[Open - Gathering - Baby Shower]

[just_another]

They're actually having a baby shower.

Joel is fairly certain his mother wouldn't have let them get away without something, even if he had insisted it be small and consist only of family, but for some reason he and Spencer have allowed themselves to be talked into a real shower. With invitations and food and little baby themed games to play. It's sort of strange, looking at it from his position, given that Erin is the one who's going to be giving birth and therefore is the one in the glowing pregnant woman position at this entire gathering.

She'd sweetly agreed to attend and had even whispered to Joel that she would take the brunt of the attention if she could manage it. He had whispered back that he knew they had picked her for a good reason.

But here they are. Several weeks have passed, the invitations have gone out and the decorations have been put up all over Joel and Spencer's living room. He had agreed to lift the enchantments on the house for the extent of the party, which means that anyone can open the door to their guests, they don't all have to be invited in by either Joel or Spencer, and it makes him a little nervous, but he understands the usefulness of others being able to answer the door. At least for today.

It's the decorations that keep getting to him. Sweet little ducks and zebras and monkeys, little jungle animals all over the walls. The bottle and rattle shaped cookies are pretty cute, but those aren't going to be left when the baby gets here. The animal theme, though, is fairly close to the nearly finished nursery Joel has been working on upstairs and he can't help but grin at the decorations.

Spencer, on the other hand, can't stop coming back round to the center of the living room to stare at the enormous sign that's been strung up above a table already stacked with gifts when a majority of their guests haven't even arrived yet. He'd been worried this morning that the day would overwhelm him, that knowing so many people would be coming into their home would be daunting when just a year ago, he'd never even once invited company over before meeting Joel; but so far, he feels calm, in spite of having had to watch Joel remove the enchantments that act as their security on the house. If someone wishes to crash a baby shower--which he doesn't imagine will happen anyway--then they'll have to face not only the wrath of a room that will be filled with witches and sirens, but the wrath of his mother- and sister-in-law, as well. That's not a sight Spencer thinks would be very pretty to witness.

Still, he feels light, perhaps a lingering effect of the having the chance to fall in love with Joel a second time during the spell that had taken over the town. Certainly, a great deal of his contentment has to do with the fact that he won't have to worry about losing his husband in a crowd but even beyond that, he's excited.

So much has changed in the course of the past year and weeks from now, they'll be holding their newborn in their arms for the very first time without another care in the world but for who they've been looking forward to meeting since they'd decided to take this journey together. There's something a bit strange about realizing that it's all coming to a head, that the waiting will soon be over and they'll be fathers at last, but when the first knock on the door comes, Spencer can't help but smile.

[Baby shower for Joel and Spencer's wee one. Erin, their surrogate, is present and is currently 31 weeks pregnant. If you're even a little friendly with either of them, Joel's mother sent an invitation, but the enchantments have been taken off the house for the event and so it's not an impossible party to crash. If anyone wants to crash a baby shower...]

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[just_another]

Joel isn't sure what he's supposed to do here, if his role is that of the host or something else. Technically the party is for him, but technically it isn't, because Erin's the one who's pregnant, even if the baby is going to be for him and Spencer. So he's not sure what that makes him.

Not that he'd be a very good host either way. Even if that's what he's supposed to be, he's relatively sure he's failing at it, because aside from occasionally answering the door, he hasn't done much hosting at all. Mostly he's eating the cute little cookies whenever he can manage to grab a handful without being caught by his mother, and he's already had two drinks that come in tiny bottles.

They don't contain nearly enough alcohol, he decides, since he's pretty sure they're just fruit juice.

At the moment he's skulking around behind Erin, making sure she's getting everything she needs and occasionally looking at the table of presents. It baffles him that people have brought so much stuff, but it's touching as well. He isn't quite sure what to do with it, not when he knows he isn't always the most welcoming person in the world. So he's trying. He's smiling a little more and he's not standing right in the corner, which is a big step up for Joel.

[doublethepain]

"Your mother's friends won't leave me alone and your sister refuses to help ward them off," Spencer says dryly as he walks up beside Joel to slide an arm around his waist. He rests his chin on his husband's shoulder, smiling softly before pressing a kiss to Joel's cheek. They're not afraid of displaying their affection in public at the best of times but today especially, he thinks, at their own party and in their home, they get a free pass. "Don't get me wrong, they're all very nice and make every attempt to be politically correct about 'homosexual marriage' but god, is it terrible of me to wish I could slip some whiskey into my apple juice?"

For the most part, the party has been surprisingly enjoyable. There have been a few questionable moments, guests he doesn't recognize who had likely just walked in when they'd realized there was a party, but he's doing his very best--and succeeding, he'd like to think--not to let any of it make him anxious or overwhelmed. Most of the people here are attending because they're friend, because they're happy for them and want to celebrate with them, and knowing that there are so many more people than he'd imagined who truly want the best for them is... well, it's something that has rendered him speechless.

[gemmadorsey]

"Have I told you yet that you're a crazy person?" says Gemma, searching every lurking point until she tracks him down. She's already deposited her gift, lost among the others and probably not nearly as lavish as some. "You are a crazy person. I mean that in the best way possible of course. But you will never again own anything that is not sticky."

She's pretty sure she's already told him that.

[davin]

Davin has been trying his best to get back into the swing of things since the spell has broken. It's like time had just stopped, and all the cars he was working on were still sitting as he'd left them, without even a hint of dust. His magic has been on high alert ever since, and when he's alone and has time to think about it, he gets angry. He hates that someone messed with his mind in such a way, and that they were so easily able to take everything from him. If he thinks about it too hard, the lights flicker and the change on his nightstand rattles, so he distracts himself before he feels too much like a poltergeist.

He'd spent a lot of time in the shop working on Joel and Spencer's gift for the shower. It's just something that came to him one night, and he lost a fair amount of sleep making it come to life.

It was made almost entirely using magic, and there's powerful magic inside of it, so he doesn't really want to just leave it on the table with the rest of the gifts. He wants to hand it to them and explain what it means. So he just tucks the box with it's silvery wrapping under his arm and makes his way somewhat awkwardly through the crowd.

Sometimes he feels a bit young and out of place, like he has no idea what to do if there isn't loud music and booze. There's nothing to hide behind.

He grabs a finger sandwich and edges back towards one of the walls, leaning against it as he pops the little snack into his mouth and looks around.

[doublethepain]

Spencer gently excuses himself from the mostly one-sided conversation he's having with a very enthusiastic woman named Margie, one of Ellie's dear friends who seems to have an endless supply of entertaining stories about a young Joel, as soon as he sees Davin awkwardly poking at the sandwiches on the other side of the room. He promises her that he'll find her again later before she finally seems to accept the fact that he's not going to give up the idea of walking away, and he steps toward his friend with a quiet sigh of relief.

A quick glance over his shoulder shows him that Margie has set her sights on Joel now, and he makes brief eye contact with his husband as he tries to contain his laughter--poorly, at that--before turning back to Davin. "You made it," he says in lieu of greeting, reaching for a sandwich of his own. "Thank you for coming, up until now it's mostly been middle-aged women quizzing poor Erin and trying overly hard to show how comfortable they are with the fact that Joel and I are married men."

[callmeemily]

"Hey." Raleigh leans against the wall against him, her shoulder against it as she looks up at him. "You look like you need something to do," she said with a smile. They hadn't talked since they were both... normal, again. "Promise I'm not going to shove a bunch of bread into your hands this time." She's a little weird about what happened -- the whole holding people up for money part of it was a big problem, but... but she's not talking about that. With anyone. And hoping that nobody else notices that..... ever.

Ever. "How're you doing?"

[wakingwakewood]

Essie was pretty sure she was sober. She'd at least made the effort to sober up for this because it was supposed to be a happy occasion and she was happy. She adored Joel and Spencer and under any other circumstance she'd be dancing around and singing instead of sitting off to the side, surreptitiously sipping from a flask. It just wasn't fair. She should be able to enjoy this. She needed to enjoy this, to get something good back in her head after what had happened.

With a sigh, she tucked the flask back into her jacket pocket and headed towards the refreshment table for something non-alcoholic. She even tried to smile, although she wasn't sure if she was pulling it off or not.

[doublethepain]

Spencer hasn't gotten a chance to say hello to Essie yet, though he'd seen her walk in not too long ago. He remembers their brief encounter during the spell, remembers the kindness she'd extended by offering him something for his obvious pain, and he wants to thank her both for that and for attending the baby shower. It isn't often that he and Joel are willing to open their doors to a great deal of people, but Essie would be welcome on any day so it means something to Spencer that she would come.

After checking on Erin to make sure she isn't being overwhelmed with all the attention a pregnant woman would receive at a baby shower, he makes his way over to Essie, though the smile on his face falters when he thinks he sees her putting away something that looks like a flask in her pocket. He hesitates mid-step, unsure of whether it's something that needs to be addressed or not because he does like her, and he does consider her a friend, but he's not so sure that a baby shower is the best place for sneaking a drink.

Still, he supposes it's best not to jump to conclusions. Perhaps he'd merely been imagining things or what she'd put away was something else entirely, so he continues crossing the room and holds up a hand to give her a small wave. "Hi," he greets, coming up beside her by the refreshment table. "Thanks for coming. This is my first baby shower, and I've had absolutely nothing to do with it, so I'm at a bit of a loss as to whether it's a success or not."

[just_another]

He catches sight of the flask and it isn't that Joel really cares at all, but he's fairly certain if his mother sees it, she's going to have a thing or two to say. Apparently she hasn't seen it yet, so he steps up to Essie when she moves toward the refreshments and stands close to her side, giving her a small smile.

"Hey," he says, his voice soft. The last time he'd spoken to her had been at that ball and their interaction had been a lot different than this. "How are you?"

[doublethepain]

It's surprising just how much easier it is to be social when he's attending a party in his own home. Maybe that's where he's been going wrong thse past years, he should have been hosting tons of parties for all the friends he hadn't had instead of nursing a glass of whiskey on his own every night. He rolls his eyes at the thought, remembering how awkward he'd always felt when his mother would have the neighbors over for an impromptu backayrd bbq or the parents of Spencer and Dane's classmates' families over for a game night or the entire library staff over for a potluck. She'd been well-liked, his mother, always involved in community events and making sure that people were taken care of when she could, but she'd never made her sons feel neglected in the midst of all that. Vera Waters had been an incredible woman and an even more awe-inspiring parents, having to deal with one child who'd absolutely despised having to come out of his room to greet people and another who wouldn't stop talking unless someone made him stop talking.

Spencer hopes he can live up the standards she'd set for him, the same set of standards set by Ellie and Brian. Looking around the room now makes his chest swell because he's surrounded by people who believe that he wil, that he's going to be the father he wants to be, and it's almost enough to send tears spilling down his cheeks. Erin is glowing, her hands resting on her belly, and Spencer just can't stop thinking about how in just a few weeks, he and Joel will be meeting their son or daughter for the first time. She's helped to make this possible, she's the very reason why this baby shower is happening at all, and he's overcome with the urge to walk right over to her and gather her in his arms so he can hug her until she begs him to let go.

Instead, he sighs happily to himself, letting his gaze shift across the room and over his shoulder to where the party has spilled out into the library and even to the yard. He'd gotten tentative smiles from people who'd asked if that would be alright, as if even stepping foot back there would send him reeling, but aside from that bit of awkwardness, everything about this party has been enjoyable. He stands near the table of gifts, glancing at Joel every so often with a small smile as he sips his apple juice from a cup shaped like a baby bottle. He hadn't been sure what to expect today but now that they're here, now that guests have arrived and everyone is mingling and congratulating and smiling and laughing, Spencer feels good about it.

He feels ready, more than ever, to be the parent he'd never known he was meant to be.

[seas_open]

She probably shouldn't be here, but the day had come and she'd turned the invitation over in her hands -- the one addressed to her, for what she thinks might have been the first time in her life, she isn't simply someone's plus one -- and she'd picked up the wrapped set of books she'd bought for the baby months ago and she had forced herself to attend.

If nothing else, she owes Spencer an apology. Any other town and she would have fled after the spell had been broken and she doesn't know how to explain why she's staying here, but she is. She's here. And so she has to apologize.

"Hi," she says when she sees Spencer. "If you want to storm away, you're completely within your rights."

[callmeemily]

"Spencer!" She can't stop the way she smiles up at him as she just sort of hugs him tight without a huge preamble. She's so proud of them both - okay, so they didn't do a huge amount to make the baby be almost born, but the rest of it-- from the moment she'd been on his doorstep until pretty much right this second, they've done so much, she's just so incredibly proud of them.

She'd managed to find a second that he'd not been speaking to anyone, but she pulls back after just a second. "I have a feeling that between your guests, yourself, and the grandparents, you'll never have to go shopping again," she said with a laugh. "And your kid is going to be super stylish."

[coopdetat]

He almost doesn't come. He almost sends Genevieve over with his gift, one of those top-of-the-line strollers that's supposed to be the safest thing on the market right now, and he knows Spencer and Joel want it because it'd been one of their eight trillion registries. But in the end, he decides he should probably show face, if only so he can apologize in person for what a complete piece of shit he'd been during that whole goddamn fairyland thing that had everyone out of their minds. He still can't believe how much of an asshole he'd become, and the black eye Joel had given him is fading but it's still purple enough to serve as a reminder of how he'd treated both the Waters-Bakers. He's pretty sure he's lucky Joel hadn't done worse, which he probably would have if they'd been in this reality.

Coop's here, though, smiling tightly at people who greet him when he walks through the front door, and he can't deny that he's nervous. He's been getting texts asking him to get in touch, promising that nobody's pissed off at him or anything like that, but he remembers so clearly having his hands all over Spencer and the disgusted looks he'd gotten from the Joel and the fuckery he'd pulled with Davin. He remembers feeling like he'd wanted to hurt people not because he'd been royally screwed over in some way--though he had, which he doesn't think is the point--but because he'd wanted to and the truth is, that scares him.

Some people had maintained their integrity, had stayed the good people they are, but he'd turned into some conniving, manipulative jerk who'd thrived on other people's suffering. That's not who he is, not even remotely, but even as he thinks it, he finds that he's unsure. Whatever had spurred that change in him, he hopes that it hadn't focused on some inner desire that he doesn't know about. He can put on a smile while he's here after he makes his apologies, he can amplify the Decent Guy in him that he's always tried to be, but it's all going to be done with that voice in the back of his head that tells him that in the end, he's always going to end up bitter and alone.

Super great mood to be in for a goddamn baby shower.

[davin]

Davin spots Coop when he comes in, and their brief text exchange is still fresh in his mind. It's odd to see anything other than that charming, carefree smile on Coop's face, and Davin's heart goes out to him. He works his way through the crowd and approaches him with a small smile, looping an arm around his shoulders to pull him in for a brief hug.

"Hey, man. It's good t'see ya." Davin pats his chest and looks at him with no trace of ire. He hasn't had much trouble separating the fabricated past put in his head with the real one. It's like once he knew what it was, his magic just rejected it. He remembers everything, including how Coop treated him, but it's more like a story that someone told him rather than something that actually happened.

[just_another]

Joel actually feels a little guilty about having punched Coop in the face.

He's still fairly certain his friend deserved it, given everything he'd been saying and doing, but Joel also knows that wasn't really Coop. He would never treat either Joel or Spencer like that, and he knows his friend would never touch someone who wasn't clearly interested, so as much as he feels he was within his rights at the time, the sight of the bruise on Coop's face makes him feel awful. He hadn't been punching Coop. Prince Joel had been punching Shea and he thinks it's a significant difference.

"Just tell me it doesn't really hurt anymore," Joel says, holding his hand out toward Coop to display the fading bruises on his knuckles. "Mine feels better, but if your face still hurts I can get you something for it." He already has it ready and waiting, a little purple potion in his pocket made specifically for Coop.

[suisen]

Although Joel and Hana don't talk much, she's still grateful for his rescue a few weeks back. So she's arrived with a large basket of baby bottle shaped cookies, lovingly iced, as well as a soft, baby-sized blanket with the sign language for 'I Love You.' To that, she's added a few practical items, like a night light and a bag of gourmet coffee for the daddies. Her money tight and her parents still on her back, Hana knows her gifts are modest, but she hopes they're enjoyed and unique. It's the least she can do for a friend.

Next to all the other, extravagant gifts, Hana feels self-conscious. If she'd had a percent of the money she used to have...she'd have been able to give them so many things. Toys, car seats, anything they needed. But she has a blanket and hopefully that's enough.

[just_another]

Joel grins at the sight of Hana, pleased not only that she's come but that he's going to be able to show her what he's picked up again. His sign-language had been rusty at best when he'd helped her that first day, but since then he's gone back through the books he has and ordered a more current version so that when he sees her, he's able to sign, I'm so glad you've come.

It's perhaps a little clumsy and slower than what she's capable of, he's sure, but he's proud of himself all the same.

[overdrawing]

This town is stranger than anything Gabe's ever seen. It's nothing like Pennsylvania and it's nothing like the church community he'd known. Two men, married, having a baby. If he'd been here with his family, it would've been without an invitation and with picket signs against immorality. Now Gabe just lingers, alone at the edge of the property, staring in forlornly in increasingly wrinkled clothes from sleeping in the motel and then the bus station and then, embarrassingly in the furniture section of a local Wal-Mart.

He doesn't know if he should envy these men or abhor them. Religion, his upbringing, tell him one thing. His heart tells him another. His feet are cemented on the ground.

God, he's tired.

[if you want to tag him having been invited inside, you can say you saw hm fall asleep while left unattended]

[doublethepain]

Spencer had invited the young man in just barely half an hour ago while opening the door for another guest. He'd just been lingering out near the mailbox, looking nothing less than exhausted, and Spencer could not in good conscience just leave the man outside.

He's beginning to think that maybe he should have as he hovers about the other man, who seems to have fallen fast asleep on the couch. Spencer glances around the room, smiling reassuringly at the guests who cast curious glances their way and wondering whether he should go find his husband to decide what they ought to do when the man stirs.

"Hi," Spencer says, eyes widening as he leans in a bit closer, hands clasped behind his back. Hi, excuse me, are you alright?"

[wastelandflower]

He doesn't know the expectant fathers, but Rian's a dad himself so he figures it won't be amiss to step in and offer his best wishes. Sophie is bundled comfortably in his arm and sucking away on her pacifier with her own little arms wound around his neck In his free arm, he carries one of those cat-shaped musical keyboards with a bow on top and a gift receipt because if he's going to crash a baby shower, he's going to do it with a gift.

[just_another]

Joel doesn't know the man and for a second he panics, suddenly worried they've made a huge mistake taking the enchantments off the house. But he's here with a child and a gift, so while Joel doesn't recognize him, he has to remind himself that Spencer might.

Barring that, he's fairly certain his mother had invited nearly everyone in town, so it shouldn't come as a surprise if he doesn't recognize anyone.

"Hi," he says with a small smile. "I'm Joel. I'm... one of the fathers."

[writtenby_caden]

Caden has been feeling sort of off-kilter since the spell was broken. It was just so strange, having his mind messed with in such a way. It stirred things up between him and April in a way that he's still working through, and sometimes he finds himself forgetting which small detail is from which life. It's getting better, and it's all sorting itself out, but he's been mainly keeping to himself.

But he can't ignore something like Joel and Spencer's baby shower. He hasn't seen either of them since the spell ended, mainly because he still feels like he has some sort of bond with Joel, and he's sort of afraid that Joel won't have any sort of lingering effects from the spell. Caden's feelings have been getting him into all sorts of trouble lately, and he just doesn't want to embarrass himself.

Someone else lets him in and Caden moves through the growing crowd quietly, setting his neatly wrapped gift on the table with the rest. There aren't a lot of people here that he knows, and that makes him frown slightly. He's lived here for a long time now. He really should know more people.

He assumes anyone that resides in Joel and Spencer's inner circle must be good people, so maybe he'll make some friends here.

[just_another]

"So, I'm going to just come out and say it and risk my sister's wrath, but having a brother turned out to be a lot less dramatic," he says when he's close enough to Caden. He's close enough to Charlotte, too, apparently. A tiny plastic bottle gets chucked at him from nearby and it bounces off the side of his head before it lands on the floor.

"I suppose I should just be glad she emptied the apple juice first," he says, rubbing the place where it's hit him.

[asharpertongue]

Lara shifted the boxes in her arms and grabbed the last bag out of the car. Maybe she'd gone overboard but Joel and Spencer were so special to her. They deserved her splurging. She'd gotten the usual gifts...blankets, babygrows, toys and soft books...and then added some things for Joel and Spencer personally - mostly rare books on child-rearing that she thought they'd get a kick out of, along with some other bits and pieces. She'd also thrown in a few spa days for Erin too. Lord knew she deserved it.

So yes, she'd gone overboard but she regretted nothing.

The house was lively, music and laughter coming from inside and she smiled as she made her way up the path. She spotted Erin immediately and waved, handing her her gift straight away before piling up the presents on the table and looking around for either of the hosts.

[just_another]

"Hi," Joel says from besides Lara when he manages to get through the crowd to her. He'd seen her give Erin a gift earlier and while people have all been kind to her, he isn't sure he's seen anyone else give anything to her and it makes his chest tighten warmly to know that Lara has. She's being paid for this, they're giving Erin a fairly large sum of money for what she's doing for them, but Joel doesn't care.

He wants people to treat her like she's family. Even if they'd had to pay twice as much, he knows what she's doing for them is special.

"Thanks for bringing something for Erin," he says, smiling at Lara. "That was really nice of you."

[lesparker]

Les arrives with Corry at Joel's doorstep, more or less on-time, carrying an arm full of gifts. He had asked Corry to help him pick something nice from the registries Spencer had sent him the other day because his gift-giving skills are supremely limited. Corry is however much more delighted by the idea of showering others with presents, and she had taken to the task with great gusto. With the amount of boxes, he's carrying inside Spencer and Joel's house, he wonders if maybe they've gone a little overboard.

He is just grateful, his gifts look presentable, nicely wrapped in yellow and purple ribbons and paper, as opposed to a wad of newspaper. There's a table as they enter, and he piles theirs up along with everyone else's and leaves their card. Turning, he glances around the room, seeing a room filled with his friends, and it's nice. After that spell, no matter how...amazing....that whole mermaid business with Corry had felt, it is good to be himself again.

And as he glances at Corry heading to find them something to drink, he thinks it is nice that she's back home for awhile too. Before that spell, he had been anxious for her to return from her TV gig, and now that she has, he's been happily to make up for lost time. "There. That's Joel. Spencer," Les says, returning with cups punch. "Soon to be parents."

[just_another]

"Are you trying to furnish our entire home?" Joel asks when he finally catches up to Les. He's teasing, of course, but he's also incredibly overwhelmed by how generous people have been. Had he had his way, he would have insisted no one bring anything for them, just gifts for Erin, but his mother and sister had done the planning and he's had no control over everything.

"It's good to see you," he adds a second later, realizing he's not exactly the best host. His mother would give him a smack for not greeting Les properly first.

[astra_inclinant]

Mira has been excitedly chatting about this baby ever since she knew it was a thing she could be excited about, so when she received an invitation, a-shopping she went.

Baby shopping is really addictive. Really, really, addictive. Tiny hats for tiny heads and socks for little feet and tiny superhero cosplay onesies. Oh god. Her budget is her guide, and in the end, she'd decided on a little high-contrast and on-theme rattle, an in-joke-y onesie a little bigger than newborn size (because kids grow). And six Photoshopped IOU coupons for free babysitting, labeled things like "go on a damn date" "read that novel on your list" "listen to metal as loud as you want!" "the house is allll yours (please don't instagram the results)" and "zzzz".

Plus the theme gave her an excuse to wear a dress with little giraffes printed all over it. Sweet.

She can't help but feel a little tentative, though, when she sees the pile of gifts and the crowd already there, and she hovers a little at the doorway.

[just_another]

"Hey," he says when he spots Mira at the door, heading over in her direction. He knows most of the people here, but there's a good number of his mother's friends who have come from out of town and they've been all over him in the past ten minutes and he's grateful for the need to go greet a new guest.

"Welcome to our home," he says like she's never been there before, but his mother's friends are watching him play host. "Please for the love of god just pretend I'm good at this hosting thing."

[bachjones]

"Fuck."

There was Lara in one corner, his- Es- her in the other corner, Bambi Billion Orgasms (what was his name again?) at the drinks and Hana too busy interacting with someone else to give Bach any kind of temporary relief.

And there wasn't even real proper food, only a shitload of candy. Bach could bring some of that home and save it for whenever - he couldn't even think about Isaac right now, his sullen sadness and anger made his heart hurt. He had honestly tried to explain that it had all been a dream, that there was no 'mama Essie' and that Isaac hurt his feelings thinking that he wasn't good enough of a parent, but nothing. Still the sullenness, his son's song an iron tinge in the air.

It was probably best to drop his presents (books Isaac called too childish), fill his pockets a bit and go find someone to fuck.

[asharpertongue]

"You look like someone stole your favourite toy." Lara said. She'd seen Bach deliberately avoid looking at her and she couldn't help going to see why he was so grumpy. They hadn't interacted at all in a while...not since he'd announced himself back with a child in tow. It was about time she rectified that. He was one of hers, despite him not wanting to be.

She smiled. "How are you, Bach?"

[aoife_coombs]

If Aoife would keep smiling long enough, it might wipe away any thought on her mind.

She had filled a long, sobbing and whining voice-mail on Isaiah's phone about how everything was going wrong without him present, she had deleted it when the program had asking for a hash to send. He had family problems. He was new to family problems. She couldn't unload all her petty issues on someone.

There was Moira who didn't want to be Moira. Oh, and maybe it was time for Aoife to acknowledge that she had given Nerium enough power to turn her Siren Cove into a cliché, instead of a better world.

Old Edina had been surprised when Aoife had asked for her to be the temporary house keeper of the Coombs house again, but she had agreed. She had helped Aoife with today's present as well.

Aoife smiled a little brighter. Gifts didn't go down that well when someone was frowning. She didn't want to ruin Joel's day.

[just_another]

When Joel sees Aoife, he's already feeling kind of stunned at the number of people who have come to celebrate with them today. He's never been all that well-liked in town, as least as far as he's known, and Spencer has certainly faced his own problems, but there are people here. Lots of them. And they're all here because Joel's mother asked them to be.

It's a bit of a shock, but a happy one.

"Aoife, hi," he says when he sees her, relaxing into a more natural smile. At least she already knows he isn't exactly the best host in the world and won't expect him to be perfect at all times. "I'm glad you came."

[callmeemily]

Maybe she needed a pack animal.

Oscar wasn't cutting it - too short, for one, but he's still too little, and when Raleigh'd been packing up the gift bags that just sort of seemed to multiply over the last few months, she'd rolled her eyes at his quizzical look. "Well, you're no help."

But here she is, not late (miracle!) with bags in one hand, and maybe she's got to back into the door, but whatever. Spencer and Joel's baby is going to be the most spoiled baby in all the land, that much she knows, and pretty much... well. She's been picking up things since the first time that they told her that they were going to have a baby, and she's been stowing it all away and had no idea just how much stuff there was.

She'd bundled it up into groups so it wouldn't be a million things, but... well. There's the stuff that's book themed-- the Charlotte's Web Blocks and the Paddington Bear Rattle, along with their respective books as well as Alice in Wonderland and some other books; there's a little bag with stuff for them - tea, a thumb drive with a couple of audiobooks of the books she'd seen them reading more than once, and a card that both talked about just how much she knows they'll be the best dads ever, it promises that if they ever need a babysitter, she'll be around-- and that she's got food covered for the first week after the baby's born. There's a third bag, that's stuff off the registry. Nothing flashy or big, just the boring little things that hadn't been picked up yet when she'd looked at the wishlist.

When she sees the giant pile of gifts, she realises that this kid's going to be the most-loved child in all of Siren Cove, and she's honestly glad. If Spencer and Joel want a village to help, they've got it, and they more than deserve it. Once she sets down her burden, she sighs, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear as she turns around. She'd been thinking about this part - wrangling everything here without it being overbearing, not knocking over other things on the table, that kind of thing - that she hadn't actually thought about the fact that now? They're at a party, and maybe she should meet Joel's mom, but also Erin, once she finds Joel and Spencer, but they're already busy talking to people, and... She didn't even know where to start.

[just_another]

It's Ellie who swoops in first and Joel sees it happening from across the room and wonders how long he should wait before saving Raleigh. His mother is a wonderful woman, but she has a lot of energy and she's more like Joel than Charlotte, a little less likely to smile, a little harder. The result is that sometimes that energy comes off as disapproval even when she doesn't mean for it to.

Hopefully that won't be the case today.

"Raleigh, right?" Ellie asks as she reaches down to help her with the bags. "My god, these two are the most spoiled soon to be parents I have ever seen. Let me help you with those."