Author's notes – Um…send me money!
Summary – Mercer reflects on his past and present relationship with Tommy and his son.
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'We Invite You'
Mercer
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"I just think it'll be fun, dad." Since when does getting dressed up and going to a fancy restaurant sound like fun to the boy? I'm really getting worried about him, he's been acting so strangely these past few days.
"Wouldn't you rather go somewhere with your friends on a Friday night? Or what about Kira, I'm sure she'd love for you to go there with her." Maybe I should ask Kira if everything's alright. She seems like a nice girl and she's been over here a lot lately. Maybe she knows something.
"It's not really Kira's sort of place. Besides we were going to spend some time together remember? I was going to tell you about the art schools I was looking at and you were going to tell me about your latest projects." Okay, something is definitely wrong, the only person who ever showed less interest in my work than Trent was Thomas. So why on Earth does he want to hear about it now?
"I know, Trent. It's just, I've been a bit under the weather lately and I don't think I'd make the best company yet. How about you take Kira out this Friday and then we'll spend the weekend together alright?" Feeling the familiar pain of a headache picking at the corners of my mind, I'll be so glad when these after effects pass. Here I thought being rid of Mesagog would mean being rid of these pains, should have known better.
"Kira's sick." Looking up from my papers, I'm not sure why but I'm almost certain that's a lie. "I mean, she's got a little cold or something, so I'm completely free and I'd really like to go there. I hear the food is great."
"Trent I just don't feel very well yet." To stress my point I dig my Aspirin out of the top desk drawer and dry swallow two.
"I guess I could hang out at Dr. O's place. I mean it probably wouldn't hurt for him to have some company." Yes, yes, go do that and then- Wait what's that now?
"I thought you and the others were spending time with him already." Just because they're not his Rangers anymore doesn't mean they're not his friends right? I mean he has so few, only that woman Hayley and…and, um…does he have any adult friends besides her?
"Not really. I mean we see him around the café sometimes but he's always so down and depressed. Kind of like he played the hero, saved the world, but in the end didn't get the girl." So he wanted to date Hayley? Is this about Thomas and that woman, or himself and Kira? Perhaps a subtle way of telling me things aren't working well with the former Yellow Ranger?
"I wasn't aware he was seeing any girl."
"He wasn't, isn't, that's not the point. The point is he's sad and needs company." This is getting stranger by the minute.
"Trent I'm certain he's fine. He's a very…energetic and creative young man. He was always finding ways to amuse himself at the dig sites. Granted most involved abusing Smitty, but still. I'm sure he's okay." In retrospect that may be the true reason Smitty had it in for him as Zeltrax. Poor Tom, lord did that man hate him.
"He's not, he's lonely." What on Earth is his sudden obsession with Thomas? Either he's truly worried and he isn't doing well at all, or he's using him to vent his own problems, or…god please don't tell me he has a crush on him. I thought he liked Kira, or hell even Connor would be fine, but not the man who still watches Saturday morning cartoons.
"Everyone gets lonely at some point in their lives, Trent. It's just a natural occurrence and isn't something to be concerned about. Unless he starts talking to himself, that may be cause for slight worry. Trent why are you so concerned about him? He's a very smart person and he can handle what life throws him, I've seen him do it." And building him up to look even better isn't the right way to go, Anton.
"But it's just…we think he's missing, well like you sometimes are alone…he's pitiful and needs company!" So…you don't have a crush on him? He's just pitiful and alone like m-hey! I am not pitiful and alone. I control thousands of people and have a very annoying son who is now working my patience. I can't take this right now.
"Then maybe you should go spend some time with him. You're not that much younger then he is. You have similar interests. Nearly the same age in maturity." Yes definitely nearly the same there. "I'm beginning to see why you and the other kids get along so well with him."
"I will, but this Friday I want to spend time with you at the restaurant." Yes, but I don't want to go out. Alright, alright, you're a businessman Anton, you make million dollar deals weekly, you can work something out with your son to make both of you happy.
"I'll tell you what, Trent, what if we just order some pizza and spend the night here. I won't work or take any calls and we can watch those movies you like so much." See, good, that's a good compromise. I feel sick, I can lay down on the couch, he loves greasy food and scary movies as much as Tom did, it's a good compromise.
"Really?" Looking surprised and rather pleased, I think the matter is resolved then. "I mean no, no, I want to go out." What?!
"But Trent -"
"Dad please, please just come out to eat with me so you don't end up pitiful and alone for the rest of your life!" How nice.
I give up, the boy is worse then my lawyers. "Alright."
"Good then." Moving towards the door and rubbing his temples like he's the one with the headache after all this, the boy has clearly lost his mind. "Oh and don't dress up too fancy, and don't wear black." This must be payback for the Mesagog matter.
Watching him go and sighing as I'm finally left in peace, I don't know what it is about the children I try to help. Here I thought I'd learned my lesson with Tom. I suppose in the grand scheme of things Trent is less of a handful then the former Black Ranger was. At least Trent hasn't made me go to the mall.
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(1999, Reefside Mall)
"Thomas this is insane." Looking around the hordes of people, many of which who do not seem to realize who I am and that shoving me is not a wise idea, I barely refrain from growling in annoyance. How did I let the boy talk me into this?
"Merc, come on it's traditional. Everyone goes out the day after Thanksgiving and buys tons of crap they normally wouldn't think of buying for another human being, but do because it's on sale and the mass amount of people and lack of sleep makes you crazy with purchasing power." Alright then, no more coffee for him.
"Besides it's a good way to get out your pent up frustrations." Cringing as his little friend Hayley elbows a woman who'd just stepped on her foot, I can't believe they convinced me to join them in this madhouse. True the boy has become a bit of a permanent fixture around the house, and yes I do need to get him and his little friend something for Christmas, but shopping for it at a mall, I must have been suffering from a small bout of insanity.
"This is why I have personal shoppers and credit cards." Biting back the urge to stab the next person that shoves me out of the way, I am quickly reaching the point of exasperation.
"And I told you that defeats the whole purpose of shopping." Pulling me towards the entrance of some toy store, which is already overflowing with shoppers, his happy expression falls quickly. "Damn, I knew we shouldn't have stopped for coffee." Does this mean I can go home?
"Alright this is just the deciding point, Thomas. Look at this, the store is so full they can't even let anymore people inside. Now can we please leave this hell hole and go home? I promise I'll get right on the phone with my personal shopper and have him do his job and get you and Hayley whatever you'd like for Christmas, just let me out of here."
"You are such a wuss. How on earth did you make so much money and get such a bad ass reputation in the business world with that quitter attitude?" Handing me their coffee cups and quickly conversing about something, they both begin walking away leaving me among the insanity. "Just stay right there! We'll be right back!" Calling over the mob and disappearing into the mass of screaming and clawing people, they're gone before I have a chance to stop them.
It isn't but a minute or two before a crackle can be heard signaling an intercom has been turned on, and the all too familiar voice hit his ears. "Attention shoppers, as part of this amazing day of sales it is my pleasure to inform you that for the next five minutes there will be a dancing chicken Elmo give away in front of the orange smoothie stand at the food court. That's right for five minutes there will be a dancing chicken Elmo give away by the orange smoothie stand. Hurry now and get your child's favorite red monster in a chicken suit. He dances, he sings, he even makes julian fries. You now have four minutes."
"Oh. My. God. He's nuts." Barely having time to turn around I find myself slammed into the wall and trampled as it seems their little plan has worked all too well and in desperate sleep deprive mania at least half the people who had been in and around the toy store are now racing to whatever this food court thing is.
Practically skipping back to the store, hands linked together and smiles plastered on their faces, the two look at me in what I'll assume is pity. "You are such an amateur at this." Shaking his head and pulling me back to my feet, the boy doesn't give me time to recover as I'm pulled into the store.
-oooooo-
"Hey dad." Shaking myself out of the rather troublesome memory, I give Trent a curious look as he pokes his head back into the office. "I can't find anything casual dressy in your closet so we're going to have to go the mall."
"Oh god, I've taken in another one."
To be continued………