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(spencer - family time)
Jul. 8th, 2014 04:26 pmAs hard as he tries not to let on, Joel is sure Spencer can tell that he's nervous.
His parents and sister had arrived in town four hours earlier, settled into their hotel room and now Joel and Spencer are standing outside a restaurant, waiting for his family to join them for dinner. His mother had called two days ago and though she hadn't actually apologized, her tone had been gentle and she'd asked Joel if he and Spencer would let her treat them to dinner, which he suspects might be as close as he gets for some time. It doesn't bother him, he's often the same way, and the only person he's found himself able to apologize to with ease is Spencer. The reason he knows his mother so well, the reason he's been able to predict her reactions is that he's so much like her.
They're late, which doesn't surprise Joel either, because his father is always running behind, and he's tapping his foot impatiently on the sidewalk, looking down at himself every few moments to make sure he's dressed properly. He hasn't gone out of his way in particular, but rather than his usual cardigan, he's put on one of the few flannel shirts he owns and had buttoned it up and then unbuttoned it about eight times before settling on leaving it open. Now that he's looking down, he's wondering if he should button it again. It's just dinner with his family, he doesn't have anyone to impress, but he's nervous all the same. He's nervous on Spencer's behalf.
When their car pulls into the parking lot, there's a second where Joel feels like maybe his heart has stopped, but before he knows it, the back door of the car flies open and he has an armful of his sister before he even realizes what's happening. His eyes close and he cups the back of her head gently, his arms around her and even now, years later, when she's certainly not as small as she used to be, Joel can't help but think of holding her as a baby. She'd been so tiny then and she's still so much smaller than he is, small enough that he can lift her off the ground as he hugs her.
Charlotte laughs, squeezing him tighter, then hisses into his ear, "They're driving me crazy, I'm coming to stay with you." It's not such a terrible idea, his apartment is mostly empty these days, but before he can answer, his sister has let him go and is turning her radiant smile on Spencer.
As abruptly as she'd hugged Joel, she's hugging him and Joel tenses, watching Spencer's face, knowing he's not exactly comfortable with physical contact from strangers. He wants to intervene somehow, tell Charlotte she needs to back off, maybe say hello to Spencer before she starts treating him like he's a member of the family, but that very thought brings a smile to his face. That's exactly what she's doing. She might be overcompensating because of their mother, but she's going out of her way to treat Spencer exactly like she treats Joel.
His parents approach from the lot and for a second he has no idea where to direct his attention, but then he's being hauled into another hug, his father's strong arms wrapped around him and he can't do much of anything but laugh.
His parents and sister had arrived in town four hours earlier, settled into their hotel room and now Joel and Spencer are standing outside a restaurant, waiting for his family to join them for dinner. His mother had called two days ago and though she hadn't actually apologized, her tone had been gentle and she'd asked Joel if he and Spencer would let her treat them to dinner, which he suspects might be as close as he gets for some time. It doesn't bother him, he's often the same way, and the only person he's found himself able to apologize to with ease is Spencer. The reason he knows his mother so well, the reason he's been able to predict her reactions is that he's so much like her.
They're late, which doesn't surprise Joel either, because his father is always running behind, and he's tapping his foot impatiently on the sidewalk, looking down at himself every few moments to make sure he's dressed properly. He hasn't gone out of his way in particular, but rather than his usual cardigan, he's put on one of the few flannel shirts he owns and had buttoned it up and then unbuttoned it about eight times before settling on leaving it open. Now that he's looking down, he's wondering if he should button it again. It's just dinner with his family, he doesn't have anyone to impress, but he's nervous all the same. He's nervous on Spencer's behalf.
When their car pulls into the parking lot, there's a second where Joel feels like maybe his heart has stopped, but before he knows it, the back door of the car flies open and he has an armful of his sister before he even realizes what's happening. His eyes close and he cups the back of her head gently, his arms around her and even now, years later, when she's certainly not as small as she used to be, Joel can't help but think of holding her as a baby. She'd been so tiny then and she's still so much smaller than he is, small enough that he can lift her off the ground as he hugs her.
Charlotte laughs, squeezing him tighter, then hisses into his ear, "They're driving me crazy, I'm coming to stay with you." It's not such a terrible idea, his apartment is mostly empty these days, but before he can answer, his sister has let him go and is turning her radiant smile on Spencer.
As abruptly as she'd hugged Joel, she's hugging him and Joel tenses, watching Spencer's face, knowing he's not exactly comfortable with physical contact from strangers. He wants to intervene somehow, tell Charlotte she needs to back off, maybe say hello to Spencer before she starts treating him like he's a member of the family, but that very thought brings a smile to his face. That's exactly what she's doing. She might be overcompensating because of their mother, but she's going out of her way to treat Spencer exactly like she treats Joel.
His parents approach from the lot and for a second he has no idea where to direct his attention, but then he's being hauled into another hug, his father's strong arms wrapped around him and he can't do much of anything but laugh.
