Even before she knocks on the door, Joel is at least vaguely aware something isn't quite right. He'd spoken with Spencer earlier when his husband had come home, he knows about the interaction they'd had outside Raleigh's bakery and right now Joel isn't sure what to make of any of it. A few weeks ago, he would have never been able to imagine her firing Amber without cause, not only because it's a bad business move, but because she knows what it's like to be in a situation like that, where money isn't always an easy thing to come by, but Spencer insisted she had and Joel believes him.

He just doesn't understand why.

Dane is just about asleep on his shoulder when she knocks -- Spencer always has an easier time feeding him, but lately Joel's been able to get him to drift off to sleep better, so they trade off, back and forth, feeding to Spencer, setting him down for a nap to Joel -- and he's rubbing his son's back gently as he opens the door. Once he's down, they can get to work, and Spencer had promised to look after Dane for the duration. He'd prefer to be able to ask his husband for help, he'd much rather he be there to draw strength from if necessary, but it's important Dane have someone with him.

"Hi," he says, his voice soft as he holds the door open with one hand. "Come on it." There's something about her smile that seems off, like she's annoyed with him before having even spoken to him and it's a response that makes Joel uncertain at the best of times. Right now, while he's preparing to do a rather large, rather intricate spell that still may yet backfire if he's not extremely careful, it digs into him even deeper. It unsettles him.