How Green Becomes Wood

"To save your life I would push through the discomfort." Dark said cautiously.

Daizi sighed dramatically, "I can only hope so... He had such a wonderful singing voice and I hardly ever get to hear it."
 
"Not if you're a tiny traveling troupe, I bet! Every stagehand is a player, and every player a stagehand," Alec grinned, stepping ahead. He reached out to guide Daizi so she wouldn't feel like she was wandering alone into the unknown.

"Yeah, but I kind of doubt we're that small of a band," Xander said, waiting for Daizi and walking in behind her.
 
"Goose, you don't have to sing if you don't want to," Daizi promised, "even though I really like to hear you sing."

"I know you do," Dark said before going up to the host stand so they could be seated.
 
The twins had a lot of fun at the Greek restaurant, talking about the play and the people in the play and what they would do if they were in their situation. Xander still refused to say he had a good time, but from his heated debates with Alec, especially over whether or not it was a good thing the story got told over and over, whether or not Hades was in the right about the wall, and similar topics, he had definitely been paying attention. They went home, carefully put away their things, and then collapsed happily.

Early the next morning, Rummy sat waiting for Cooger in a McDonald's lounge area. She had a cup of coffee, but from her expression, she wasn't particularly in love with it. Still, it was hot liquid first thing on a cold morning. It was worth a few sips.
 
Dark and Daizi enjoyed the meal and enjoyed talking about the musical with them, sharing things they liked and didn't like about it. At some point Daizi frowned, took a sip of wine, and asked, "So, if it's implied Hades had sex with Eurydice in his office, does that mean that's how he treats all of the dead?" even though she understood how the implication was probably a unique situation.

When they finally returned home, Dark and Daizi greeted Ivy warmly and had just a bit of time with her before it was time to lay her to sleep. Although she didn't remember all of the words, Daizi did her best to sing We Raise Our Cups to her as she rocked her goodnight.

The next morning, Cooger arrived on time since this was business not for pleasure and seeing Rumy approached her cautiously, praying he he had the correct person, "Excuse me," he asked, "Are you Rumy?"
 
Rumy looked up from scribbling on a notepad and shoved herself out of the chair to stand. "Yes, sir, Mr. Cooger, sir," she greeted him. She held out a hand to shake. "Thanks for agreeing to meet me. Us." She was currently the only person at the table. "Can I order you anything?"
 
Rumy pointed out the window to a shorter, pudgy Caucasian man with a hairline that looked like it wanted to be a hedgerow along a garden path. He was rocking on his heels and talking animatedly. "He'll be in 'in a minute,'" she said with dry significance.
 
"Nah, he doesn't mind. It was the only time he had free that wasn't already promised to my mother and stuff," Rumy shrugged. She awkwardly tried for small talk. "So, um. How's... things?"

After a few minutes, Rumy's father came hurrying in. He smiled at Rumy, his smile broadening to a professional yet friendly expression when he saw Cooger. "Hello! You must be Mr. Cooger! I'm Clarance Baker." He offered his hand for a firm, fast handshake as he sat down next to Rumy.
 
"Can't complain," Cooger replied a bit awkwardly. Meeting a teenage girl felt weird even though it was all perfectly decent. Then when Rumy's father showed up, he shook his hand too, "Mr. Baker, glad to meet you. I gotta say I was pretty surprised when your kiddo cold-called me."
 
"It's not like I could send you a calling card or something," Rumy grumbled.

Clarence Baker chuckled. "That's my daughter! When she sees something, she goes for it. She's going to go far! Now, do you need me to sign some paperwork for her to work with you or something?" His expression stayed pleasant, but it was clear he did not expect this to take long. He had places to be and people to see!
 
"Well I'd like to talk about it a bit," Cooger admitted, "I don't want to do anything too soon, I wasn't exactly hiring and I want to be able to talk it over with both of y'all because if I decide to agree to it, I want it to be real certain what the deal is, so I'm not some guy bringing a young woman around to secluded places."
 
"I appreciate your candor and looking after your reputation and hers. That's a trait of a good man! But I have complete trust in my daughter that she has good judgment in people, and, well, she's pretty good at taking care of herself," Clarence chuckled. "Any deal would be between you and her. Oh, I know she's technically underage at seventeen, but she's a smart girl, and I don't think I'd trust her judgment anymore in a few months than I do now." He glanced at his daughter. "What kind of deal are you looking for?"

"An apprenticeship," Rumy stated. "I'm good with accepting whatever you want to offer me since I think you have to legally, but I want to learn the trades more than I want to earn money. There's only so much school can and will teach me. I want to learn to be handy. Jill of all trades."

"Sounds fair to me," he shrugged. "I can get her one of those little recording devices or something like police officers wear if that'd make you more comfortable."
 
"How many days would you even be available?" Cooger asked, "I try to only work during buisness hours and I mostly take Sundays off when I can help it. I worry that, except for Saturday, you'd only have a couple hours after school, and that ain't factoring in travel time."
 
"I have every Saturday free, and I have every day after school free except for Thursdays, but if it's a late job, I can wrangle some free time after Thursdays, too," Rumy told him. "I'll have the occasional day off during the school time, too, and my own car, so I can meet you wherever the job site is. I can work during school holidays, too."
 
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