How Green Becomes Wood

"I'm glad I have them, too," She replied, "They really added a lot to my life, and Dark's. Sometimes I still wish it hadn't all happened all at once, but... Even with everything we went through last year, I'd rather have them all at once than not at all. I don't think it's possible to overstate how much I adore them."
 
"I think it is very clear how much you love them, and how much they love you," Ciara said with a slight smile. "And I am sorry for how we were introduced, but I am glad that it happened all the same."
 
"I'm glad we met too," Daizi replied, unreserved in the way she smiled at Ciara, and then she couldn't help but laugh, "It was touch-and-go for a minute there, though, wasn't it? You didn't feel comfortable taking off your shoes, and Dark would probably have an aneurysm if you didn't. I bet if the two of you were roommates, you could perform open-heart surgery in the living room."
 
"While that is a somewhat disturbing analogy, I cannot deny its accuracy," Ciara admitted, amused but the idea even while slightly uncomfortable, but only slightly. "I do have a thing for neatness and cleanliness that some might consider to be on the more... severe end of the spectrum. In any case, I am glad we were able to get beyond that and you were able to move past the mistake of bringing," she paused for an instance, "a certain person into your lives."
 
"You know, that..." Daizi sighed, briefly chewing on her bottom lip, "I don't know if I should speak to it, because I know I'd rather to have never met him, but I don't know if it's something the twins, ultimately, are glad for. I think if it were me, I'd like to have met him, regardless of how it turned out, because I wouldn't have to wonder, anymore. I'd know who he was. But I don't know if that's how they feel about it. I know I didn't handle it well, but I was... crazy. I was doing my absolute best," She shook her free hand for emphasis, "but... I don't know if you remember puberty, or if you had this too, where your feelings are just... as big as they could possibly be, but it was like that all over again, and I was not any more prepared for it. And I wonder if it might've gone differently, had I been sane."
 
Ciara considered Daizi's statement seriously. "I do not know that it would have gone much differently, or if everything would have been vastly different," she said slowly, "but from my perspective, I believe you handled things far better than I feel I would have. At least, for the sake of the twins. I have never had to look out for someone else in that manner, and so my first thought would have been almost entirely self-protective. I think... if I may say, that I would have preferred it that way, as well, if I were in that situation. I think it is better that they met him and now have no questions. I could have handled it far better, but I am afraid I was more focused on..." she tapped the steering wheel lightly, "some sort of punishment, I suppose, and trying to make things right for my sister. I did not think enough about the boys."
 
"I'm sure you were grieving too," Daizi said gently, "and you didn't know them, yet. You only knew your sister. When my brother died... I'd have done anything to make that feel right. And my father just sent me to study in the US, because he was grieving too. And that's just how it goes, sometimes. I don't think any of us did the right thing, then, but all of us, except for him, were really trying to do something right. We all got a lot wrong. But you stayed. You could've shrugged your shoulders, made an apology, and backed out, only you didn't. Because we all just want to get it right, and getting it right takes a lot of work, and a lot of mistakes." She shrugged, tickling her grumpy daughter, "But because you brought him, even in the way you did, we got his medical history, and we got him on the hook for child support, which Dark and I have been putting into a savings account for them both, and I was able to hex him, so... For all the bad it brought, there were some positives to it. And from the twins perspective, there may be more positives than we know."
 
Daizi was right. Absolutely bang-on-the-nose correct, and she was putting into words so many things and feelings Ciara had that she'd never been able to fully vocalize or even properly grasp. She appreciated everything Daizi said as it sank in deep, but, not being a particularly open or emotional woman, she had no idea what to say in return. Therefore, she seized onto one small detail near the end.

"You put a hex on him?" she questioned, cautiously curious and slightly confused.
 
"I did," She said, with a low chuckle, "I don't... typically... engage in that sort of magic, it opens you up to more than I'd like to risk, but it seemed as worthy a cause as any. Well, I say hex. I made it as long lasting as I could manage. It's probably quite breakable if he knew how to, but I doubt he'd have the knowledge."
 
"Well, as a Catholic, even if I am not a very good one, I cannot say I am entirely comfortable with that," Ciara said slowly, "and yet, as an aunt and a sister and a jilted girlfriend..." she tried and failed to hide a sly smile, "I think that is a highly appropriate course of action. Not to mention unlikely to go to court anywhere except certain areas of the deep south and Florida."
 
"Would it surprise you to learn that Vodoun practicioners, especially those who follow what emerged in Haiti, tend to identify as Catholic?" Daizi asked with a crooked grin, "We call it 'Voodoo' and sensationalize it and make it this object of mystery and curses, but for many people, it's another way to worship Christ. I don't practice Vodoun, but... There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy, right? Occultism is everywhere, when you begin to look. And..." She raised her shoulders, "Even if it's not real... It... Well, it makes me feel better to believe everything I think I have done is true. And I think it is, really. I've had what feels like evidence."
 
"I am glad that you have found something that brings you a sense of peace," Ciara said, choosing to move on from what was a rather delicate matter in her mind. She wasn't as close-minded as some, particularly in her own family, but she wasn't exactly as open-minded as some, either. "In any case, he has moved on, and I am glad to be rid of him."
 
"Oh, me too," Daizi agreed, also choosing to let the conversation drop. She knew how leery so many people were of it (which, if she was honest, she found amusing, if a bit isolating at times). Turning back towards Ivy, Daizi wiggled Ivy's foot and cooed at her, "And you, habiti, are very lucky that you didn't ever have to meet him. He did not even know you existed, you were Mama's secret, weren't you? Actually, Ciara, the first day you visited us, before we had the twins meet you, that was the first day I ever felt Ivy move."
 
Ciara blinked, surprised by the information. "Oh. That must have been a rather surprising thing," she said. "I cannot imagine how exciting that must have been in such a less than ideal situation." She turned into the school parking lot and found a spot. "Here we are. There is no one next to us on my side, so hopefully, that will give you more room to get Ivy out. Oh, there is a car on your side."
 
"I found it comforting," Daizi answered, unbuckling her seatbelt when they came to a stop. How close are we to the other car?"

After finding out how much space she had to open the door, Daizi stepped out and carefully went around to the other side, lifting the carrier out and murmuring sweetly to Ivy in Arabic, promising she was finished bothering her and apologizing for not letting her sleep. "Just stay awake a little while longer, Hummingbird, we have to go see Baba!" Then she slung the diaper bag over her shoulder, unfolded her cane, and led Ciara inside, since she had been here before, and Ciara hadn't.

Inside, Dark was waiting for them right by the front of the building. He was wearing one of his suits, one with a subtle pinstriped pattern, this time, and his tie, if Ciara were the sort to notice, perfectly matched the darkest red in Daizi's skirt. His arms were crossed, and he was talking with a student when they entered.

"Come on, Mr. Dark," the student whined, slumping her shoulders, "Tell me where you're from?"

"Guess."

"Um... Spain!"

"No," Dark answered, "It is rather different than Spain."

"Portugal!"

"I said it is different from Spain, and you guess Portugal?"

"...Italy."

"What?" Dark blinked, and had anyone who had known him been able to see his face, they would have seen his amused, if slightly disappointed, smirk, "No, I am not from Europe. Nowhere in Europe."

The student frowned, squinting at her teacher, "...Turkey."

"You are closer. But no." Dark replied.

"Russia."
 
"Good evening, Mr. Dark," Ciara greeted him formally as they drew closer. She raised a brow at the student. "Russia? Although Turkey was at least an interesting guess. Most people forget that Turkey is not just a bird to be eaten."
 
Dark raised his eyes, seeing Ciara first because she spoke, but then he saw Daizi and Ivy and his eyes lit up. Then, however, he refocused on Ciara to greet her, "Good evening, I am glad you came," before looking at his wife, "Hello, darling."

"I brought someone to see you," Daizi replied, holding up the carrier with Ivy in it.

"Well, the, um, accent," The student mumbled, but then her eyes widened as she realized. "Wait, oh my god, Mr. Dark, is that your baby? Oh my god, no, shut up, she's so cute!" She passed around to the other side of Dark, trying to get a better look. When she did, she briefly actually looked at Daizi, and stared for a moment too long before looking back at Ivy, "She looks just like you!"

Dark inhaled slowly and looked down at his student, "She is also trying to sleep, from the looks of it. You should go into the auditorium before you get in trouble."

"Oh, I'm sorry!" She said, quickly hushing herself, "Can I take a picture of her?"

"Go."

With this command, the student scurried off with her tail between her legs, and Daizi leaned in towards Ciara and murmured, "I told you: Invisible."
 
"How he manages to keep his patience, I do not know," Ciara murmured in reply, watching the student rush away. To Dark, she asked, "How are things here? I presume they are going smoothly?"
 
Dark watched the student until she was out of sight, and then, before answering Ciara's question, he took a moment to hold the carrier up to his face, and he smiled at Ivy's tiny face, making brief eye contact with her just before her tired eyes shut, "Tisbah 'ala khayr, my daughter." Then he lowered it again, and breathed in, thinking through his answer a bit longer than one might expect, but not to an absurd degree, "Little changes in a high school. Although my temporarily replacement allowed my students to slack off more than is preferrable. I do not look forward to grading their essays over break."
 
"I enjoyed writing essays when I was younger," Ciara remarked. "I do believe I was the only one in my class who did."

~~

Peter, Xander, and Alec huddled in a corner of the backstage area, passing a small handheld mirror amongst themselves as they tried to make small adjustments to their costumes and makeup. The band, Nightwish, that had written and originally performed the song they were going to play tended toward black, leather, and metal, so their outfits were easy enough, and their makeup was surprisingly low-key with all emphasis on the eyes. Alec was wearing a sleeveless top for the first time ever, and he kept rubbing his arms nervously, wondering if he was too white to pull this off. He was pretty sure he was actually reflective his arms were so pale.
 
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