Never in his life has Spencer heard a more ear-shattering squeal than that of Shelly from Montana's at the news that he and Joel, two strangers that she has only just met, are expecting a new addition to their family. Spencer watches with something akin to awe as she tilts her head back, frantically waving both hands over her cheeks in an apparent attempt to keep herself from crying, and he has absolutely no idea whatsoever why she would be crying over this but one look at his husband tells him that Joel is at just a great a loss.
Just as he's about to ask if she's alright, Shelly gasps in a breath and straightens back up, reaching for his hand, and it takes everything in Spencer's power not to recoil at the touch. He gropes for Joel's knee behind him, his shoulders tense, and Spencer doesn't want to alienate the woman but at the same time, he's not exactly comfortable. Still, she's smiling a wide, toothy grin at him, blinking upwards to keep her tears from falling from her heavily made up eyes.
"I'm just so happy for you two," she gushes, and Spencer narrows his eyes, unsure of how to respond. He supposes he can't be upset about that or argue against it, though he still wishes she would let go of his hand, and he gives her a tight smile as he snakes himself out of her grasp before letting out a short, nervous laugh, the only response he's capable of giving right now. It doesn't seem to phase her in any way, and she clutches at her chest as her gaze flickers between them, her eyes expressing a strange sort of pride that's nothing short of puzzling. "No, really, I am. Landon and I want to start a family soon, too, and I can't wait for that to happen. Can you imagine, holding a little baby in your arms and knowing she's yours? Oh, well, of course you can, you said yours is due soon! When's the date?"
"July 7," Spencer answers immediately, ducking his head to smile before sneaking a glance at Joel. They've been waiting for July to come for what seems like forever now, and he knows they're supposed to be taking this weekend to focus on themselves, on their relationship--which they are, it's just that he thinks a break or two to think about the baby isn't such a bad thing--but he can't help but let his mind wander every so often to what it's going to be like to be a husband and a father. He thinks he's quite good at the husband part, they both are, and perhaps he's getting ahead of himself but considering just how excited they are and the lengths they've gone to in order to make sure they're prepared for the baby's arrival, Spencer is inclined to believe that they'll be good fathers, too.
"Oh, my word, you're getting so close! And you've only been married nine months? That's quick decisioning if I ever heard, I'll tell you. It only took Landon six years to finally ask me to tie the knot but..." She leans, lowering her voice as if conspiring with them as she holds her hand out to show off the excessively large diamond ring on her finger. "It was worth the wait." She sits back up, grinning like she's terribly pleased with herself, and takes another sip of her beer. "We got married at this beautiful piece of property in Missoula, and we've both got huge families so it was a big wedding. Tons of food, lots of dancing, and a load of stress. Best day of my life. What was your wedding like?"
Their wedding, Spencer thinks, had been very different from the one Shelly has described, but the memory of it will never fail to warm him. His gaze shift until he's looking at his own ring, then Joel's, then up into his husband's eyes as he moves his hand from Joel's knee to take his hand. "Best day of my life," he echoes, and he wouldn't be able to take his eyes off his husband right now if he tried. It's strange, the way the noise around them seems to fade to something more muted as he focuses his attention solely on his husband, willing the rest of the world to disappear just for this moment, just so he can enjoy sitting here with the man he loves as he recalls the finer details of the day they'd made official the promises that had already been made.
He brushes his thumb over Joel's as he finally turns back to Shelly's expectant expression, the sounds of the bar rising back up to full volume, and Spencer can't help but grin. "We eloped," he admits. "The day Joel picked up our marriage license, we left town to find someone who would perform the ceremony, and we ended the night as husbands."
There had been so much more to it, but Spencer considers it sacred, something that he and Joel had left Siren Cove to do only together for a reason. There's a part of him that wants to tell everyone just how beautiful a ceremony it'd really been, how they'd both cried as they'd exchanged their vows because they'd been so incredibly happy, how it'd felt to be able to slide that ring on Joel's finger and know that for the rest of their lives, he'd be able to call this man his husband; but the bigger part of him is selfish, so he just shrugs a shoulder when Shelly asks him to expand on the story, his smile firmly intact.
"It was very lovely," he says, his tone gentle and kind but still making it clear that he isn't willing to share much more on the subject. Shelly is a stranger, after all, nice as she's been, and Spencer hopes she won't take it personally. At the very least, she doesn't seem to look particularly offended.
"Okay, everyone," Casey's voice sounds from the opposite end of the bar, "finish up your drinks, pay out your tabs, and say your goodbyes because we're going to be leaving Minetta shortly to move on to our next destination, the famed White House Tavern."
Shelly sighs heavily at the announcement, impressively knocking back the rest of her beer before giving Spencer and Joel a wholly unnecessary apologetic look. "Sorry, I have to go find my husband now because he's the one footing the bill. We'll see you two at the next one!"
Once she's hurried off, Spencer turns to Joel and lets out a long exhale. "Well," he says, trying to keep his expression neutral so that he doesn't burst into laughter, "I certainly wasn't expecting that on the tour."
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Just as he's about to ask if she's alright, Shelly gasps in a breath and straightens back up, reaching for his hand, and it takes everything in Spencer's power not to recoil at the touch. He gropes for Joel's knee behind him, his shoulders tense, and Spencer doesn't want to alienate the woman but at the same time, he's not exactly comfortable. Still, she's smiling a wide, toothy grin at him, blinking upwards to keep her tears from falling from her heavily made up eyes.
"I'm just so happy for you two," she gushes, and Spencer narrows his eyes, unsure of how to respond. He supposes he can't be upset about that or argue against it, though he still wishes she would let go of his hand, and he gives her a tight smile as he snakes himself out of her grasp before letting out a short, nervous laugh, the only response he's capable of giving right now. It doesn't seem to phase her in any way, and she clutches at her chest as her gaze flickers between them, her eyes expressing a strange sort of pride that's nothing short of puzzling. "No, really, I am. Landon and I want to start a family soon, too, and I can't wait for that to happen. Can you imagine, holding a little baby in your arms and knowing she's yours? Oh, well, of course you can, you said yours is due soon! When's the date?"
"July 7," Spencer answers immediately, ducking his head to smile before sneaking a glance at Joel. They've been waiting for July to come for what seems like forever now, and he knows they're supposed to be taking this weekend to focus on themselves, on their relationship--which they are, it's just that he thinks a break or two to think about the baby isn't such a bad thing--but he can't help but let his mind wander every so often to what it's going to be like to be a husband and a father. He thinks he's quite good at the husband part, they both are, and perhaps he's getting ahead of himself but considering just how excited they are and the lengths they've gone to in order to make sure they're prepared for the baby's arrival, Spencer is inclined to believe that they'll be good fathers, too.
"Oh, my word, you're getting so close! And you've only been married nine months? That's quick decisioning if I ever heard, I'll tell you. It only took Landon six years to finally ask me to tie the knot but..." She leans, lowering her voice as if conspiring with them as she holds her hand out to show off the excessively large diamond ring on her finger. "It was worth the wait." She sits back up, grinning like she's terribly pleased with herself, and takes another sip of her beer. "We got married at this beautiful piece of property in Missoula, and we've both got huge families so it was a big wedding. Tons of food, lots of dancing, and a load of stress. Best day of my life. What was your wedding like?"
Their wedding, Spencer thinks, had been very different from the one Shelly has described, but the memory of it will never fail to warm him. His gaze shift until he's looking at his own ring, then Joel's, then up into his husband's eyes as he moves his hand from Joel's knee to take his hand. "Best day of my life," he echoes, and he wouldn't be able to take his eyes off his husband right now if he tried. It's strange, the way the noise around them seems to fade to something more muted as he focuses his attention solely on his husband, willing the rest of the world to disappear just for this moment, just so he can enjoy sitting here with the man he loves as he recalls the finer details of the day they'd made official the promises that had already been made.
He brushes his thumb over Joel's as he finally turns back to Shelly's expectant expression, the sounds of the bar rising back up to full volume, and Spencer can't help but grin. "We eloped," he admits. "The day Joel picked up our marriage license, we left town to find someone who would perform the ceremony, and we ended the night as husbands."
There had been so much more to it, but Spencer considers it sacred, something that he and Joel had left Siren Cove to do only together for a reason. There's a part of him that wants to tell everyone just how beautiful a ceremony it'd really been, how they'd both cried as they'd exchanged their vows because they'd been so incredibly happy, how it'd felt to be able to slide that ring on Joel's finger and know that for the rest of their lives, he'd be able to call this man his husband; but the bigger part of him is selfish, so he just shrugs a shoulder when Shelly asks him to expand on the story, his smile firmly intact.
"It was very lovely," he says, his tone gentle and kind but still making it clear that he isn't willing to share much more on the subject. Shelly is a stranger, after all, nice as she's been, and Spencer hopes she won't take it personally. At the very least, she doesn't seem to look particularly offended.
"Okay, everyone," Casey's voice sounds from the opposite end of the bar, "finish up your drinks, pay out your tabs, and say your goodbyes because we're going to be leaving Minetta shortly to move on to our next destination, the famed White House Tavern."
Shelly sighs heavily at the announcement, impressively knocking back the rest of her beer before giving Spencer and Joel a wholly unnecessary apologetic look. "Sorry, I have to go find my husband now because he's the one footing the bill. We'll see you two at the next one!"
Once she's hurried off, Spencer turns to Joel and lets out a long exhale. "Well," he says, trying to keep his expression neutral so that he doesn't burst into laughter, "I certainly wasn't expecting that on the tour."