It Could Only be You

Episode 97: Baby Brain

Later in the day, well after Daphs has removed herself from the Hope and Noah scene, she's on the daybeds with Lottie, Gary, and Larry. She's taken Bobby Junior while Old Bobby goes to the toilet. He gave her a heads up that it's not going to be a five-minute job either.

"Lovely," she had told him. "You go enjoy."

"Oh, I'm sure I will," he replies, giving her a kiss on the cheek before heading off to do some damage. "I'll take Junior out for a stroll when I come back. I'll probably need to stretch my legs."

He's gone so long that Lottie falls asleep on the daybed, Larry lying on her stomach.

Raising with every breath Lottie takes, Larry lets out a contented little laugh. Gary stares at it like it's some little gremlin.

"What on earth was that?" He muses, distrust latent in his tone.

"I think that's the noise they make when they're happy?" Daphs says, playing with Bobby's lip to make her make the same happy noise.

"Well," Gary says, still looking at Larry like he might hop up and start trying to suck out their brains, "it makes me unhappy. These things can be so creepy." He sighs, turning away finally.

Lottie snorts in her sleep.

Looking at her sympathetically, Daphs turns on her side to face Lottie. "She's so tired," she says.

"Yeah, she's knackered herself looking after Larry. She's putting me to shame. Earlier, I thought I'd sat on Larry. Turned out to be a bagel. My bagel ... There was cream cheese everywhere."

"Oh, I thought that's what was smeared on the kitchen counter earlier."

"I didn't do it on the counter?" He says, concern written all over his face. "Wait, did I? No ... but Rahim did after our workout ... and he had been on the bench after I sat on the bagel ... ah, no ..."

Daphs tuts. "Well, you and Lottie are doing well looking after Larry at any rate."

"I didn't see Lottie as the maternal type, but she's really showing a different side of herself today. It makes me happy."

Again, Lottie snorts, adding a mumble this time.

"Do you think she's dreaming about being a mother?" Daphs asks.

"That's all kinds of adorable," he beams, eyeing Lottie with renewed appreciation. Then his phone beeps. He sighs, reaching for it, shouting, "I've got a text!"

Lottie jumps up, whacking Larry off Daphs head.

"Ow," Daphs says, rubbing her noggin as Larry bursts out crying.

"Oh, whoa – I'm so sorry, come here," Lottie says, and Daphs is just turning to get a hug from Lottie when she realises that Lottie is talking to Larry. Daphs stares, unimpressed. Lottie raises at brow to Daphs. "Sorry. You good?" Daphs nods, and while all the others make their way over, Lottie adds, "I dozed off?"

Bobby jumps in with them, rolling over Daphs and landing on Larry.

"Ah, oh, ouch," he says, while flinging Larry out from under him. Larry bounces off the bottom of the bed and goes careering to the ground. A spilt second later, the mechanical cry pierces through all. "Oops!"

"Bobby, no!" Lottie screeches, diving off the bed to get Larry. Gary quickly shoves his hand over his mouth before he can burst out laughing. "LARRY!"

Lottie raises Larry high in the air like he's Simba, holding him up to the sun.

"Oooh my God ..." Bobby says, protectively securing himself in Daphs arms. She has to hide her face in the crook of his neck. "Lottie ... Gary ... I am so sorry. I never knew it was your baby!"