The smile that blooms across Joel's face is wide and genuine, the one that's really reserved for Spencer, their baby, and Joel's family. Not many other people see that sort of smile on his face and he glances over at his husband as he signals to turn off onto the exit, pleased that he hasn't had to say anything. He had figured Spencer would realize what was going on as soon as he saw one of the signs and, if he was too distracted, as soon as they actually got into the town, he would recognize where they were, and it make Joel's chest feel warm and full to know his husband now knows where they're going. It's going to be a good few days, he's going to make sure of that and he nods at Spencer's questions.
"The church first. I thought we might be able to duck inside with Dane for a bit, show him where we got married and then exchange our rings back again." Quietly, of course, because everything they do tends to be on the quiet side, which is what they truly prefer. Even if there are others in the church already, which there very well may be in the middle of a day like today, Joel doesn't think anyone will pay much attention to the two men who mind their own business. He isn't sure if Matthew is going to be there or if they won't see him until later, at their planned lunch.
"I have the same hotel room booked, which is why I made sure to pack Dane's playpen in the trunk. He'll be able to sleep there tonight or we can just take him into the bed with us." He's big enough now that Joel doesn't worry about rolling over and squishing him in the night, a fear that had kept Joel awake many nights, even on the ones when Dane hadn't been so fussy he'd needed to be taken into bed with them. Even when their son had been in his crib, there had been times when Joel would wake up in a panic, convinced he had rolled over and crushed their tiny child. It doesn't plague him so extensively any longer and now he finds himself looking forward to those evenings he can fall asleep with Dane cradled warm against him.
"We also have some lunch plans that have been made," he admits, grinning shyly over at Spencer. "I spoke to Matthew on the phone not long ago and he insisted we have lunch with him and Ben and Irene. I told him not to make too big a deal about it, but he said they would want to see us and to be honest, I would really like to see them again, too." They had ended up being such a huge part of one of the most important days in their relationship and he's rather excited to see them again, to introduce them to Dane. Joel has never thought of himself as being particularly easy to get to know, he's far from an open book, choosing to keep most things to himself, but they'd had to share the day simply by nature of the law, and he's glad it had had been that way. If it wasn't going to be something they shared with his family, he's pleased there are others who were there with them.
"I didn't think you'd mind," he says. "It's just lunch and I think they'd really like to meet Dane."
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"The church first. I thought we might be able to duck inside with Dane for a bit, show him where we got married and then exchange our rings back again." Quietly, of course, because everything they do tends to be on the quiet side, which is what they truly prefer. Even if there are others in the church already, which there very well may be in the middle of a day like today, Joel doesn't think anyone will pay much attention to the two men who mind their own business. He isn't sure if Matthew is going to be there or if they won't see him until later, at their planned lunch.
"I have the same hotel room booked, which is why I made sure to pack Dane's playpen in the trunk. He'll be able to sleep there tonight or we can just take him into the bed with us." He's big enough now that Joel doesn't worry about rolling over and squishing him in the night, a fear that had kept Joel awake many nights, even on the ones when Dane hadn't been so fussy he'd needed to be taken into bed with them. Even when their son had been in his crib, there had been times when Joel would wake up in a panic, convinced he had rolled over and crushed their tiny child. It doesn't plague him so extensively any longer and now he finds himself looking forward to those evenings he can fall asleep with Dane cradled warm against him.
"We also have some lunch plans that have been made," he admits, grinning shyly over at Spencer. "I spoke to Matthew on the phone not long ago and he insisted we have lunch with him and Ben and Irene. I told him not to make too big a deal about it, but he said they would want to see us and to be honest, I would really like to see them again, too." They had ended up being such a huge part of one of the most important days in their relationship and he's rather excited to see them again, to introduce them to Dane. Joel has never thought of himself as being particularly easy to get to know, he's far from an open book, choosing to keep most things to himself, but they'd had to share the day simply by nature of the law, and he's glad it had had been that way. If it wasn't going to be something they shared with his family, he's pleased there are others who were there with them.
"I didn't think you'd mind," he says. "It's just lunch and I think they'd really like to meet Dane."