Mercury Sells

Don’s father, Vincent Lee, slowly brings the last moving box onto the front porch, wiping away the sweat on his forehead. He narrows his eyes in his daughter’s direction, placing two fingers on the side of his neck. Don is sitting in the front seat, eating her burger, watching as her grandmother and father unload the last box into the house.

“You know Don,” Vincent says, trying to even out his breathing, “majority of these boxes belong to you. The faster we settle down, the more time we’ll have to explore the town - maybe meet some new people.”

Don stares at her father, placing a stale French fry into her mouth. She sniffs, “Dad let’s be real here. I had a total of four boxes and a suitcase in that car, you on the other hand had three boxes of some shit and stuff,” Don says, watching her father stare at her in shock. She can see a smile forming behind the I’m disappointed you said that face. “Let's not forget about the crap you bought from Cowan Crest stuffed in the truck. Like, why do you need all that junk dad? You cannot start fresh here with a bunch of rubbish on your back.”

“I really hate the fact you are so much like your old man,” Vincent sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Just get your stuff together and then we’ll go out for dinner.”

“It’s almost five – isn’t it too early for dinner? And besides, I just finished eating. I don’t want to stuff myself,” Don says, throwing a look at her father.

“Well, get your stuff into your room then.”

“Oh Vinnie! Let the girl eat for Christ sake,” Grandma Lora says, slapping her son on his arm. She pinches his cheeks a little too tight while shaking her head at him. “We all can finish unpacking after we go into town tonight. It’s not like you’re leaving any time soon.”

“Mhm, listen to Grandma Lora, dad,” Don says, nodding. “We could always unload later.”

Grandma Lora brushes herself off before wrapping her arms around Don. She smiles, “And by then, you could tell me all your stories about Cowan Crest. And maybe some guys you’ve dated! Or maybe what trouble you’ve been in since you got here.”

“I have met one boy since I got here,” Don whispers, watching her grandma’s face light up.

“Well don’t leave me hanging! Does this boy have a name?” Grandma Lora squealed.

“Lawley,” Don says softly. “Leon Lawley. Do you know him?”

“Why yes I do,” Grandma says, “Graceful young boy. Always in good light.”

“Told you so!” Don looks at her father with a smug expression and gives a malicious laugh. “Dad thought I was making up Leon. Anyways, you were saying something about Leon? Good light? What do you mean by that?”

“Oh, he’s a good boy and all. Never in the wrong tree. Sweet kid. He just moved in with his father a couple of months ago.” Grandma says, “He lives not that far from here. Where’d you meet him?”

“Here and there.”

“A bakery!” Vincent interrupts. “How cute, right ma?”

“Oh shut up Vinnie,” Grandma Lora laughs.

Don looks over her shoulder and notices how her father and Grandma Lora act. They have called each other names, revoked offers, and barely showed any actions with grace. Don furrows her eyebrows together, starting to frown at the thought.

“Grandma, what do you think of the Mercury Peaks Guidelines?” Don asks briskly.

Grandma Lora gives her son a nervous look, hoping Don did not notice, before giving her granddaughter an answer. “Sweetie, it’s a bunch of cow shit, that’s for sure,” she laughs slightly before sternly changing the smile on her face. The pitch of her voice also lowed. “But rules are rules, you can’t do much but follow.”

“But the rules are stupid.”

“Humans are stupid. That’s what made the rules stupid.”

Don frowns, “That doesn’t make any sense, grandma.”

Grandma Lora lets out a wicked laugh. “Who said it had to?”



Don’s room is plain. She wants to paint her room purple because she likes the color. She wants mason jars filled with all kinds of junk as decorations. She wants the sweet scent of a candle burning in her room. Don also wants to make her room photo-worthy, so other girls in the town would envy her.

Don stands there for a minute, looking at the mirror behind her door. A small smile forms on her face. She hears a small knock on the opposite side of the door and watches her father peep his head in.

“Are you ready?” Vincent asks, frowning at his daughter’s choice of clothing. Don’s outfit consists of a Arizona look attire. He holds a sour look on his face and shakes his head. “You are not wearing that. I’m over exaggerating – you actually aren’t wearing anything presentable. Change. Now.”

He shuts her door, explaining what he saw to his mother. The walls were thin. As Grandma Lora walks into Don’s room, she smiles at her granddaughter, shaking her head as well.

“You don’t need to alter your entire outfit. Maybe just switch out the shorts with a breezy skirt or some jeans,” Grandma says, looking through the clothes scattered on Don’s bed. “Your dad’s been a pain lately huh?”

Don agrees. “Ever since we got here, he’s been uptight and dictatorial. He wasn’t like this back in Arizona.”

“Well you see, Vinnie’s back here in Mercury Peaks now. I don’t know much about Cowan Crest back in Arizona but I know those two cities aren’t the same in any direction you look at. He’s probably adjusting to this town’s memo. Give him some slack, Don,” Grandma Lora places her hands around Don and pulls her closer. “And a rule of thumb, you are allowed to act like yourself in only this household. Anywhere else, that’s a huge no no, got it?”

“Act like myself?” Don repeats, stunned by her grandmother’s words. “Why is that considered a bad thing here?”

“The residents here are more reserved. You on the other hand are like a frickin’ bee, who won’t shut up or stop until she gets what she wants,” Grandma Lora explains, laughing at her remark. “That isn’t entirely a horrible thing, you know, just something to keep an eye on. Now, get dressed before your father barks another sentence with a tomato face.”