How Green Becomes Wood

"Honestly it was as much for me as anyone, I don't like crowds but I like how much happens at parties, they're a lot of fun to photograph." Milo replied, nodding towards the film strips, "Then I get to do stuff like this. It's better than another million pictures of a high school hallway. I've never taken pictures of a baby's birthday party before."
 
"Well, if you're still around here in a year, you can have the chance to do a two-year-old's birthday party, and if life goes like you hope, maybe some pictures of your own kid's party," Xander said. "You'd invite me, right? Even if I couldn't make it?"
 
"Of course I'd invite you," Milo replied easily, sounding almost confused about why he wouldn't. He looked down at the film and thought quietly about something for a few moments before asking, "Can I tell you something?"
 
"I really miss my mom," He said, fiddling with a few things and looking down, "and Albuquerque looks cool, I love the west, but sometimes... I think about when I get to go out there, and it just kind of makes me feel... I don't know. Tired."
 
"Ah. That's rough," Xander said with a frown. "I get it. You want to be with her, that'd be beyond cool, but moving again would suck." He paused and added, "I wouldn't hate you staying here, you know. But I'd want you to be happy with wherever you were more. Here or there."
 
"I know that I'd adjust, I always have before, but this is the longest I've been anywhere in..." He shrugged, "Dunno. Since Chicago, I guess. It's not like I have posters on my wall or anything, packing's not the hard part, it's the new school. And I won't, you know. Have people like you looking out for me."
 
"I know you'd be fine eventually. You're a survivor. It's what you do. Just wish you didn't have to be. I just wonder..." Xander trailed off and hesitated. "Maybe I shouldn't say this." He rubbed the back of his neck before saying, "I kind of wonder why she didn't try to find a place near here. You were halfway through school, had friends, all that, so she could have decided to move here instead of pull you away for 'one last move.'" He glanced at Milo and shook his head. "Sorry. It's a stupid thing to wonder. Probably had her reasons and stuff. Adulting reasons. When you join her, then it'll be your last, right? Unless you decide to go to some college somewhere that's not close enough."
 
"She had already managed to rent the place before it was decided I couldn't go too." Milo replied, "I don't think she could break the lease. But yeah, it'll be my last time moving once I go with her. She never liked moving either, it was just... circumstances. Trying to get away from dealers she knew so she could try getting clean, trying to get away from people she owed money, getting evicted... And it all just started 'cause of medicine a doctor gave her after an injury."
 
That didn't answer why she hadn't chosen a place close to where Milo already was rather than pick a place far away, force him to move again, and start a new school yet again. If she'd chosen a place where Milo already was, then it wouldn't have mattered nearly as much that his grandparents chose to resist letting him immediately go to her. It stank of old, tired habits that never worked, but it didn't matter. What was done was done, end of discussion.

"Hospitals are the worst at follow up and follow through," Xander stated. "If they'd managed it better, things might have been different. Not that it really matters anymore. What matters is she finally got clean, she got stable, and she's ready to be a real mum again. A family. It's good."
 
"Good," Xander said flatly. "I'm glad she's doing better and is happy. I'm sorry you had to be so far away for so long, but it sounds like it gave her time to get a good, solid foundation for you to come home to." He shrugged. "There. I said an Alec thing. That should cover the bright side, right?"
 
Milo chuckled, "Yeah, I guess that counts. I dunno. I guess somethings just kind of are and you just gotta deal. I just spent so long only thinking how much I wanted to move out that way, never expected to be sorta... I don't know. I don't feel about it like I used to. Still don't even know when it'll happen, that's the worst part."
 
Xander considered this. "If you want to go, maybe you should talk to your mum and maybe your grands about a real plan. You gotta finish out your school year here, and then you could leave maybe first week of summer break or something. That'd give you time to settle in before starting school again. You could toss that out to your mom and see what she says. If you want to go." He took a deep breath, his eyes on the pictures in front of him. "If you don't want to go... I think that's valid. Doesn't mean you love her or miss her less. I don't know what kind of plan you could make about that. Don't have advice for that. Except that I get it's... rough. Emotionally speaking. I think it is your choice. It really is, and I'll back you up whatever you decide."
 
"You're probably right," Milo agreed, "I just don't know how to bring it up. It's awkward, and I'm not good at that sort of thing. I don't even know what I want anyway. I want to be with her, 'cause she's the only parent I have left. Whatever." He pushed his floppy hair back and breathed out all the stress and uneasiness he felt about it because he just... it was too much, "What about you? How's, um," he pointed to one of the pictures with many members of Daizi's family included, "going?"
 
"I don't always know what to say, but I'm here when you want to talk," Xander said quietly. He glanced at the picture and let out a little huff. "Saladin decided it was a good idea to pick a fight. Short version is Ba ended up kicking him out of the house and Mama hasn't talked to him - Saladin, not Ba - since. He was a complete a**. Broke her heart." He scowled at the tiny image of Saladin, simmering with anger even now.
 
"D***." Milo replied, silent for a few moments, "That's awful. I'm sorry. Your mom's so nice, I hope she's doing okay." He chewed on his bottom lip, seeing how angry Xander was and not quite knowing what to do about it, "Do you want, I um... I can print one of the pictures of him, and you can cut it up or rip it or something. If you want."
 
Xander glanced at Milo, momentarily surprised, and then smiled. "Thanks, but, nah. I think I'll be alright." He shook off his feelings for the moment. "She wasn't doing good for a while, but she's gotten better. It really hurt her, think it still does, but she's real incredible that way. She'll be alright."
 
"I can't imagine how hard it must have been," Milo said empathetically, looking down at the pictures. Secretly, a curious voice in his head wanted to ask what was said, but he'd never actually inquire, "I mean, my mom's hurt me, but it's never been... intentional, I guess? I guess I don't know if Saladin intentionally hurt her either. I'm glad she's doing better, though..."
 
"He meant to hurt," Xander said bluntly. "We didn't stay the whole time because he started the fight in front of the Mini and I had to get them out, but he couldn't have not meant to hurt. It's not right. I'm glad he got kicked out, and I hoped he stays out."
 
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