How Green Becomes Wood

"I'm glad they're so bonded. Sometimes you really just need someone to talk to. And who will really listen. I don't know much about horse behavior, but I think it helps with people." She smiled, bouncing Ivy on her hip, "I'd like to visit again. He was a very sweet horse."
 
As Daizi untangled Ivy's fingers from her hair, she knew Ivy would have a lot of fun seeing the horses. But instead, she said, "I would love to do something just with you. We could go out for lunch after."
 
"Cool," Xander nodded. "I'll call tomorrow to make sure it's okay, but it should be fine. They encourage parents to come to sessions and stuff. It encourages, you know, participation and family and stuff."
 
"Just let me know. I'll make time whatever day is best for the center, just as long as it's not next Saturday, obviously." She rubbed Ivy's back, trying to stomp down her excitement and nerves about her plans for next weekend. It was only a week away, and that was more than a bit intimidating. "Any other day, though, seriously."
 
"I think next Thursday is best, but I'll double check," Xander assured her. "Big plans for next Saturday, that's for sure!" He paused and glanced around. "Where is Ba? In his shed?"
 
"It's very stressful, actually. I can't imagine how he must have felt, considering how much bigger him proposing was. If he says no on Saturday, which I doubt, nothing will really have changed..." She trailed off, getting lost in the memory for a moment before coming back to earth, "Actually, he decided to help out at Tristan's store, since Alec is grounded. He should be home soon."
 
A slow grin passed over Daizi's face, "I hope he does. I can't see it, but I can imagine them." She pinched her fingers together, imagining the touch of the petals. "He should be home soon, and you can find out. In the meanwhile, I have to give this one a bath."
 
"If there's any in his hair, I'll let you know so you can pick them out," Xander told her.

"Do you need any help?" Alec asked his mother meekly. He wouldn't help with the actual bathing as he still felt highly uncomfortable with seeing his little sister naked, but he'd help set up or fetching things.
 
"I'd love it if you did," Daizi grinned, and to Alec she said, "Well, you can if you'd like. I'm not really sure what there is for you to do, but even if you just want to sit with us, it'd be lovely. She's too little for bubble baths, still, so it's not very fun to draw up."
 
"When will she be old enough for bubble baths?" Alec asked, following because it was better than staying.

Xander sat on the floor in his usual spot with his homework spread out before him. He had a lot to untangle before he could even come close to being willing to let go of his anger with his brother. Starting with why for the first time he was willing to take someone else's side over that of his twin. That was an uncomfortable thought he didn't want to touch.
 
"Not until she's three, I think," Daizi replied, heading upstairs to her bathroom. It may have been a deep tub, but it was the one she was most familiar with, and therefore the one she felt safest using. "Can you hold her for a minute while I get the water running?"
 
Thankfully, since Ivy loved water, bathtime wasn't a scary word for her, so she just cooed in absolute delight as Daizi ran the bath. Knelt down by the side of the tub, Daizi took great pains to make the water a safe but comfortable temperature, and then took Ivy and brought her back to the nursery to undress and change her before bringing her back, wrapped snuggly in a bath towel shaped like a frog.

"Okay, sweet girl," Daizi hummed, trusting Alec knew when to look away as she transferred Ivy into the bath. All Ivy's bath supplies were already nearby, but she didn't immediately start cleaning Ivy, since the moment Ivy was in the water, she was squealing with delight and splashing.
 
Alec looked away when Ivy went into the water, but once everything was out of sight, he sat on the floor in the doorway to keep them company, listening to the sounds of Ivy squealing and splashing away. At least someone was living their absolute best life.
 
The worst part of bathtime was how absolutely soaked Daizi and the rest of the bathroom became, but Daizi couldn't help but play along, picking up ducks and boats and waving them for her. It crossed her mind what hell bathtime must have been for Tara, with two babies, but what fun it must have been for Alec and Xander. She wanted to ask what they remembered, and who got the side of the tub with the faucet, knowing it was unlikely would have been in one with the faucet on the side. But it seemed like it'd rub Alec raw, so she avoided.

She did try to make light conversation with him, though, as she gently scrubbed Ivy clean, so he felt included, in between her comments to Ivy about what a chubby baby she was and how good she was being in her bath.
 
Alec couldn't help smiling as Daizi and Ivy played. Once in a while, a toy escaped, and he would carefully toss it back into the tub for Ivy. He responded readily to Daizi's conversation, clinging to that tiny sense of normalcy. He agreed, Ivy was the cutest, chubbiest baby in the entire world. And now the wettest! It was a lot of fun watching bathtime as Daizi got wetter and wetter, and when it was finally time to coax Ivy out of the water, he stayed behind to try to get everything dry. It was the least he could do, he felt.
 
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