How Green Becomes Wood

Daizi nodded along although she had absolutely no idea what anything he said meant until he explained himself, "Oh, I think my husband met you yesterday. He described you as energetic." She smiled lightly, "I guess you and your mother both really know how to make a good first impression."
 
"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "Oh, is your husband the big dude with the rad tattoos? He's awesome!" He glanced up at the sky. "Uh, I should probably get back home. I was just supposed to take a break before helping Mom figure out the kitchen. The sink is leaking something awful."
 
"Yeah, he is. And I'm sure he'll love being described that way." She chuckled, bending again to pet her dog, who still sat very still and serious by her side. "I'm Daizi, my friends all call me Tarot, by the way, and this is Enkidu. And if you need the number of a good repairman, we know someone. He's the best."
 
"Do you mind?" Toby asked hopefully. "Mom's pretty handy, but plumbing is like her, uh, Greek dude's foot, you know?" He grinned and shifted his board to the other hand. "We don't know who's good in this area yet, so a handyman would be great."
 
"It's no problem, he's a close family friend so you're really doing us a favor." She said, walking back towards their homes, "I'll just run inside and grab his business card, okay?" Once they got to her house, she hurried inside, grabbed her purse, took out Cooger's card, and then hurried back down to Toby, handing it to him, "He's the best, and he's practically over here all the time anyway."
 
"Thanks!" Toby said, taking the card. "And sorry again about the scare. I should have been more careful. I'll try to alert you next time if we get close, alright? And, better yet, not get too close ever." He waved cheerfully - forgetting that Daizi couldn't see, and carried his board and the card back to his house.
 
"It's alright," Daizi assured him, now that she was calm, "Just try to keep an eye out for me." Then she went back into the house again, shut the door, kicked off her shoes, touched the salt, and sighed heavily to breathe out the rest of the scare. That was terrible. But he was apologetic and she was okay, so that was really all she could ask for.
 
Alec slid into the room on his socks, smiling. "I thought I heard you come in, but then I didn't see you!" His smile faded into one of concern. "Are you alright? Did something happen?"
 
"Yeah, I'm okay. Don't worry, habibi. I just had a little bit of a fright, that's all. The new neighbor, Toby, well, he skateboards, and neither of us knew to look out for each other." She explained, going into the cupboard to make tea, "He clattered onto the pavement but he only hit my arm with his. He's just a little scraped up, and I'm alright."
 
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"No, I'm alright, really. But thank you." She sighed, running a hand through her hair, "I'm just glad I decided not to bring Ivy. That's what I kept thinking about, you know? What if I had been holding her. And it's an exercise in futility, because I hadn't been holding her, and even if I had been, he didn't crash into me, so it would've been just as fine as it is now. But it's still the only thing I can think about."
 
"Do you want me to make you tea while you go see Ivy and maybe touch her hand or something?" Alec suggested, walking over to her. He touched her arm gently. "Unless a hug from me will help you feel a little better."
 
Upon feeling his touch, Daizi turned towards him and hugged him tightly, bending over so she could bury her face against his shoulder. She was okay, she knew that. She was okay. She wasn't hurt, she was home, nothing bad had happened. But damn if it wasn't scary. Although she wasn't crying, her inhale trembled, and she stayed there for a few moments.
 
When Daizi finally pulled away she said, "Thank you. I know. It just made me feel... very small, I guess. And powerless." She rubbed her arm where they had collided, "I guess it did hurt a little... I'd ask you not to tell Xander because I don't want him to get off to a bad start with the neighbors, but I know that'd be like asking me to keep a secret from Dark. I'm not going to make you commit to something like that."
 
Alec considered. "How about I agree to not go out of my way to tell him? If it comes up, I'll tell him. Or I'll think of a way to tell him that isn't too painful. But I won't deliberately keep it from him."
 
"No it's okay," She assured him, "I just don't want him to be upset. You know how he can be, I don't want him to feel like he needs to defend me or cause him to have some vendetta against the neighbors when it was just an accident."
 
Alec smiled and nodded. "Okay. I will tell him as nicely as possible. I really don't want to keep things from him, but I also do want him to be angry with someone before he's even met them. But... was the neighbor boy nice, at least?"
 
"He was. And very apologetic. He offered to walk me home, but I said my husband and one of my sons would probably skin him. And that you'd be too anxious to ever let me outside alone again," She chuckled, ruffling Alec's hair before smoothing it again. "I would never ask you to keep anything from Xander. Unless we were planning some happy surprise for him."
 
"I do like happy surprises, and he is overdue for one," Alec mused. "We should consider doing something like that for him." He decided not to comment on the fact that he was worried about letting Daizi go out by herself with a reckless skateboarder on the loose. That might annoy her, but he couldn't help it! She knew her sons all too well.
 
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