How Green Becomes Wood

"I'm glad you had fun," Daizi said cheerfully. "I'm sorry you weren't here to watch Ivy eat strawberries for the first time, although I'm sure it's more boring in reality than I felt like it was. She made a little bit of a mess, but she seemed to like them."

"I enjoyed being able to feed her for the very first time," Dark said, a relaxed look in his eyes for the first time in days. He was really, properly, pleased. And he had done well, being especially gentle as he spoon fed his baby. Finally, after seven months of having a baby, he was able to feed her. "I went to the same bakery as last year for the cake."
 
Xander grinned as Alec finally let him see the cake. "Now that's one epic cake!"

"Isn't it? Can we eat it now?" Alec begged.

"Sure. What are you waiting for?"

"You."

"Oh. Then let's have our cake and eat it, too!"
 
"I told you he wouldn't care," Daizi chuckled softly, smoothing Ivy's downy hair while resting against her husband's shoulder. They were excited at least, it was a big milestone moment.

"Oh well," Dark sighed, but then handed Ivy off so he could cut the cake for the twins, "It would not have been right to serve it without both of you here, as you both survived sophomore year."
 
"I was getting to Mini eating strawberries," Xander assured them. "It's just that someone else was too excited about cake."

Alec scowled at him. "Don't blame me for your lack of caring about strawberry eating!" He stuck his tongue out at his brother.

Xander stuck a piece of his cake in Alec's mouth before he could react. While Alec squeaked and then happily ate the bite of cake, Xander asked Dark, "So? What'd she think of it? Rocking cake by the way."

"Glitter!" Alec said and shoved a bite at Xander. He wasn't quite as successful, and half the piece ended up on Xander's cheek, but he finished it off while making faces.
 
"Oh, she loved it," Dark answered, explaining how Ivy was a little hesitant at first, but soon adjusted to it, and Daizi explained how for a few days Ivy would be on a diet of strawberries and breastmilk until they knew she wasn't allergic.

That night, come bedtime, Daizi slept comfortably, because although being the sole parent of her baby daughter for the majority of the week was magical and rewarding and made her feel love she didn't know existed, it was also isolating and boring and exhausting, and draining, and having her husband home to help her manage it was something she couldn't put a price on.

Dark, meanwhile, over the course of the still night, was consumed with the murky thoughts which he couldn't prevent from creeping back into his mind. He paced the room while she slept with tears running down his face, wishing he could sleep, wishing he could pray, but he didn't believe, and he didn't know who he could speak to.

Come morning, after taking a slow start in bed, Daizi listened to Dark and Ivy play before getting a call from Sally and inviting her over so her friend could share with her whatever problem she was having, while Dark tried to teach Ivy how not to pet a dog and talked with their sons about their summer plans.
 
Alec explained how Ivy had looked while eating strawberries - he'd only watched and cheered her on, not fed her himself - and Xander solemnly expressed that he was proud of her. They then cleaned up after dinner and cake and emptied their schoolbags. Alec found enough pencils and forgotten homework papers that Xander teased him he could open a stationary store.

Xander slept well, but Alec tossed and turned with vague nightmares. It wasn't until he climbed into bed with Xander that he could finally rest. He didn't care that they were too big to be sharing one small bed. It was the one sure way to keep the nightmares at bay. Xander didn't mind it. He was glad he was able to do something, anything, to help his brother.

The next morning after getting up late, Xander and Alec discussed their summer plans. Xander had Judo on Wednesdays and intended to go to the Healing Hearts Horses Rescue and Therapy to work with the horses there on Tuesdays and Thursdays. They had a program that allowed teens to work with the horses as long as they worked in other ways like cleaning out the stables, tidying, and other menial labor. Alec reluctantly agreed to go to Cyr wheel classes on Tuesdays when Xander was at the Tripple H ranch. He still really wanted to learn the wheel, but he didn't like how much time he and Xander would be spending apart. The ranch would take at least two hours when he was there, and Judo classes themselves were an hour long, not counting warm-up time and cool-down.

"What do you think?" Xander asked Dark about the Healing Hearts Horses. "I can show you all the research and stuff I did into their facility, and it's the closest one I could find."
 
"I think that is a wonderful idea," Dark said, a small, proud smile lighting up his face. He had spent such a long time hoping and encouraging Xander to take care of his mental health, the fact he finally decided to was... beyond words. He knew from experience how important it was, and how painful it was to neglect it. There was a lot he wanted to say, but he bit it back to prevent Xander from feeling overwhelmed, and instead just said, "Let me know if you need our insurance information."
 
Xander smiled slightly, pleased at Dark's approval. "I don't think I'll need it, but I'll let you know. Oh, and I can drop Alec off for his Cyr wheel practice, bit you'd need to pick him up."

"The wheel takes longer than the horse," Alec said morosely. He looked down at himself. "I should change my shirt before Mrs. Hollis gets here." He was wearing his dino pajama shirt with regular outdoor pants.

"I should change my pants," Xander agreed. He was wearing a regular shirt with his light grey, comfy pajama bottoms.

They headed off to change, and while they were gone, Sally politely tapped on the door.
 
"That is no problem," Dark agreed to the plan, popping his hand in Ivy's mouth to stop her from eating their dog. "Whatever you need."

Daizi opened the door swiftly, having prepared a whole tray of snacks and tea for Sally, just like Sally would do for her, "Hey Sally," she said, stepping to the side, "Come in."
 
"Thank you, Daizi, I am appreciative to you letting me come over on such short notice," Sally sighed. She stepped inside and gracefully slipped out of her shoes before tapping the salt. Always either professional or elegant or both, Sally was dressed surprisingly casually, and her hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail. She still had makeup, but less than usual. Not that she ever looked heavy makeup, but today her face was allowed to show its stress lines.
 
"It's no problem at all, you've dropped everything for me more than enough times," Daizi replied, "Would you prefer to talk in my office? I have snacks and tea all prepared, I just need to bring them up. I don't really mind where we sit, I just thought you might prefer privacy."
 
Sally smiled a smile that wobbled just a little. "I think your office would be perfect. This conversation needs a little privacy, I am afraid. May I help you carry something up?"
 
"If you can get the kettle, that would be helpful. Everything else fits on the tray," Daizi said, not asking any follow up questions so Sally didn't need to admit to anything around ears she didn't want to have hear it while she picked up the tray. Instead, she made some simple comments about traffic before welcoming Sally into her office and sitting down on one of the plush chairs.
 
Sally carried the kettle up and set it down where Daizi indicated. She didn't sit immediately, taking her time looking around Daizi's study. It had been a while since she'd been in here. "I had forgotten how intense and yet cozy this room is," she remarked, turning in place. "It is not my style, but I appreciate it and admire it for what it is, and it is somewhat... comforting to be here." She sighed and sat down in the other chair.
 
"This is the only room that was all my decisions," Daizi said, holding a pillow in her lap. After eight months of pregnancy and another seven where she was holding a baby most of her time, she wasn't used to having her hands not resting on or holding something, "Mostly, anyway. Dark suggested the celestial chart on the ceiling. I can't see it, but I like knowing it's there. Although, and this might surprise you, I don't really believe in Astrology."
 
"It does surprise me a little, and yet it doesn't," Sally admitted. She leaned back to look up at the ceiling. "It is beautiful. You created a lovely space." She paused and then sat up to pour the tea, needing something to do. She finished pouring and handed Daizi her cup before wrapping her hands around her warm tea cup. "I am worried about Peter."
 
"I don't like the notion our personalities are predetermined, and I don't like the idea that who we get along with is determining by something so distant. I believe in destiny, and I believe in the future, and that people can read it, but I think of it as multiple branching paths. I think life is too special to remove the concept of Will entirely. I'm not a Thelemite, but I do appreciate the notion of, 'Do as thou wilt' in Thelema." Daizi thanked Sally when she was given the cup of tea, sitting comfortably with both legs up on her couch. She knew her friend didn't really care for those topics, but she thought sharing that information was important anyway. "I don't believe in luck, except in a few specific circumstances." After taking a sip of the tea, she sat back and asked, "Why? What's been going on with him?"
 
Sally nodded politely, appreciating Daizi's openness and desire to share with her, but she was distracted by her own thoughts. She didn't mean to be rude and would likely think about what Daizi said later, but right now, Peter was on the forefront of her mind. "I don't know, and that is part of the problem," she sighed. "We are strict parents. Not as strict as some, but I know we're strict, but I've always felt we were reasonable. We've always made certain that he understands the why of our rules, and he is allowed to contest the rules if he desires. We have our disagreements, of course, but he's always been open with me. With both of us. These last few weeks, though, he has been spending so much time on his phone and playing the stock markets. When I ask him about it, he only says that he has an end goal, but nothing about what that end goal might be."
 
Daizi wasn't offended by Sally not responding to what she had said, because really she was only chatting about it to make the transition into Sally's problem easier. It felt better than sitting her friend down and interrogating her. With a slow nod, she pointed out, "As far as secret activities go, playing on the stock market isn't the worst hobby he could have adopted, but I understand it's still stressful, especially if it's a big behavioral change... I thought you can't trade on the stock market until you're an adult?"
 
Sally waved a hand. "It's a bit of a story, but essentially, Peter's a mathematical genius who hates being known for that. He refused to even participate in things like mathletes because he did not want people to look at him and instantly say he was 'the math guy.' We started allowing him to dabble in the stock market when he was ten to provide him with an interesting way to evolve his math skills. Like a game. Under Jack's name and always supervised, we literally sat next to him the entire time. When he was fourteen, we were able to procure the legal documents allowing him special permission to trade as a minor with certain restrictions. Then he drifted away, which we were glad of because even if you are good at it, the stock market is a highly stressful environment that has claimed many lives. It was only recently that he returned, and when I asked him why, he first said 'because,' and then implied I should mind my own business." Tears welled in Sally's eyes. He has never once been so closed off!"
 
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