How Green Becomes Wood

"I would love to check it out," Daizi said, taking a few steps forward, "We're going to be out of the home for a little while this afternoon, but I think we're in all day tomorrow. We're trying to get ready for the Fourth of July, since the twins celebrate."
 
"I'll stop by tomorrow. Follow me." Lex paused and asked, "Do you mind holding my arm? I can guide you around all my stuff I've got laying out." She offered Daizi her arm before leading her through the house toward her forge. It wasn't too cluttered, but there were random items sitting around and the furniture was arranged so there wasn't a straight line. It was easy for a sighted person to navigate.

"Yeah, the fourth," Lex grumbled. "Not my favorite as much as I like fireworks. Too many idiots also love them. But Toby has a competition during that week, so we won't bother doing much except taking advantage of junk food sales."
 
"No, that would be helpful, thank you," Daizi said, stumbling to find Lex's arm, unsure if she would have made it otherwise. "I can't say it's our favourite holiday either. It's hard being citizens here but also immigrants, we enjoy living here, but we can't exactly say we're patriotic for this country. Will you be home? Or is his competition away?'
 
"It's a couple of towns over, so I'm trying to finish up some other projects I have before going. If I can't get them done, I'll have to stick around to finish them so they aren't late," Lex told her. "There's a door and a step down here." She moved slowly so Daizi would have time to find the step. "The gate is just right over here."
 
"Well I hope you have fun," Daizi said, taking a very cautious step down, feeling with her toes to gage the depth of it. "We're a bit worried. Ivy was a bit frightened of the fireworks we had yesterday, I'm a bit worried how the holiday itself will go, because there will be a lot more."
 
"Oh, I hadn't thought of that," Lex said in surprise. "I guess that would be a problem. Do they make ear muffs for babies? Or maybe something like that?" She stopped and said, "I need both hands to move the gate out, so if you can just hold tight right here for just a sec."

After ensuring Daizi was okay, Lex stepped away so she could pull the partially finished gate from behind a protective blanket. It wasn't very big, so she carried it over and set it down directly in front of Daizi, holding it upright. "If you reach forward and down, you'll feel the top. I have the outside frame and half of the inner decorations done."
 
"They do, and we have a set, but I don't think they'd be very comfortable for her to sleep in. And that's the problem, isn't it? Fireworks are in the evening, and babies don't tend to stay up then." Daizi explained, standing patient and still while she brought the gate over for her to examine, not mentioning her deeper concern. "We thought about driving over to Cooger's place, but the twins want to stay home."

Then she bent down to feel the gate, and helped Ivy to as well, taking her time to really understand it. Then, still crouched, she smiled and said, "This is coming out better than we had hoped. Thank you."
 
"Ooo, good point," Lex winced. "That sucks. But I hear Cooger's got a nice, quiet place, so maybe they'll change their minds. Either way, there won't be any fireworks from my place."

When Daizi praised the gate, Lex smiled in satisfaction. "I'm glad you like it. I have a couple of deadlines that snuck up on me with Toby's competitions, but I should have it done next week."
 
"Maybe. But I'm glad they won't be right next door. That's one really nice thing about being the last house on the block, we only have to worry about neighbors on one side. If you aren't shooting any off, that means the closest we can have them is across the street, which makes things much, much easier." She took one more careful feel of the gate and then stood up, adjusting how she had Ivy as she did so. "Take your time, I know we're approaching the time when this one starts crawling, but if she beats you, we'll just have to keep a closer eye on her than we already would. You're doing us a kindness, neither of us are going to put you to task."
 
"I don't mind if you do," Lex told her cheerfully as she picked up the gate to move it back to where it was. "One of the reasons I take commissions is because I have so many ideas, I'm constantly moving onto the next before the first one is finished. Having someone waiting on a project helps me actually finish it as well as things I make for myself because there's less time for my own projects. I don't know. It's weird to try to explain. Want me to take you back to the front door? I don't want to keep you here yakking if you've got other stuff you gotta do, as much as I do love a good yakking session."
 
"Well, you're in a race against a baby, so do with that what you will." Daizi chuckled, taking Lex's arm again, "I do enjoy getting to talk with you, and I still think we should do it more. But right now I should probably get back home, Dark is bound to be home in not too long a time, and then we're all heading out for the afternoon, and I still have to put together her diaper bag. Ivy-Qadira is very, very high maintenance."
 
"I never got to do the diaper bag thing," Lex admitted, guiding Daizi back. "Is it weird miss the hassles? Anyway, I don't doubt she is. She looks like a queen. Skipped right over princess, didn't you, sprout?" She stopped by the door and opened it for Daizi. "Thanks for stopping by."
 
"I know that I'm going to," Daizi agreed, snuggling Ivy close and grinning at the way her daughter curled against her, feeling her search for and find security and comfort. "And she makes everything worth it. I think she knows we waited a very long time for her, and so she's making the most of it now." She kissed Ivy's head, and then said, "I'm glad I did. Dark will be pleased to know how close we are to having a baby gate. He worries about her. I'm sure I will talk to you soon."
 
"See you later!" Lex said, waving automatically before retreating into her own house.

Alec was in the living room sitting on the floor next to the coffee table and drawing with colorful bits of crayon and enjoying the color and the childish nature while trying to create something "mature" looking.
 
"Good news," Daizi said as she returned inside, "Lex has no plans to set off fireworks. So that's one crisis averted."

When Dark was on his way home from therapy, he called Daizi, who walked into a different room to speak with him, and much to her surprise, they ended up talking for the entire drive over the phone, which wasn't usual. When Dark came inside to get them, he still had a bit of an almost bemused look on his face, but he asked, "Are you ready to go?" followed shortly by, "What are you drawing?"
 
"Yay!" Alec cheered and then watched with mild puzzlement as Daizi disappeared with Ivy. He shrugged it off and returned to his drawing. It did strike him as odd that she was gone so long, but not enough to warrant concern. Xander came in after a while, checked on Alec, and then moved to sit at the top of the stairs and write in his journal.

When Dark came in, Alec looked up with a grin. "Hi! I can be ready as soon as I put this away." He stood and offered the drawing tablet to Dark to see. "It's just... swirls." There were three starting points of swirls, each beginning as a primary color and then blending outward in a delicate rainbow of controlled color. The edges feathered out into thin lines. It was a simple design, but each stroke was perfect and thoughtful.
 
"That looks great," Dark approved, taking the tablet to get a better look at it before passing it back, "It is very modern. I am glad you are making full use of colour, it suits you."
 
"Thanks," Alec smiled, taking it back. He scooped up his crayons, making certain to get each one, and ran upstairs to put them away.

"Ready," Xander said, coming downstairs with Alec. "Enkidu, you're in charge of the house. Make sure the rats stay where they belong."
 
"And make sure they're still alive when we get home," Daizi said gently, scratching Enkidu beneath the chin before following her husband out and buckling Ivy into her car seat. Dark was a bit quieter than usual, but that wasn't itself odd, because he often was after his appointments. What was a little strange was his short little exhale every so often, the way people do when they see an amusing image on their phone. But he didn't address it, and drove them to the flower shop.
 
Alec and Xander glanced at Dark curiously, but they knew better than to ask. Alec was curious, but if Dark wanted to tell them, he would. So, they settled back and waited until they reached the downtown area.

Tristan's shop was a small storefront made up mostly of glass windows with a tiny, round stand on either side of the door with three levels each filled with cut flowers in simple vases. The name, Peaceful Petals, decorated the top of the doorway in rounded letters. The doorway was wider than most of the others on the block, and a tiny ramp covered the door jam.
 
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