How Green Becomes Wood

The sounds of Ivy squealing with laughter as Cooger tickled her while walking back to the table made most guests at the table, at least those who weren't so deep in conversation that they noticed, smile. Who didn't like a joyful baby? Khalil, who had been having a long, confusing conversation with Art looked over wistfully, recalling when his boys were young.

Since she was captured and he was sitting next to Dark anyway, Cooger returned to his seat, bringing Ivy along since it was about time for her to eat anyway.
 
"Being an uncle or an aunt is the best," Lex told Cooger, smiling. She held out her hands. "Share until it's time to eat?" Seeing sweet little Ivy sometimes gave Lex a flash of baby fever... for about three seconds, and then she was quite content to hand her back.
 
Lex took Ivy from Cooger and grinned in delight. She talked to Ivy enthusiastically, holding her so the toddler could stand on her knees facing her, and made exaggerated expressions at her as she talked.
 
Ivy stared at Lex, babbling back at her and occasionally reaching out to grab onto her face and lips. Around Hetty, Art, and Khalil, she was still a bit shy, since she had only rarely met them, but Lex was around often enough (even if it was just a chat from the other side of the fence) that she didn't have that same level of fear with her anymore.
 
Lex pretended to chew on Ivy's finger when she grabbed her lips and otherwise played with her. Finally, she handed Ivy to Cooger to hand her off to her parents. Time for dinner for everyone!
 
Ivy allowed herself to be passed along because if she loved anyone the most, it was her parents. The full meal was also pre-selected, and as authentically Arab as could be managed in the middle of Pennsylvania, including how it was served. It wasn't Iraqi but Lebanese, but their culinary traditions were similar enough to scratch the same itch.

The nice thing about it was that since it was meant to be eaten by hand anyway (although forks were provided to those who needed them), after her bib was put on and her portion was cut small enough for her, Ivy had absolutely no issue eating the same meal as the rest of them.
 
Lex was not accustomed to eating with her hands, but she willingly gave it a try and soon found that it was not as strange as it first seemed. In fact, it was pretty fun! At least, it was for someone who wasn't used to it.

The twins were used to this style, so it was not too strange for them. They ate and chatted quietly, enjoying the authentic-ish Lebanese dinner. It was fun and different.
 
"I'm not going to," Daizi murmured, briefly touching her cheek to Dark's shoulder, "but I want you to know, Goose, that I love you terribly and it makes me want to get everyone to toast you. I want to stand up and praise you."

Smiling to himself in his muted way, Dark gently nudged her, "Thank you. I appreciate the sentiment and your restraint."
 
The twins saw their parents whispering and quietly debated what it was they were talking about. It couldn't be too bad considering where they were, so it had to be something else. Something funny? Dark was smiling.
 
They murmured a few other quiet things to each other before they turned back to the larger groups. Even at his own birthday party, Dark spoke little, but he enjoyed looking out at everyone who had come there to be with him. After the main course was finished, the servers gave them some time to digest and relax before offering tea, coffee, and bringing out a lovely black and red birthday cake. It didn't have any candles to ensure nobody would sing, but it was nonetheless a birthday cake.
 
Alec clapped enthusiastically when the cake arrived. He was denied being able to sing for his father, but he could applaud! No one had said he couldn't do that. He settled down relatively quickly and watched as the cake was served. "That is a beutiful creation! Do you think you could make something like that?"

Xander shrugged. "I dunno. I've never tried. I think I like making chef stuff better than pâtissier stuff. It's a lot harder to completely mess up. It does look cool, though."

"Very cool!" Alec agreed happily.
 
Since Alec clapped when the cake came out, so did most of the other guests. He held up one hand in thanks, feeling a bit awkward about the attention.

The cake was black forest flavour and, as tradition, Dark allowed himself to take the first slice even though it was his nature to let others go first.
 
The twins demolished their slices eagerly, enjoying every bite. It was good cake!

Lex took her time on the other hand, chatting with Cooger next to her and the person on the other side, enjoying herself and hoping Dark was enjoying himself, too.
 
Even though he was quiet, Dark was enjoying himself. It was truly a rare day, he thought, because this particular cake was not too sweet. He did his best attempt at mingling, talking to everyone at the party. It was easier in this environment, since there weren't many people there and they were all folks he liked well enough to invite in the first place. Occasionally throughout the party, he'd stop and just look quietly at everyone, finding it surprising that he was genuinely having a pleasant time.
 
After the cake, Lex leaned back and looked around at Dark. "So, are you the type to make a birthday wish?" she asked. "You don't need candles and spitting all over a cake to make a birthday wish."
 
"You should try it sometime," Lex told him. "Don't know that I believe in them, but it's kind of fun. It's like verbalizing hope." She returned to her normal position and engaged Art in conversation next.
 
"Maybe," Dark replied, turning back to the table and taking a sip of wine. That was one thing he had always struggled to find in himself, any true sense of hope. He supposed the exception was when Daizi was pregnant with Ivy. At a certain point then, although he couldn't recall when he first developed the feeling, but he remembered reaching a moment when he truly believed his daughter would live. Now there she was, squealing with delight, covered in frosting. Just the mention of verbalizing hope stirred up feelings in him which he didn't know how to sort out on that particular day. So, he took a breath, looked back at his party, and decided to enjoy what was good about the moment.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top