Summary – With Mercer and Tommy agreeing to a night out, the kids put their plan into action. Tommy isn't pleased.
-o-
'Misunderstandings'
Tommy
-o-
(Friday night, Red Lobster)
Drumming my fingers on the table top I check my watch for the fifteenth time. I'm getting bored and hungry. I mean I'm all for waiting for Trent to show up and everything, but it's been twenty minutes now and I missed lunch.
"Where are they?" Looking at her own watch and then to Connor and Ethan, Kira is apparently getting equally fed up with her boyfriend. Wait, they? What they?
"They? I thought we were just waiting on Trent. Who else is coming?" Oh yes, those looks aren't good. Something is definitely up. Setting my fork down and leaning on the table, I give them all a good hard glare. "What did you all do?"
"Um, we are waiting on Trent, I just meant they as in general, I think I need to use the ladies room." Quickly sliding out of the booth and all but dashing towards the bathrooms, she leaves me with her looking guilty and now ticked off male conspirators.
"I repeat, what did you do?"
Clearing his throat and checking his watch again, Connor shakes his head as the waitress comes back to us for the fifth time to try and take our drink orders. Oh they definitely did something. "Nothing, just, we're waiting for Trent, and maybe, someone else." Okay, that wouldn't bother me too much if it wasn't for that conspiracy feeling which is still hanging heavy in the air.
"Who else?" I really can't think of anyone else they'd invite. The only other person I really know in this town is Hayley. Alright, so I know other people, but not in a call them up to go out to dinner sort of way. Maybe it's Krista, or Devon and Cassidy? But why hide that from me. I don't mind eating with them. Well…not Krista and Devon at least.
"Just someone you know."
"I don't know anyone in Reefside besides you all, Hayley, Cassidy, and Devon." Thinking it over a moment longer I realize that's not entirely true, but there's no way they'd have called him to come. "Well and-"
"Dr. Mercer." Looking up at Connor's relieved voice and seeing the business man standing beside our table, I am not amused in the least. They shall die horrible, horrible deaths.
"Well what a coincidence." Is it now, Ethan?
Looking to the kids and noting that they are all now carefully avoiding my glare, I try to keep my voice calm and as far away from evil as I can. "Isn't it though."
Seeming to be calculating his own revenge on his son, Mercer looks ready to strangle Trent if he doesn't collapse first. Maybe the kid was right about him being sick, he definitely doesn't look well. "Trent-"
"Dr. Mercer, hi." Rejoining us with a relieved bounce in her step, Kira slyly snakes her arm around Trent's, pulling him a safe distance away from me and his father. Clever girl.
"Hello Kira." Giving her a curt nod, he turns to me, not quiet meeting my eyes. "Thomas." Hate that name. He knows I hate that name. Thus he's just using it to get a rise out of me, which I am not about to let him do. Nope no rise from me. Just going to sit here, give a nod back and-
"Tommy. You've known me for seven years Merc, you should know it's Tommy." Billy always told me I was controlled by my Id…or was it Ego? Which is the childish one again? I should have paid more attention in Psychology 101.
"Just as you should know it's Anton and not Merc." You know he can complain about that shortened version of his name all he wants, but after letting me use it all these years I know he likes it. Probably just thinks he has to save face in front of the kids. "You're looking well."
"You're not." Smiling when he looks more amused than upset by my blunt response, he really is worrying me. He's paler than normal and looks like he's lost weight, which considering he's thinner than me to start with, isn't a good thing.
"Well look at the time." Sliding out of the booth before I can stop him, Connor's on his feet with Ethan, Kira, and Trent, all of which are moving away from the table. "I just remembered I have this thing I have to do."
"Oh yeah that thing, right we were going to help you with that thing, right Trent." Elbowing the former White Ranger in the ribs, Kira gives the fakest grin I've ever seen in my life. Great, she's turning into Cassidy.
"Right, that thing, I forgot. Um, we'd better get going then. Dad why don't you stay and have dinner though, I'm sure Dr. O could us the company, remember what we talked about." What exactly did you talk about Trent? Giving the man a pointed look when he opens his mouth to argue, whatever they discussed prior to coming here clearly involved me in a very big way.
"And Dr. O you're already here, why miss dinner right? I mean you said you were hungry so here you go dinner and adult conversation." Pushing me back down as I start to get up fully intending to make my escape while I have a chance, Connor is apparently having none of it.
"Yeah we'll do our dinner another time dad. Sit and enjoy." Urging his dad to sit down, Trent gives him a winning smile before the man can form a protest. Truth be told he looks too tired to really put up much of a protest to begin with. Maybe I should take what Trent said at the Cyber Café more seriously, maybe Merc really is sick and needs some help. I guess it might not kill me to give him a hand where his health his concerned. Maybe that's what this set up is all about. That must be it; Trent talked to the others and is clearly scared for his dad's health and wellbeing. They can't do anything to help him, but Hayley and myself, we most likely can so why not bring him to me and show me just how serious it is. Crud.
"Right so you two talk and catch up and yeah, we'll see you later." Smiling and hurrying off with the group, Kira calls a parting 'be good' over her shoulder before they all disappear out the door. Great, not enough I've saved the world how many times, now I have to save the person responsible for nearly destroying it the last one around.
-ooooooo-
(20 minutes of awkward silence)
"So…" Looking at my drink and wishing the waitress would hurry up with our food so there would be a reason for the lack of conversation, I am going to kill those kids.
"So…"
Okay one of us has to breach the subject of his health since that's apparently what this is all about so I guess if anything it should be me. Clearly he is still way too stubborn to let any weakness show so leave it to me to drag it out of him and offer help instead of him asking for it like a person with a lick of sense.
"Look I know neither one of us is thrilled to be here, but the kids clearly had good intentions when they set this up."
Looking surprised by this, I guess I caught him off guard. He might not have known they'd told me about his health. He must have some clue though. Why else would they do this to us? "You know then?"
"Yes, I know. So despite how I feel about you and what you did to me; I just want you to know that I would never let you suffer. I mean I'd never let anyone suffer it's just not who I am. So I'm going to help you."
Lifting his head quickly at this, his brow furrows in confusion and I don't know what I said, but clearly it wasn't the right thing. "What now?" Wow he must be worse off then I thought.
"I'm going to help you. I don't know how exactly, but I'm not going to let you suffer through this alone. I'll find some way to get you back to your normal annoying self and-"
"Wait, wait." Holding up a hand and rubbing his temples, he gives me a look. "I'm the one who's suffering alone? Thomas I know you have a hard time admitting your problems and shortcomings, but turning this around on me isn't the way to go. Trent already told me how lonely you are. Now granite I didn't think you'd go to this length to have some company, but you have and I'm here. Despite what you think I do still care about your wellbeing and I want to see you happy. So why don't you stop whatever excuse you've made up and just admit that you need my help."
"Excuse you? I'm not the one with the problem, you are. Trent said you've been sick lately and needed my help. I thought he was just exaggerating at first, but seeing you tonight and seeing the length he went to, to get you here-"
"No Trent said you are desperately lonely and need company, which is why if you didn't, they set this whole little thing up." Clearly we have a problem here.
To be continued….