How Green Becomes Wood

"Well I'm glad," Daizi replied earnestly, although she couldn't deny some bit of amusement at Ciara describing it as 'mildly uncomfortable,' "I'd be glad to come back, it's a great spot. And the drinks are wonderful."
 
"No, I suppose we do not," Ciara agreed. "It is... not in my nature, I suppose, to seek out companionship. It may be a flaw on my part. I do enjoy our visits, though, and new experiences."
 
"It's good you like new experiences, because we've had them in spades, haven't we?" Daizi chuckled and tipped her head back thoughtfully. The motion made her long hair cascade over her shoulder, "and luckily for you, I collect introverts. Or unluckily, depending on your perspective. You may not want to be dragged out of your house kicking and screaming."
 
She shrugged, "My husband goes most places with me if I ask. So long as he doesn't need to speak to anyone who is not me, he is satisfied. And not all my friends are introverted. Just most of them. It's worth it, anyway."
 
The open mic started, and Ciara watched as an exuberant child a couple of years younger than the twins got up and read her poem enthusiastically. Ciara had no idea what the poem was supposed to be about, barely understanding a word of it.

"That was courageous," she remarked to Daizi when the girl finished.
 
"It was," Daizi agreed. She didn't understand the poem any better than Ciara did, but after a moment she said, "I can't wait until Ivy can speak that well. Sometimes she can say two or three words together now."
 
"Mostly she says nouns, although she's getting a bit better at asking for what she wants with words, rather than just pointing. And when she's curious about something, she says 'this?'" Daizi answered, "Usually, all day she asks for me and Dark, or follows Enkidu around saying his name, and then will say she wants to play, or that she's hungry. My favourite is how she's learned to say she loves us."
 
"That sounds..." Like a nightmare, Ciara thought, but she didn't think that was the appropriate response. "Very cute. She seems to be quite involved in how life works."

Another person got up to do the open mic, and they were a singer with a guitar.
 
"She's very curious, and we're... a bit nervous about when she discovers the question 'why.' She is usually good at saying thank you, though, at least when we prompt her. Once in awhile, she'll do it on her own. You may not believe it, but it is still really exciting any time she says a new word." Daizi grinned, taking a sip of her drink, "She's started saying 'Yalla,' and it's one of the cutest things I've ever heard."
 
"She must sound very much like her father when she says that," Ciara said in amusement. "I do understand that feeling of excitement when witnessing someone grow. I have heard, though, that children tend to learn... 'interesting' words and say them at the worst time."
 
"She sounds exactly like him," Daizi sighed, "And I think that since he's with her all day while I'm at work, she'll end up being very much like him. Although, Dark told me that when he bought the twins their end-of-year celebratory cake, she smeared frosting everywhere and then laughed manically. I'm certain that laugh she got from me, and I couldn't be more proud."
 
Ciara wasn't sure if it would be in bad taste to agree with Daizi about the maniacal laughter or not, so she chose not to say anything about it. "Frosting everywhere? Oh my! Now that must have been a horrible experience. What a mess. I hope she enjoyed herself?"
 
"Making messes is unfortunately one of her favourite things to do, and it's what parenting books say is 'developmentally appropriate' and 'developmentally beneficial,' but it can be tough, especially on Dark. We spend too much time brainstorming ways to let her be messy, but make sure it's contained and easy to clean. You'd hate it, Dark only survives it because she's his child."
 
Ciara winced slightly. "That poor thing," she murmured, and she did not mean Ivy. "I hope the twins are of some help when it comes to this... developmentally beneficial messiness. It is what boys are good at, is it not?"
 
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