happiness is a warm puppy [open to all]

[doublethepain]

He's definitely come down with something.

It's hardly cause for panic, really, just a bit of congestion; some coughing that he thinks he's done a fair job of keeping under wraps; maybe a slightly sore throat, a few pressure headaches here and there, a case of the chills; but he's fine, Spencer is sure of it. He's fine because he's got a ring on his finger and a puppy at the end of his leash, so there's nothing at all in his life that he can complain about right now.

John had most generously given him half a day off--"a wedding gift from me to you" is how his boss had put it--so Spencer had stopped back at home to get Huxley before heading in some direction or another, he hadn't really had a plan. It's not very surprising that his feet seem to take him in the direction of Crossroads, as they so often do, but a part of him hopes that he'll run into some people he knows on the way there. He has news, after all, and he's not one to call up all his friends--not that it would take long, he muses--to share even the most exciting parts of his life, but he does want people to know.

He's happy, happier than he's ever been and not just since his mother and Dane had died. He has so much to be thankful for, so much to come to look forward to, and he can't remember the last time he'd felt so optimistic about his future. He smiles to himself as he watches Huxley sniff at the grass on the sidewalk before the puppy scrambles to meet a pair of feet that's headed their way, jumping up on his hind legs to paw at the stranger. Spencer's smile doesn't fade as he lifts his head to look at the other person; in fact, it only grows wider.

"You're in for it now," he says, a teasing edge to his tone. "Huxley seems to grow attached to people far too quickly for his own good."




[OOC: Spencer's a little under the weather right now because I am, too but he's in an excellent mood so it would be a great time to say hello, whether your character has already met him or not :) Find him walking his and Joel's new puppy Huxley or catch him wherever is convenient for your character to be. As long as that place allows dogs.]

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[just_another]

"Waters-Baker," he admits with a small smile, because even just that, the fact that they're sharing a name now, it makes him feel warm inside.

"And I'm not sure what kind of advice I'd be able to give you," he says. "Before Spencer I had one girlfriend and two very brief encounters that meant next to nothing before an eight year dry spell, so I'm probably not the best person to give advice."

[aoife_coombs]

"I will find my way. I always do, in a way. And maybe - it will probably just die off anyway, I don't have much to off- and he will want things and .."

Shee waves it away. "It's not important. I'm happy that you're so happy, Joel."

[just_another]

There's a lot left unsaid under everything she doesn't quite allow to come out and Joel watches her carefully for a moment. "Thank you," he says. "And I'm sorry if this is inappropriate for me to say, I'm sorry if it sounds cruel, but I'm very glad your mother is gone. I think... I hope maybe without her around you'll... I just think her presence doesn't benefit you in any way."

It isn't fair that she has to think poorly of herself, that she thinks she doesn't have anything to offer. He hopes, for Aoife's sake if nothing else, that Violet Coombs stays away.

[aoife_coombs]

Her jaw drops.

"Eh. Alright. I didn't know that you had any .. I didn't know that you ever met her? Or you must have been talking to Moira. My oldest sister. She and our mother didn't - never connected. I'm not - I understand, though. I think I understand."

[just_another]

"No," he says. "I haven't been talking to anyone but you." And while she's only mentioned her mother in passing, it's enough combined with the things she's said about herself that Joel has made the connection. "I think she's told you things about yourself for so long that you believe them, but she's... she's wrong."

He feels like he's overstepped so many boundaries right now, but he can't help himself. He can't just let Aoife think she has nothing to offer another person.

[aoife_coombs]

"Ah. Aha. Well, no-one ever talked to me about her like that. Or, not in my face, not in such clear words."

Aoife did not see this coming. "Well, it seems like she put half of Siren Cove on a cruise to hell, so I don't think you're very wrong in thinking she has some bad ideas. She was - she wasn't so angry when my father was around, though. Not that I can remember."

[just_another]

The cruise had been awful, but it isn't even that Joel is talking about. He wishes there was a way for him to tell Aoife what he means without feeling like he's saying too much, but he's never been very good at this sort of thing.

"Did your father... did he die?" he asks. "Or did he leave?" He feels like he's prying, but he's curious. The loss of a loved one can do strange things to a person.

[aoife_coombs]

"He did."

There's no need to share Moira's words and accusations and how true they might well be. Aoife is pretty sure that Joel will never meet her mother, but she knows it will reflect badly on her anyway.

"He was the bright sun of our house, I think. We all revolved around him, he was wonderful." And I miss him so much. She grimaces before getting her face under control again. "It's not fair that he passed so early."

[just_another]

"I'm sorry," he says, his voice gentle. He can't imagine what he might have done had his father died when he was young. Even now, even though they're miles away, he relies heavily on his parents in a lot of ways and he loves them so much. He can't even begin to think of what life would be like without them. "That's a hard thing to go through."

[aoife_coombs]

"It is." Her vision is blurred by tears and she knows it isn't fine to cry in public but with everything going on and Aoife just wants someone to say things will be okay, no matter what she'll do.

"Sorry."

[just_another]

"There's nothing to be sorry about," Joel says and he hesitates before gently laying one hand on Aoife's shoulder. This is just one more thing he's never been very good at. It's taken getting comfortable with Spencer to make it easier for him to touch other people, but even now he still hesitates and feels awkward. He can't just leave her sitting here, though, not after he's been the one to bring it up. He squeezes her shoulder carefully before shifting on the bench until he's sitting next to her, his arm loosely draped around her shoulders.

[aoife_coombs]

"I'm s- I'm fine, I'm fine

Aoife pulls out a handkerchief and gently wipes her eyes. "You absolutely don't need a crying woman on your door step. It might be bad PR", she adds with a little smile.

His arm around her almost makes her start again, but she bites her lip hard enough to prevent that. "Thank you."

[just_another]

"I think I'm my own bad PR between the situation at the lighthouse and getting into fights at birthday parties," he says with a faint smile, shaking his head at her. He's never cared before what people think and although he and Spencer are really trying to make the store work now, he's not going to send Aoife away for any reason. "You're welcome."

[aoife_coombs]

"I thought I was pretty happy when I'm arriving here. And that's not a complaint to you."

Aoife folds the handkerchief into a little patch. "I thought I was always pretty happy."

[just_another]

Joel hasn't known a lot of happiness until recently. Not that his life hasn't been good, but until Spencer it had always just been good enough. Quiet, uncompromised, and generally lonely, but not necessarily happy. He shakes his head at Aoife's comment and says, "I don't really know how to judge happiness. I think you can be happy and still acknowledge that you don't have to always be that way."

[aoife_coombs]

"is that advice?" She tips her head back to look at him. "That sounded a little bit like advice."