How Green Becomes Wood

"I got lucky that way," Cooger agreed mildly, trying not to put his foot in his mouth. "It should be coming along just fine... Xander, turn on the sink again for me, will you?" He sat back until the faucet was turned on to see what they were looking at, feeling fairly certain of what they were about to see.
 
Xander did as asked and waited for the stream of water. There was none. The only water came from the sink faucet, and it ran in a clear stream down into the drain which did not spray water everywhere. "Cool."

Lex leaned over to look under the sink. "Is that it? Is it finally fixed?"
 
"It sure seems that way." Cooger said, pushing himself up and off the floor with a stretch, "That's not too bad. Alright, if you give me a few minutes I can write you up an invoice, cash, check, or venmo is easiest, but I can accommodate pretty much whatever. Xander, if you want, you can head home, let 'em know I'll be over there in just a few minutes."
 
"Alright. See you in a bit," Xander agreed. He picked up a few tools and headed out, dropping the tools off at Cooger's truck before letting himself inside. "I'm back!"

Lex went over to the sink and tried it out herself, a look of satisfaction on her face as not a single drop leaked from the piping. "Nice. Now I don't have to feel like I'm taking a shower at my kitchen sink!"
 
"Maybe I shouldn't have fixed it then," He chuckled, writing out an invoice sheet and handing it over to her, "You were saving yourself time, washing your dishes, your clothes, and showering all at once. That's the kind of streamlined chores we can only dream about."
 
She let out a snort as she took the invoice and glanced over it before signing. "I suppose I could just install a showerhead in the laundry room and save a few steps there, too. Figure out how to eat Spaghetti-O's in the shower and I'd be set! Hang on, let me go get your money." She stepped out, leaving Cooger alone for a few minutes before returning with the payment in cash. "Here you go! Thanks for the help. It's appreciated."
 
Cooger took it from her, quickly thumbed through it to double check she had given him the correct amount, "Thank you very much. Let me know what else I can do for you, okay? You've got my number, and if you lose it you live right next door to some folks who never will. I'll see you around, Lex." He gave her a polite wave, put the money into his wallet, and then left to go spend time with his family.
 
"Later, Cooger," Lex called after him. She watched him go before closing her front door. Interesting fellow. Looked like she'd really lucked out with the neighbors! That had been her biggest fear. Now her biggest fear was whether or not she could remodle the bathroom under budget.
 
Cooger gladly walked directly into his family's home, greeting everyone there like he was guest starring on a sitcom and gladly spent the rest of the afternoon with them, leaving sometime after dinner.

To Dark's great distress, the next day a letter arrived in the mail inviting them to the Appelbaum house for a barbecue, requesting everyone bring a dish to the potluck which could be enjoyed 'by all.'

"We do not have to go," Dark said to Daizi, after reading the invitation to her, "We have a new baby, we can easily say she should not be around such a large crowd yet. We can say it will throw off her nap schedule, and she already has been going through sleep regression. That part is not a lie, anyway." He tossed the paper down onto counter.

Daizi chuckled, scratching behind her ear, "I think we have to go, Goose. If we're the only family in the neighborhood not to go, it'd just confirm certain suspicions."

"I am fairly certain I do not care what the neighbors think about us."

"I know," She smiled, putting her hand on his knee, "But Blair is the mother of our sons' friend. So we have to play nice."

Dark inhaled slowly, knowing, ultimately, she was correct, but he did not want her to be correct. "I hope it rains."

Come Saturday, the sun was shining brightly without a single cloud in the sky, and Dark came downstairs carrying Ivy, who he had dressed in a little ruffled lavender onesie dress, which contrasted against his classic black-on-black outfit, although to show he was 'casual' he left the first few buttons undone, just enough that the wedding ring he wore around his neck was visible, and had rolled up his sleeves to the elbow. Daizi was in dark blue packing toys, pacifiers, and all the other accoutrements into the diaper bag.

As soon as she heard her husband's footsteps she said, "You will survive, my darling. You are like the rocks at Stonehenge."
 
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Xander and Alec came down, Xander dressed in black like Dark, but his were clearly casual with a sleeveless shirt and regular jeans. Alec had dressed colorfully, as always, although he'd stuck to only solids. Multiple colors of solids, but all solids.

"You do realize we aren't going to a funeral, right?" Alec asked Dark doubtfully.

"And you know we're literally going across the street for only a couple of hours, right?" Xander asked Daizi, staring in bewilderment at the packed diaper bag.
 
"Do you want to have to run back across the street a thousand times when she decides to have a meltdown and we can't figure out what she wants?" Daizi asked Xander sardonically, "I could just bring a handful of toys across the street with us, but hurrying back across the street with her when she needs a changing, especially if it's a desperate need, does not seem like an enjoyable experience."

Dark looked at Alec, "We are going to a funeral. Or an event about engaging as one--" Daizi lightly whacked him with the back of her hand, "--and wearing black means I will look fine next to any of you."
 
"A handful of toys? You have half the house!" Xander protested. "But, fine, whatever, you're the one who has to juggle a thousand items and a bulky bag."

Alec heaved a sigh. "Can't you at least try to be optimistic that maybe you'll meet one person who you can talk to?" he asked morosely. "It's supposed to be fun! And good food! Speaking of, should I carry our contribution?"
 
Daizi inhaled slowly, "I just know this is an unfamiliar environment for her, and I want to be certain we can keep her happy so those of us who do not have much access to the outside world do not have to leave early."

"Am I not optimistic?" He nearly smiled, "I have committed to attending."
 
"You can always hand her over to mister black britches over there and give him an out," Xander pointed out.

Alec gave him a look. "You're going because your wife convinced you that it was the better choice."
 
"And I'm sure I will," Daizi sighed, zipping up the bag, "but is it too much to ask I be trusted with knowing what to pack for my daughter? She has never been to something like this before, and I've never brought a baby to something like this before, so I'm just trying to do what feels natural."

Dark nodded, "Yes, and I always optimistically believe my wife knows what is best for me." He rolled his shoulders back, disentangling his bead from Ivy's little hands, "I am going to play nice, but that does not mean I am excited for it."
 
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Xander held up his hands, finally realizing he was pushing sensitive buttons. "I just thought less might make it easier for you. That's all." He turned and walked toward the door, trying to distance himself from Daizi.

"Uh-huh," Alec grinned. "I'm sure that's how it works, but as long as you play nice, I guess you can feel however you like about it. Me, I'm totally excited! Are we ready to go?
 
"I know," Daizi replied more calmly as Xander walked away, "I just have to be able to trust myself, and if it's too much I'll learn for next time. But I'd rather bring too much."

"I work very hard to not be intentionally cold," Dark said, vaguely teasing as he picked up the diaper bag, "but yes, I think we are ready to go. We have the food, we are not running late but will not be the first people there. "
 
"And we are absolutely fashionable!" Alec said happily. "Although Xander looks a bit more like a black hole than anything else."

"And you look like a bag of skittles," Xander told him.

Alec smiled brightly. "Thanks!"

Xander sighed and opened the door, slipping on his shoes as he did so. "Shall we go get this over with?"
 
"You have a friend there." Dark said, following his sons out as Daizi put on her shoes and came after them, uncertain of if she should bring her cane or not. Just like like everything else in her diaper bag, she decided to bring it just in case. It never hurt to be able to tap her way around the yard if Dark or the boys were away from her.

When they made it across the street, Blair opened the door. She was average height, with dyed blonde hair which had been artifically straightened, she wore the most perfect wealthy suburbanite outfit, and when she smiled, her forehead didn't wrinkle, "Hi! Come in, we're so glad you made it! Everyone's just outside. Oh," She pointed at the food Alec was carrying, "I hope that's not too spicy! Oh, come in. Aw, now isn't she cute! And how nice it is she takes after her Daddy!"
 
"A friend who's likely going to buried under one heck of a mask," Xander muttered to himself, but quietly so that hopefully Dark wouldn't hear.

"It's absolutely perfect, and it smells like there's already a lot of good food here!" Alec said brightly. "It is a delight to meet you, Mrs. Applebaum. I would like to consider myself a friend of Sloan's at school. She is truly the most helpful and kind person I have ever met! By the way, I love your shirt. It matches your skin tone beautifully. Where should I put this food? Out back?" He was already moving in that direction slowly.
 
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