It Could Only be You

Episode 96: Rock-a-Bye Baby

A baby is crying.

Daphs shoots up in bed off her front, her hair a mess and eyes still half-shut from sleep. She stares hard at the door leading out to the hall and living room. The cry happens again. Though, she notes this time how mechanical the baby crying is.

"Wait..." she says, her eyes opening wide.

Lottie shoots up in the bed the other side of Daphs while Gary snores on beside her. Sharply, she asks, "Are those babies?"

Daphs shuffles Bobby, shaking him awake as Lottie scampers out of bed, leaving Gary behind.

The only other Islanders awake are Hope and Noah, and it's just barely; Noah is rubbing his eyes as Hope pulls the covers closer, groaning.

Her groan is surpassed by Bobby, who rolls over, a blearily grumpy look on his face. He grabs Daphs hand and asks, "What's going on?"

Excitedly, Daphs bounces up and down on the bed, telling him, "There's babies, Bobby!"

His eyes widen at once, all trace of tiredness melting from his face. "Really?" He asks, his shock turning to joy in an instance, adding, "Yay!"

Daphs squeals, throwing the cover off herself. She spares a glance at Lucas in the next bed; he buries his head under the pillow.

As Daphs is making her way to the lounge, she falls into step with Noah. There arms brush.

The enter the lounge, Noah shouting, "Babies!" before wandering off to one of several cots looking for the one with his and Hope's name.

"Steady on," Rahim says as he blearily wanders in after them, "they're not actual babies, Noah, mate. They're just dolls making a terrible noise."

Daphs gasps as she finds hers and Bobby's, a light brown colour with brown hair. Daphs hearts melts as she imagines their own baby with the same colourings. She picks it up and cradles it in her arms at once.

"Really guys?" Rahim says as Daphs, Noah, and Lottie all coo at their fake babies.

The conversation dies off as the other Islanders begin crowding their way in. All the noise the babies are making gets cut off by a high-pitched squeal from Chelsea. She leaps to her cot, pulling her baby into her arms and saying to Mickey, "Oh my God, babe! Babe, look at our precious princess!"

"Aw," Mickey says, coming over. "She's adorable."

"Look at her little feet! I'm calling her Bubbly!"

To Daphs other side, Gary steps up next to Lottie, wrapping an arm around her back and looking down on their baby in her arms like they're in a wholesome movie. "I think we should call our one Larry."

"Yeah, I think he suits that," she grins back, jostling the baby gently in her arms.

Across the room, Noah is holding his baby out for Hope to look, saying, "I've always liked the name Brenden. How about you, Hope?"

Unenthusiastically, she replies, "Um, sure. Whatever." As Noah looks adoringly down on their baby, Hope turns away with her lip curling.

"What do you want to name ours, babe?" Jo asks Rahim, touching him gently on his bicep.

"I don't know ..." he replies, brows knitting together. "I think it should be something we both love."

Lucas is leaning with both hands against his and Hannah's baby's cot, an unimpressed look on his face. His eyes look puffy from sleep as he watches Hannah pick their baby up. They speak at the same time.

Hannah says brightly, "Romeo!"

And Lucas calls out, half his lip curling up, "Dale."

A look passes between them, like they both expect the other to cave for them before both burst into a smile. Hannah shrugs, suggesting, "Rale?"