How Green Becomes Wood

"If the car seat is behind the driver's side, I can sit up front," Daizi answered, following Ciara carefully to the car. It didn't seem worth it to take out her cane for the brief walk, but since she didn't know exactly the style of car or where it was parked, she remained a bit cautious, "I just have to try to keep her awake during the drive, which will annoy her terribly... But it's better than the alternative."
 
"She is behind the driver's seat," Ciara confirmed, checking one last time that the car seat was stable and fully latched into place. "After you have put her in, shall I walk you around to the passenger side? Your diaper bag can sit in the backseat behind you so it is out of your way." She made a note to move Daizi's seat back before letting her in. Otherwise, it would be too cramped for her.
 
"That would be great, thank you," Daizi said, carefully buckling Ivy in after Ciara stepped aside. It was a little awkward, because the seat was at a slightly different height than Daizi was used to, but since she had felt that distance before setting her baby down, Ivy wasn't jostled, "And thank you for installing this--I could've, but not one handed, and I'm holding her... There's always a million steps." After quickly triple checking Ivy was properly and safely buckled, she walked with Ciara to the passenger side. When she got in, just like how she did with Dark, she leaned over to the driver's side and, finding the handle, opened the door open for Ciara before buckling herself. Then, she reached back to put one hand on Ivy's knee, for the purposes of periodically annoying her so she would stay awake.
 
Ciara made certain the diaper bag wasn't going to fall and get itself lost or spill things, she went around to her side. She paused in surprise when the door opened for her, and then she took the door and slid in. "Alright, as long as everyone is settled and ready, we are off!" She tried to put a little cheer in her voice and not come across as too awkward. Then she started the car and backed out, turning toward the school.
 
Daizi chucked quietly, knowing Ciara was trying her best. "I know it means a lot to Alec and Xander that you're coming to this. It's really good that you are." She wiggled Ivy's knee with one hand, causing a tiny, frustrated gurgle, "Not to skip small talk, or anything."
 
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Ciara cleared her throat, her eyes on the road. "I am not certain what it is to be a proper aunt, and I feel that perhaps I may be too late for most of what aunts are expected to do or be there for, but I hope I can at least establish some level of... trust."
 
"If it helps," Daizi said with a small laugh, "I have... a lot of aunts. My mother was one of three, my father was one of four, and their brothers all married women, and their spouses came with siblings, and my grandparents have siblings, and writing up a family tree takes all day, basically. It's all Khalaties and Amties and when we had family over we had to really curate who visited. But none of my numerous aunts treat me in the same way, and none of them behave with the same responsibility towards me. I call my Ammo Ashraf's sister-in-law Amty, but we're practically strangers. I call Khalo Qasim's sister-in-law Khalaty, and we talk often, but we're more like friends than anything."
 
Ciara thought it strange that Daizi said that the brothers all married women. Who else would they marry? Perhaps it was just the way her family talked about marriage. Other options simply did not occur to her. She smiled a little at how Daizi talked about her family, though words like "khalaties" and "amties" were not familiar to her. French was more of her strength. "We have a few family members in Ireland, still, but they are more distant, and I have not kept in good contact. Nor did my mother," Ciara admitted.
 
"We don't know how many family members Dark has around the world," Daizi told Ciara, casually, "Even growing up he wasn't particularly close to them, which is strange, but he remembers visiting with them when he was young. But, if they survived the war, with millions of Iraqis displaced, and so many records destroyed, finding them is impossible. And if they're aware he survived, he's since changed his name, because it didn't occur to him when he was young it might matter later. Sometimes I think if he hadn't, I would've taken his name when we got married. It was too weird using as a last name what everyone calls him like it's a first name."
 
"That would be a difficult situation," Ciara said cautiously, trying to gauge how much empathy she should show. It didn't seem like a big deal to Daizi, at least, not right now, but family was a complicated thing. "If there are any family members who wish to find him, there are ways. If he wishes to be found, that is. By the way, has he decided what his initials should stand for?"
 
She shook her head, "We haven't really spoken about it. I know he's interested in having a full name again, but he's kept his thoughts on it somewhat private. Those sorts of considerations I don't like to intrude on, because there is so much emotion baked into it, and he knows I'm available when he wants to work through it. He's spent 25 years as G.M. Dark, longer than he spent as his dead name. It was difficult enough choosing Ivy's," Daizi turned again, wiggling Ivy and tickling her underneath her chin, "It's true, habibti, Mama and Baba worked hard to name you!"

When Ivy only responded with a frustrated noise, because she was really sleepy and her mama, for some unfair reason, wouldn't let her, Daizi sighed softly and said, "I know, sweet girl, you will sleep soon, just not yet." Then she turned back towards Ciara, "I think he wouldn't mind being found by a relative, but I worry about how he'd take it, if it did happen."
 
"Family is certainly complicated," Ciara agreed, her eyes on the traffic. "It's difficult to navigate even the so-called 'normal' family issues. However, it has been rather worth it, from my perspective. Not that I can offer much of a perspective in that scenario."
 
"I'm glad it's been worth it," Daizi said, turning to smile warmly at Ciara. Had she been able to see, she might have laughed to see the two of them sitting together. Ciara was so clean cut and meticulous, the very picture of buisness-casual, and beside her, Daizi was in black tanktop tucked into a dark, floral-printed, tiered midi length skirt, styled with black boots, a thick belt, and spiderweb tights. Over all of that she wore a loose fit cardigan, and her hair was only kept out of her face enough to prevent Ivy from eating it. On that day, she had chosen sunglasses with dark blue lenses and crescent moons on either side. "There's no right way to go about it, you know\? But you're showing up, and that's the biggest thing, I think. That's all any of us can do."
 
Ciara smiled slightly. "Thank you. That is good to hear." After an awkward pause, she commented, "I have never actually been to a school talent show. Our school did not have them every year, and I never went when they did have them. What is it I should expect?"
 
"Some of the talents are going to be very impressive," Daizi explained, moving her hand to hold onto Ivy's foot and bother her that way, "and some are going to be... a bit painful to sit through. There's going to be a lot of parents cheering as loud as possible after their child performs--Dark and I aren't those sorts of parents, but the Hollises, you met them at our Christmas party, are..." She thought for a few moments about how else to describe it, but then said, "Honestly. It won't be that different than if you went to a theatre. Nobody besides Alec and Xander will even notice you're there, and... Dark is more popular amongst his students than he would prefer to be, and this is the first time Ivy is going to that school, so... I suspect we'll both be completely invisible."
 
"Sounds as though it is going to be very interesting on some level," Ciara remarked dryly. "Invisibility is something I would certainly prefer, but I hope the boys are pleased that I came. Alec was very excited about the song they are going to perform, but I imagine you are quite tired of hearing them practice it."
 
At this remark, Daizi's already relaxed face softened further, and the way she was messing with Ivy grew more tender, "Oh, no... I could never be tired of that. And, yes, I'm sure part of that is because they don't rehearse at our home anymore, because of this little lady. But even so... sometimes I hear Xander working on the guitar part behind a shut door, and I hear his little growls of frustration, and I just linger for a few minutes longer than I have to so I can listen in. He always figures it out, eventually. And I'll never be tired of hearing that, or hearing Alec sing."
 
Ciara glanced at Daizi and drove in silence for a bit. "Is that a quality you had before children... came into your life, or is it something that motherhood teaches you?" she finally asked. "I cannot fathom such a life for myself. I find myself overly stimulated by such things far too easily."
 
"Well I..." Daizi began, but then fell silent, moving her hand to touch Ivy's hair and cheek. She hadn't thought about it before. And it was the first time anyone had... spoken to her like she had any authority on being a mother at all. Everyone else was giving her advice, like Sally would, or spoke down to her, nobody had ever just... asked her a question. And it was so, so affirming. "I don't know, really. I haven't thought about it. I grew up around a lot of people, so I was never really used to quiet, and I grew up alongside Dark, who struggled with so much, and I grew up with our friend Cooger, who was always learning how to do something new, and I love them, too. I suppose that... when I love someone, I just like hearing them learn how to succeed. But there's nothing wrong with getting overstimulated," Daizi turned more towards Ciara, "Everybody needs a break, sometimes. The moment Dark comes home from work, it's his turn with Ivy so I can have a moment to myself. And Dark needs a lot of time alone."
 
"That is good to hear," Ciara said, unsure of the proper thing to say but wanting Daizi to know she appreciated the answer. "I am glad that the twins found you and you them. Your household is quite healthy for them, and you can provide far more than I ever could."
 
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