How Green Becomes Wood

"Hey, that's not fair. He is absolutely not forgotten on his birthday, he just refuses to allow me to really celebrate," Daizi pointed out, fighting back a laugh, "From the moment I finally got him to tell me when his birthday actually is, I have never missed one."

"I am a man of mystery and contradictions. You are free to continue to puzzle over me." Dark drawled, rolling his eyes as he pulled on his coat. "I have to go pick up our guests from the airport, I love you." With that, he went out while Daizi cackled, besotted.
 
"Drive safe!" Alec called, waving enthusiastically. Once Dark was out the door, he turned to Daizi. "Let's give him a teeny, tiny party for his birthday!"

"And balloons," Xander agreed.
 
"His birthday," Xander drawled mischievously, "is the absolutely perfect time to poke the bear."

"We could have a poke the bear game instead of pin the tail on the donkey!" Alec said cheerfully. "Mama, I didn't dare try while Ba was here considering the state he was in, but I made a banner that says 'Marhaban.' Can I hang it up?"
 
Torn between her love of a prank and her protectiveness of her husband, Daizi hesitated, "We can think about it. He deserves not to feel like a fool on his birthday, especially his 40th birthday. He already feels like he has one foot in the grave. But if we have a tiny, tiny party, we can't spring it on him, and it has to be really, really small. Only people he would agree to invite." Which essentially just meant Cooger, but she wasn't going to say so explicitly, "I think the banner is a wonderful idea. Just be sure to not to hurt yourself putting it up."
 
Because Daizi couldn't see him, Xander allowed himself a smirk. Ha! Despite his protests of how young he was, Dark did feel old! He didn't think he'd ever do anything with that information, but he was strangely satisfied to know it. He only said, "I think you mean only invite Cooger, which is not exactly a party, but we have time to figure that out later."

"Nevermind future parties that may or may not happen," Alec scolded. "We have this party to worry about! Even if it's not really a party, it's a gathering of people. "Come on! Help me hang the banner!"

Xander joined his brother and helped him hang the homemade banner welcoming Daizi's family right where they'd see it when they walked in. It was simple but colorful, and they made sure it was easy to take down for later.
 
"If we invite people he wouldn't, he wouldn't enjoy himself much, would he? The four of us, Cooger, and himself leaves us with six. That's double what he's used to for his birthday." Daizi pointed out with a wink.

As the twins set to work hanging the banner, Daizi used the baby sling to put Ivy onto her back and then went outside to cut flowers for the dining room and the twins' bedroom. If Ivy were older, she'd have put some into the living room, but as things stood now, the vase would be tipped over and broken almost immediately.
 
"How long until Ba and the others get here?" Alec asked, fussing with the banner until Xander made him leave it alone. "Everything is so clean and sparkly in here I don't want to even sit down."
 
"It's hard to say, exactly. It depends on how long baggage claims takes. And if the plane lands on time, but I struggle tracking that. I can give you their flight number, if that helps." Daizi offered, trying very hard to keep Ivy contained so she didn't immediately destroy all of Dark's hard work. "Would you put Enkidu on the stairs? I don't want him to trample my aunt."

Ultimately, a little over an hour later, Dark's care pulled into the driveway and he opened the door for his relatives. Amty Zeinab came in first, visibly tired from the flight, but as she took off her shoes and touched the salt, she didn't even look at the house as she excitedly greeted everyone, immediately pulling Daizi into the biggest hug she could manage. Saladin, however, took a few moments to size up the place before making a more restrained hello.
 
Xander moved Enkidu to the stairs, telling he was a good boy and that soon others would come to say hello to him. Alec did his best to help Daizi keep Ivy entertained without destroying the place or getting toys everywhere.

When they heard the car pull up, the twins lined up to greet everyone, still trying to stay out of the way. Xander didn't say much, but he nodded to the newcomers. Alec smiled pleasantly and said his greeting in Arabic.
 
"It is so, so good to see you habibti," Amty Zeinab murmured, swaying Daizi, "It has been too long."

"I know, Amty," Daizi replied, squeezing her eyes shut, just savouring the moment like she was a little kid, "I missed you."

"Oh, I missed you too," Zeinab murmured before finally letting go, after holding her grand-neice's face in her hands for a few moments. Only then did she greet the twins. When her family came inside, Daizi had given Ivy to Alec, so she could hug her aunt with both arms, and now Zeinab was looking at the three of them with a bright grin, "Oh look at the three of you! You're taller than last year, I think, but I still don't think you're being fed properly, look at you! At least you two aren't," She put her hand on Alec's shoulder, angling him so she could get a better look. Their faces she didn't quite know how to tell apart, but even if Dark hadn't told her how each twin was dressed, she had seen enough of them to know which twin wore colours, and that one was the one allowed to be touched, "You're so thin! Oh, but Qadira, you look healthy!"

As Dark made trips back to the car to bring in Zeinab's bags for her, Saladin went up to his daughter and rather than hugging her, awkwardly touched her shoulder, "Hello, Daizi."

"Hello, Baba."

Saladin glanced around for a few moments, "The banner is..."

"Alec made it."

"Oh. It is good."
 
"Hello, Amty!" Alec greeted her happily, turning Ivy so she could see her great-aunt. "You look fantastic! I promise I eat well, but then I work and play very hard." He nodded toward his brother. "His appetite can never be satisfied."

Xander nodded soberly. "It is never enough," he agreed. "I think I could eat an entire," he paused to try to remember which animals were allowed for eating and which weren't, "sheep, wool and all, and I would still be hungry."

"Ivy, Ivy-Qadira, look who is here to see you!" Alec cooed to Ivy. "She came such a long way to celebrate your big day!"
 
Laughing good naturedly, Zeinab said, "It's probably best to save the wool, but you're just a growing boy, it's only natural you're hungry. But I'll make sure you don't go without while I'm here. And you, Miss Qadira! You've gotten so big! When I last saw you, you were only this big," She held up her hands to demonstrate and then gently took her into her arms. Although initially Ivy fussed a little bit, not used to this stranger, Zeinab was gentle enough that she was soon settled.

"Do you want to sit?" Daizi asked, "We should sit. Can I get either of you something to drink?"

"No, habibti," Zeinab assured her, waving one hand, "You have done enough."

"Xander, would you help me bring these bags upstairs?" Dark asked, setting one of the suitcases down.
 
"Are you sure you don't want anything?" Alec asked, watching them and staying where he was, halfway between Zeinab and the luggage as he tried to figure out where he was best suited.

Xander hurried to help Dark, relieved to have something to do that he could focus on. He helped Dark gather up the bags and started treking them up the stairs. He didn't say anything, just carried the bags and got them situated in the newly cleaned and tidied room. He'd given up his wardrobe for Zeinab and had once more shoved his clothes in with Alec's. The doors to the empty wardrobe stood open to signify that she could use it if she wanted to.
 
"Oh no," Zeinab promised, waving one hand, "I'd just like to put my feet up."

"I'm sure you're exhausted. Please, let me at least get you some water. You too, Baba, please." Daizi smiled softly, desperate for this go well. Saladin relented more quickly than his aunt, so Daizi requested Alec go get them both a glass of water. It seemed kinder than making him sit alone with these two strangers.

Luckily, by the time he returned with water, Daizi was chatting happily with her aunt while her father watched Ivy from a distance. Clearly, as awkward as he clearly was, he was very interested in his granddaughter, even though she was mostly ignoring him.
 
Alec quickly went to fetch the waters, going back to get more waters for everyone else. He carefully sat the glasses down and then chose a spot that seemed mostly out of the way while still being within easy conversation engagement space. He watched Saladin out of the corner of his eye, trying not to make it awkward for anyong.
 
"The bells..." Saladin began, gesturing down at Ivy. "They are so you can find her?"

"Yes, Baba," Daizi answered, turning towards him.

"Ah. That is cute." He nodded, "and she, her eyesight? It is... okay?"

"Yes, she sees perfectly."

"Good. Good." This was a conversation they had before, but seeing the baby crawl around made him ask again.

"Alec," Zeinab began, looking at Alec, "Your mother tells me so much about you. You spin in a wheel?"
 
"Yes!" Alec said, brightening at the topic. "It's called a Cyr wheel. It came from East Germany back in the... 50's, I think. The wheel I use is a bit different from the original design, but it is so much fun! It's hard to practice thanks to how big it is, but I really, really enjoy doing it."
 
"I suppose the East Germans had to do something with their time in the fifties," Zeinab chuckled, "I would love to see it while I am here, if I may. It is something I have never seen before, and there is no telling if I will have the opportunity again."

"You will live forever, Amty, inshallah." Saladin said, sitting stiff as ever in the chair, looking away from his granddaughter to examine the house again as Dark returned downstairs.

"Whenever you are ready, I would be glad to show you to your room," He said courteously, bending to scoop up Ivy who made a beeline for him as soon as he came into the room.

"Oh, I am in no rush, I have to get caught up with what your children have been up to! I heard you changed your names?"
 
"I would love to show you!" Alec said excitedly to Zeinab's desire to see the Cyr wheel.

Xander followed behind Dark, hanging back a little until he spotted space next to Alec. When he realized Zeinab's question was aimed at them, he said, "Yeah, it felt right, so we changed it to our parents' room, Wahid-Dark."

"It was a really nice little ceremony and everything," Alec said. "It's probably going to be the best day of our lives for a long while."
 
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