Daria in: The Lawndale Reunion
By: Claudette Helstrom
Part Six: That Was Then, This is Dumb Part 2
Summary: Mercedes goes to the Mystik Spiral concert and gets a surprise.
Lawndale, Connecticut
"We're Mystik Spiral and we'll be back for the second set!" Trent told the audience.
"This was the first set!" Jesse added in case somebody didn't know that.
Mercedes approached Trent after he left the stage. She felt kind of dumb, but she had to do this.
"Um, excuse me, Trent Lane? I feel like such a spaz for asking this, but I'm a big fan of yours and I was wondering if you could autograph my guitar?" she asked, holding up her guitar for emphasis.
"Sure," Trent said as he took the guitar. "You look familiar, kid. What's your name?"
Trent Lane thought she looked familiar? That was good…right? "Mercedes Sloane," she answered.
Trent's brow creased. "Sloane?" he asked as he handed back the guitar. "Of the Lawndale Sloanes?"
Mercedes growled. She hated being referred to that way. "No. Of the Highland Morgendorffers," she told him matter-of-factly.
Trent did a laugh/cough thing. "Morgendorffer? That must be why you look so familiar. Do you know Daria's sister?"
Mercedes chuckled. "You mean Aunt Quinn?"
"That's her name," Trent said. After a pause, he added, "Wait a minute, that means…"
"My mom is Daria," she finished, realizing fully what he just said. "Wait, you know my mother?"
After the concert, Trent asked Mercedes if she wanted a ride back to her grandparents, and she agreed. She called her mom and left a voice mail on her cell to let her know where she was.
During the car ride, they got to talking. "So, Mercedes, your mom writes those Melody Powers books, right? They're good. I mean, even the other guys read them."
Mercedes smiled. She loved it when people complimented her mother. "Yeah. She's also my English teacher. I don't know why, but I'm glad. It makes high school almost bearable."
Trent did his laugh/cough thing. "I know how that is. I went to high school once, too. It's not easy when you're in a band, either. I mean, it's hard to concentrate on your music."
"I know what you mean!" Mercedes said. "Like, on weekdays we can practice in my garage, but only until five! That's only two hours, less if any of us get detention. I tried explaining it to Mom, but she said that she can't write and listen to us practice at the same time. And I respect that. But sometimes I don't think she gets it!"
"She does get it," Trent told her. "I've known your mom a long time, remember? But your mom also believes in a good education to fall back on. I guess she's trying to make sure you have options."
"You know, I could get into Bromwell just by smiling," Mercedes said.
"Something tells me you have morals," Trent said, his brow creasing again.
They were silent for a few moments before Trent broke the silence. "How long are you and your mom in Lawndale for?"
"Until tomorrow," Mercedes said.
"Oh." Trent was kind of hoping to have more time to catch up with Daria.
Mercedes picked up on the disappointment in his voice, and said, "You know, I could probably get my mom to stay until Monday, and you two could catch up if you wanted to."
"Don't you have school?" Trent asked.
"Do you think I care? Come on, Trent! It'll be my pleasure! I mean, this is the coolest day of my life. All I wanted was a few autographs, and I get to ride home with Trent Lane! I have to repay you somehow, and I think you'd actually like spending some time with my mom."
They rode in silence until they got to the Morgendorffer home. Mercedes thanked Trent for the ride and the autographs, and gave him her cell phone number in case he decided to take her mother out.
Trent went for a ride around Lawndale. He was the Lane most likely to come home, and the town still changed every time he came home. He wondered why that was.
Trent thought back to the last time he had seen Daria. He knew she had been in town a few years before when he wasn't, but the last time he had actually seen her was…
Probably right after she and Janey had graduated from their colleges. And then Daria moved back to Highland. He didn't know why, he just knew she did.
Mercedes said that if he wanted, she could probably get Daria to stay until Monday. That would give him a day to catch up.
He thought about this. Should he?
By: Claudette Helstrom
Part Six: That Was Then, This is Dumb Part 2
Summary: Mercedes goes to the Mystik Spiral concert and gets a surprise.
Lawndale, Connecticut
