How Green Becomes Wood

As she drove home, Claire sang along happily to the radio, and as soon as she was home, she went to talk to her mom for a long, long time, before going to her bedroom to text her friends about every moment of it while lying on her bed with her stuffed cow squeezed beneath her. She had been on dates before, but none which had left her feeling like this.
 
After work, Xander went to pick Alec up. Normally, Dark did that, but Xander had a little extra time and didn't mind the drive. He didn't remember Alec's mood and happy sighs until he was halfway there. He braced himself and waited for Alec to come to the van.

Alec was still riding high, but some of the newness had worn off. Instead of sighing sappily the whole way home, he hummed along with the music Xander had going between telling Xander about his day. When they got home, Alec went to Daizi and offered her a rose. "For you, Mama!"
 
"I think I truly know what love feels like," Alec sighed happily. "It was the most amazing hour and a half that I have ever spent! Oh, and I have a little flower for Ivy." He gave his little sister a small pansy, which was an edible flower, and he'd washed it twice. Just in case.
 
Some parents may have heard that remark and simply chuckled to themselves, amused at their child's naivety. Others might feel offended, questioning how their child could say they had never felt love before when they had been so loved. Others still may shrug it off entirely, viewing the statement merely as a dramatic fancy.

But Daizi was a romantic, and if anyone knew what it meant to be in truly and purely in love, it was her. Once, Dark had said the most miraculous thing about her was her ability to simply love. All she could do, was brush Alec's hair back with her hand and say, in a voice both kind and firm, "I'm happy for you. It sounds like it was really special." It didn't matter to her if this current love of his would be permanent or fleeting: he felt it now, and it was enough.

Ivy, though, being so little, only took her flower and, cooing, held it up to try to show it off.
 
Alec sighed happily and hugged her. Then he gently pulled her into a silly little dance around the living room. "I just saw her a few hours ago, and I cannot wait to see her again! I know I see her at school, but it's not the same, you know? And she is so kind! So incredibly kind, with such a beautiful personality, and I love her bows!"

Xander came in and looked down at Ivy. "Whatcha got there, Mini?"
 
"I hope I get to meet her one day," Daizi replied, following him in his silly dance, "You have to call her, or text her, and this is important," she twirled her around, "Some people will try to tell you to wait three days after a first date to reach out, but don't listen to them, they don't know what they're talking about."

"Ah-wa!" Ivy said, toddling over to Xander and holding the flower out to him.
 
Alec gasped in shock as he led Daizi around the coffee table. "Three whole days?! Other people must be insane! I will text her. Very, very soon! And you will meet her. I'd love to invite her over. Is there a rule I should or should not listen to for that?"

Xander leaned over and took the flower. "Very pretty. It's a nice one." He handed the flower back to her. "Do you like the color?"
 
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