.