Maybe Baby

Call Me Back Again

In the next five days, Joe and Sophie had been slowly going more places, with a bit more socialization, and it worked. One trip being to get more items for her. 

Joe decided it was time to tell his friends about her.

He started with Rami Malek, who also lived in Los Angeles. They'd been texting, and Rami asked if he could come over. Joe agreed, saying to take things slowly.

Eagerly inspired, he texted Gwilym Lee and Ben Hardy too. Gwilym answered with exclamation marks and emojis. He texted that they could come over sometime too.

From Ben, he got no reply. Joe attempted calling him, but alas, no call back.

"He must be busy.." 

"Be busy!" Sophie copied with a grin. She'd been learning about games. Copycat was one.

"Hey, are you copying me again!?" He asked playfully.

"You againnn!" 

Joe tickled her, earning giggles of joy as he pretended to be offended. 

"My name is Sophie." Joe smiled.

"Sophie!"

"Well, I guess I'll have to go play with my teddy bear, if I'm you," Joe teased, a successful attempt to end the game as the girl declared, "No! Teddy." 

"I'm just kidding, honey, here you go." He handed the toy to Sophie.

--

"Sophie? I have something to tell you. Come here, please." 

"Hm?" Sophie wandered over and sat near her father, showing that she was listening.

"I've invited someone to come over, it's not Grandma, but it's my good friend. He's very nice, his name is Rami." 

The toddler looked confused for a moment but nodded, figuring out that it shouldn't be bad. People upset her sometimes, but if her dad said he was nice... Why not?

--

There was a knock on the door and this time, Sophie asked to be with him. Just in case.

Joe held her hand as he answered the door, letting the other man inside the room.

"Hello! You must be Sophie. I love your hair." Rami complimented softly, careful not to startle her.

"You Rami," Sophie tried to greet him.

"My name is Rami, that's right. Can I give you a hug?" 

"...Yeah." It was an improvement and it surprised Joe; she'd been so shy to everyone else.

The embrace was very gentle and slow, the little girl feeling the warmth of the energy. Rami observed the resemblance suddenly. 

"Wow. You have the same eyes and hair color as your dad. It's so cute." 

"She does, doesn't she? Also, she really seems to be fond of you." Joe said.

Rami laughed and smiled in agreement, now talking to Sophie, who happily talked to him in return.

He stayed for a while, then went back to his own home, which made the girl whine in disappointment. 

-

"He can come back another day, don't worry. I know, you're friends now." 

"Who is he," Sophie pointed at the door, right before it got knocked on again.

"I don't know, actually. Did you know someone was coming?" She nodded her head.

She had heard footsteps, that's how she knew.

"Well, let's go find out." Joe said and went over again. He gave the person at the door a hug, then Sophie wanted to be picked up.

"High, daddy." She asked softly, reaching her arms up higher. 

Joe figured it out and placed Sophie on his shoulders, and she squealed, "Yes."

"Oh, you wanted to be as tall as Gwilym, don't you?" Joe questioned.

"I do! Taller daddy." Sophie giggled.

"I am taller than your daddy! You are so smart!" Gwilym looked at her kindly.

-

"I wasn't expecting you, when did you get here?" 

"About four hours ago. Then you texted me."

Joe tried to take Sophie off of his shoulders, but she started to fuss. "Soph, you can't always be taller than me! That would be silly." 

"Here, I can hold her?" Gwilym put his arms out, and Sophie moved carefully to be held.

"Tall! I tall!" Sophie laughed. 

Joe and Gwilym laughed with her, and they started talking some more after.

"Hey, since it's nice out, shall we go to the beach?"

"I'd love to, what do you think, Sophie?" Gwilym rocked  back and forth a little.

"Go to beach!" 

---

Once they arrived at the sandy and wonderfully bright location, Joe tried calling Ben again. Still, his call wasn't answered. He sighed and put it away, focusing on setting up a blanket.

Gwilym was still carrying Sophie, who had never seen sand or an ocean, therefore was very hesitant about where she was.

"Look, it's nice to feel." Gwilym touched the ground with one hand, and she copied the motion.

"What is it?" Sophie was still not confident. But her speech was developing quickly.

"Sand," Joe replied and set her down on the blanket. "It's kinda like dirt, but less messy."

"Plus, you can build sandcastles! With buckets and spades!" Gwilym was enthusiastic.

She kicked the sand and smiled, then watched as he did actually get out buckets and shovels.

"Wait, you were just prepared to build sandcastles at any time?" Joe raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, I was. No, of course not. I bought some at that shop while you two put sunblock on." 

Joe grinned sheepishly out of embarrassment, and nodded.

The three of them built sandcastles and chatted, mostly answering the little girl's questions about what everything does, that kind of thing.

Sophie took her sunglasses and put them on, upside down, but she acted like it was on purpose. "Daddy! Wook!" 

"I see that! You have them on the wrong way! But you're so sure of it." Joe said in wonder.

Sophie was beaming with delight. Soon, the two men showed her how to make a sandcastle and she was fascinated. 

It was a tiring day, but very nice. Ben didn't end up returning the calls; he was busy. Joe wasn't that bothered by it and continued getting Sophie to bed.

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