How Green Becomes Wood

Ivy giggled and babbled back into the phone, occasionally saying some of the words she knew. And her little bells jingled. Then jingled more quickly as Ivy started giggling and Daizi could be heard distantly.
 
"Oh dear," Ciara sighed. She stood and stepped out of her office, walking into the kitchen where Dark and Cooger were. "Mr. Dark, it seems your daughter has stollen her mother's phone. Is it proper etiquette to hang up on a toddler?"
 
"If you would like," Ciara agreed. She checked to make certain that Ivy was still on the line. "I am glad you like books and... flower bears," she hazard, not certain what all Ivy was saying. "Here is your father." She handed the phone over to Dark and turned to Cooger. "Have you any updates?"
 
"Ivy-Qadira," Dark said into the phone, and almost immediately on the other end Ivy stopped, surprised to have heard her Baba's voice, "Did you steal Mama's phone?" He waited for a few moments, then nodded and said, "Ivy, give Mama her phone." Then after a few moments he said, "Hello Darling... Yes, Ciara told us."

"She mentioned there was a bit of a catastrophe," Daizi said, glad to have her phone back. Ivy hadn't really returned it, but she was so stunned to hear her father give her commands, it stopped her long enough for Daizi to retrieve it, "I'll cook dinner tonight."

"Thank you, I promise to be home as soon as I can be. I love you."

"I love you too."

Then Dark hung up and handed his phone back to Ciara while Cooger explained, "Well, with my trusty vacuum, I got the water sucked up, as you can see. Dark's finished wringing out all the towels and what have you, including his own clothing. I've just started examining the breaks in the kitchen, they look... Well, they need more than a patch, I'll tell you that."
 
Cooger inhaled through his teeth, getting down again and really looking at the pipes, "I can replace the busted ones, but... Do you hear a lot of clanging noises with your pipes? Any consistent water pressure issues? Any bad odors in the water or brown water? A metallic taste? I mean, some of these breaks do look like textbook freeze damage, like this break here, but I'm worried about their overall integrity. Have you noticed any wet stains on your walls ever?"
 
"Possibly some clanging. I assumed it was a neighbor," Ciara said, carefully answering his questions. "Water pressure is mostly stable, I believe, or not extreme enough for me to notice the difference. No bad odors or brown water, and I never drink tap water without running it through a filter, so I would not know about a difference in taste. No wet stains on the walls."
 
Cooger considered this information and then got up, "Alright. Well. I think I'm gonna head downstairs and check in with the folks below you. I want to see if they've had any leaks from their ceiling. See, what my concern is, these burst from freeze damage, but what caused these to burst, might've caused the rest to weaken, so they may well be fixing to burst too, now, especially since multiple have done so in different rooms and all. I'm wondering if there might be some level of corrosion or other more structured issues, but even if there's not, it still might be good to look on through with a camera just to see the full state of things."
 
"Ah. Lovely. That does not bode well for a quick solution," Ciara said mildly. "I shall begin packing my things for a few nights' stay away, then. The door shall remain unlocked, so let yourself in as needed, please."
 
"That may be for the best, unfortunately," Cooger said empathetically, "But hey, look, at least you aren't financially on the hook for it. Well, 'xcept for the hotel... Unless you've got renter's insurance... that might cover it..." He thought for a few moments, tugging on his beard. He wasn't an expert in law by any means, but he had done major repairs like this a few times, so he wasn't a fool, "Or your lease may have a clause saying the landlord will pay the hotel... At the very least you could make the argument they can't charge you rent for when the apartment isn't habitable."
 
"I will be looking into my policies," Ciara said as if she hadn't had them memorised by heart since before she'd moved in. "Thank you for your aid in this and for your advice. It is good to know. I shall be reviewing my options with care before I make any decisions."
 
"damn, I think your affair may get out then," Cooger teased, "God knows what your neighbors will say when this guy leaves half naked."

"Cooger, there is no way you whine at me so much for not having a spare shirt in my car and not have one somewhere in your truck." Dark said blandly.

"I mean I'll look, but I gotta check with the downstairs neighbors first," He drawled.
 
Ciara shook her head, somewhat regretting her rash decision, but it was too late. "I think it would be in all of our best interests, Mr. Cooger, to find him a shirt. Please do find him something better than one of my shirts."
 
"It is alright. He is still... mostly professional," Ciara said. "I should go and pack. I apologize that you must stand here as you are." She was talking to the wall next to Dark, not Dark himself. She turned and went to her office first to pack up anything and everything she'd need before going to her bedroom.
 
"It is... fine," Dark replied, not acknowledging how she couldn't seem to look at him. "Do you have a kitchen stool or or hard chair? I have been kneeling in water and I do not wish to sit on your couch as a result."
 
She quickly went to the kitchen and pulled out a wooden chair from the small table. "Here, I hope this will be comfortable for you. I am sorry I didn't think of it sooner. I should have offered you a seat."
 
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