How Green Becomes Wood

"Of course she is, she is my granddaughter." Saladin said resolutely.

"The resilience she gets from her father." Daizi said calmly but confidently, knowing with complete certainty she was egging him on. At the same time, she knew Saladin was doing precisely the same thing.

He looked at her, eyes slightly narrowed, "She must be stubborn too. It is so difficult, dealing with stubborn children."

Throughout this conversation, Dark stared into the middle distance and kept his mouth shut.
 
The twins glanced around the room and then at each other. This was going to be one very long week. What could they even do about this? They weren't sure what to do or say, so, for now, they copied Dark and stayed silent until everyone was done eating. Then they both popped up from their chairs and hurried to clean up and put everything away.
 
"I suppose I should go back to the lodging." Saladin said, rising to his feet, "I'm weary from the traveling."

Dark stood, heading to the door, "I will drive you. I suppose we will see you tomorrow?"

Also rising to her feet, Daizi hurried to her father to say goodbye but awkwardly stood at the door with him, holding Ivy. After looking at her for a few moments, he put his hand briefly on her shoulder and said goodbyes to his aunt, grandchildren, and Daizi. Then he and Dark went out for a car ride Daizi didn't envy.

Zeinab chuckled, shaking her head, and went to find the twins, bringing her purse with her, "I have something for you."
 
Alec gave Xander a little nudge. "You should offer to drive him next time."

Xander gave a slight nod. "Yep. I should. If they'll let me. You know how Ba is with stuff like that."

"Worth a try," Alec said.

They turned as Zeinab came up to them, and Alec lit up with a smile. "Do you really? I've never been given anything by a great aunt before."

"Great-great aunt?" Xander asked, trying to trace it.
 
"Great-great aunt, but Amty is fine," She replied, waving it off, "but that isn't true, you know, I snuck something into your giftbags last time I was here." She went into her purse and pulled out two envelopes which she handed to each twin, inside each was fifty dollars, "Do not tell your parents, they'll fuss at me. And," She fished around in her purse for a few moments before presenting them both with a piece of the Egyptian version of the sorts of candy all old women seemingly had on them at all times.
 
"Oh, Amty!" Alec gasped, his eyes going wide. "Thank you!"

Xander didn't say anything at first, shocked into silence. He accepted the candy just as solemnly as he did the envelope. "Thank you, Amty."

Alec looked at her seriously. "We promise to put it to very good use and not tell. Thank you!" He started to go in for a hug but stopped himself, unsure if that was proper. True, she'd been here before, but the focus had primarily been on Ivy, even for him, and everything was so chaotic.
 
Zeinab tutted, hugging Alec when she saw him move that way. She smelled like jasmine and she was soft all over. They had forgotten she had given them that much the year before, but she couldn't fault them for that, it was quite a year. "You're welcome. But put it towards something fun."
 
Alec smiled and hugged her back as firmly as he dared. She was the most comforting person he had ever been around, and that was even including his mother! "I will. Promise," he assured her. "Thank you."

Xander considered his thoughtfully. "This is going to translate to a lot of fun. Thank you, Amty."
 
"Good," She chuckled, pulling back, "Because don't think your Mama doesn't tell me about you two. You're almost men, but you're still boys now." She yawned and stretched, "But I'll lecture you better later, I think it's time for me to lie down. One day you will take that flight and you will be amazed my old bones survived it."
 
"I look forward to taking the flight and seeing your home," Xander told her honestly. "It's really good to have you here."

"Would you like for me to show you to your room now?" Alec offered. "It's a nice space. I hope the bed is soft enough for you. Or hard enough."
 
"It's really good to be here," Amty Zeinab replied brightly, "I'd be glad for you to show me to my room, Alec, you're such a gentleman. And I'm sure the bed will be just fine, if I know anything, it's that your father is careful about what he buys."
 
"Always, even when he gets excited and wants to buy everything in the store," Alec said, leading her up the stairs. "It only happens sometimes, like when he walks into a store that is all about the Halloween decorations. We went to a great one just the other day! It was attached to a pumpkin patch. Do you have pumpkin patches where you live, and are they a seasonal event?"
 
Zeinab chuckled, "That sounds like him. I think he's such a sweet boy, when he's brave enough to be. If you had seen him the first time he visited our home..." She chuckled, shaking her head, "Egypt does have pumpkins, but I do not think we engage with them the way you do. Halloween is a much more recent thing, for us. Daizi once sat me down to explain its origin, I remember none of it, but she likes to talk about those things. And I know how much the two of them love the holiday," She lightly pinched at some of the fake webbing as she turned down the hall.
 
"He sounds like a more extreme version of Xander," Alec admitted. "Much more extreme, but similar. When we were younger, Halloween was a no-no. Our Mum, she was kind of raised Catholic, and while she didn't real stay Catholic, some things just stick with you, you know? So, we were told to just avoid. Didn't hate on it, just avoid it. Although I really hated it when I was younger because I had a few bad scares with people in costume. It's not so bad now, and sometimes we could get some candy when it was on sale. That was nice." He opened the door and presented the room to her. "Here you are, Amty! Your home away from home!"
 
"I've heard a little bit about you and your brother. I can see the comparison." She furrowed her eyebrows for a few moments, considering some memory, but then decided against sharing it, "Muslims aren't meant to celebrate it, either. But I think of all the forbidden things, it is not particularly serious to wear a costume at the end of October. But do not tell my friends I said so." She winked, and after thanking Alec for showing her to the room, she went inside and shut the door to get some rest.
 
Alec giggled, bit her good night, and retreated back to the living room to join his brother. Together, they took down the banner and rolled it up to store away. Maybe it could be used again, maybe not, or maybe it could be turned into something else. It was a nice banner. Then they went around and made certain everything was spick and span clean, trying to ease Dark's mind a little bit.
 
Later that night, after Dark had made it home safely and Ivy had been put to bed, Daizi knocked lightly on the twins' door to check on her aunt and make sure she didn't need anything. After learning who was there, she was allowed in, and Zeinab gently sat Daizi down on the side of the bed with her, "Let me take a look at you, habibti," She said, switching on the light, "It was so busy before, I didn't get to."

"I just wanted to see if you needed anything," Daizi said, but didn't pull away from the feeling of Amty Zeinab's fingers cupping her face and running through her hair.
As she ran her thumb across her great-niece's cheek, Zeinab sighed, "You look tired."

"I am tired," Daizi answered, shutting her eyes, "I have three kids."

"You do... that's a different kind of tired. That's not what I'm talking about." Zeinab replied, putting her hands on Daizi's shoulders and following down the length of her arms until they were holding hands.

Inhaling softly, Daizi angled her chin up and away, turning her face over her shoulder, "I don't... It's okay, Amty. You don't have to worry."

"Of course I do, you're my niece. You're my favourite niece, but don't tell anyone I said so."

"I won't, Amty." Daizi said, lowering her head, partially to obscure the slight smile at the confirmation of what she had been guessing. But also because she didn't want to talk about it, so she couldn't let her aunt see her face.

Zeinab sighed softly and pulled Daizi in to her shoulder gently, "Precious girl... life has so often been unkind to you, hasn't it? It's okay. We don't need to talk tonight. But I'll be right here with you for the next few weeks. You come to me when you're ready. And don't tell me you're okay."

"Amty..."

"Yeslamli l amar," Zeinab murmured. May you stay healthy, little moon. "Go rest, now, I'm sure your husband is missing you in that bed of yours."

"I had come to check on you, not the other way around," Daizi murmured, but Zeinab just rubbed her arm and shooed her off to bed.

"While I still live, Daizi, it will always be the other way around."
 
The twins finished cleaning up the house, and once they were absolutely certain everything was clean - Alec even got on his hands and knees to inspect the corners of the floor - they sat on the couch and quietly discussed what they were going to do with their gift from Zeinab. They both agreed they should honor the spirit of the gift and do something fun, but it was so generous! It seemed too much to spend on themselves frivolously. How could they? Then again, they didn't have to spend it all at once. Or maybe they could treat themselves to some kind of event with just the two of them.

While they talked, they kept an eye out for Dark. They knew he would not particularly want to talk with them, that Daizi would be the one he would look for, but they could at least get him some tea. Maybe a blanket. And they wanted to make sure he got home safely.
 
After driving Saladin to the AirBNB, Dark had gone to sit outside with Enkidu. It had gotten a bit cold when the sun set, but he sat out there on the bench swing without a jacket, face angled upwards as he watched the stars. Whatever he was contemplating was locked behind his eyes.
 
It took the twins a bit to realize Dark was home and outside. Once they did, they both stood staring out at him contemplatively. After a bit, Alec fetched a heavy quilted blanket, and Xander made up a cup of Dark's favorite tea. They took the tea and blanket outside, and Alec very carefully drapped it over Dark's shoulders. Xander put the tea next to Dark, trying to ensure it wouldn't spill. Then they sat down not next to Dark but near him, giving him space but being there for him.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top