Simple Things||Harry Holland

26

The next morning, yet again, Harry was the first out of the boys to wake up. This time, however, he didn't wake up to find Essie beside him coming around. Instead, she was gone. The boy woke up quicker and quickly changed into some clothes, going to investigate and find Essie.

It seemed as if those who were awake were already working on the farm. Nancy was in the kitchen fetching some scissors when she noticed Harry.

"Morning, darling, Essie is out in the fields already if you're looking for her. Second one on the right, I believe." She told Harry.

"Morning and thanks, I'll go now," he smiled as the woman with her black hair, rubbed his arm lovingly and led the way out into the yard.

Harry took off in a fast paced walk, the bitter morning's air forming goosebumps on the back of his neck.

In the distance he spotted Essie's fiery red hair and he broke off into a jog so that he could get to her quicker but not scare any of the farm animals.

"Essie!" He called out as he got closer to her. The girl spun around looking in every direction, even up and down, much to Harry's amusement, before her eyes landed on the boy.

"G'morning, what are you doing up? I thought you'd still be asleep like the boys?" She greeted going closer to him, meeting in the middle.

"Nope, for some reason being here means I willingly get up at..." he glanced at his phone to check the time, "six am."

"It's all the country air!" She laughed ruffling his hair. He whipped his head out of the way swatting her hand away and the sudden gain of wind made him shiver. "Aw, is the English city boy cold in the good ol' country of Ireland?"

Harry rolled his eyes at her jesting and wasn't expecting the girl to wrap her arms around him, engulfing him in a hug. He hugged her tightly, resting his head on her shoulder, bending down to reach as she was shorter than him.

"Better?" Essie asked him. He nodded. "Good, you're not you when you're hungry! Eat a snickers! Get some nuts!"

Harry guffawed but didn't pull away from her. He enjoyed the embrace whilst it lasted. She pulled away a little while later and the two stood awkwardly, staring at each other. Until someone's voice came through the walkie-talkie that he didn't even realise she had in her pocket.

"If anyone is near the second field to the right from Will and Aisling's, please be prepared our piglets have escaped and are on the loose, I will be fixing the pen. Over."

Essie's eyes widened and she snapped the walkie-talkie from her pocket, bringing it up to her lips. "I am, Grandpa, they'll be caught as quick as possible, over."

"Thank you, Essie darling, over and out."

Essie shoved the walker-talkie and turned to Harry. "Get ready, city boy, because you're about to catch some piglets!"

Harry nodded his head, worriedly and followed Essie as she ran through the field. "I'll go left, you go right, we'll meet in the centre!"

"Got it! But how do I catch- PIGLET!" Harry chased a piglet which turned around and scurried away from him.

Essie had caught sight of one and creeped up behind it and went to dive and catch it but it got away. Groaning, she pushed herself up and chased it, diving repeatedly onto the ground to try and catch it, it wasn't very successful. Harry was having even less luck than she was!

Finally after about half an hour, Essie caught one and held it in her arms tightly, fortunately, from where part of a fence was being fixed there was some loose rope, she just about managed to tie a loop that slipped over the piglets held and acted as a leash, it didn't hurt it or anything, it just meant it could run off. She tied some more loops ready for the other piglets.

Essie had caught three piglets by the time she met Harry in the middle where he had dived for one of the piglets and caught it this time. Essie rushed over and slipped the rope on and handed Harry the piglets.

"You keep hold of these, we have three more to get."

"Three!" He exclaimed, out of breath.

"That's why I am handing you these, you needed not do anything but follow!" She replied and caught sight of two other piglets.

"Piglets four o'clock!" She called and broke off into a sprint, despite her lungs hurting from all of the early morning running. Harry watched as Essie dived and missed the piglets, pushed herself up and dived again soon after. She repeated this until she caught the two piglets, leashed then and handed the rope to Harry who looked like a dog-walker only with piglets instead.

"One bugger to go!" He stated.

Essie caught t soon after and she took some of the piglets off of Harry and led the way to the pen where her grandpa was finishing up the fixing job. Felix and Seamus was helping and laughed at the sight of the two redheads.

"It's seven in the morning and you guys look about ready to hit the stack!" Chuckled Seamus taking the piglets and putting the back in the pen. "Cheeky bastards!"

"Yeah, well, try catching runaway piglets!" Essie retorted, "c'mon, Harry, lets go get a drink and some breakfast." She poked her tongue out at Seamus and Felix, kissed her grandpa's cheek and the two left.

"I'm knackered," yawned Harry.

"Coffee coming up then, Mister Holland."

Harry cocked an eyebrow, "no city boy?"

"Nope!" She giggled.

"Well then, Miss Mulligan, country girl, I hope you have tea instead."

"Hun, I'll give you a used tea bag and cold water because that's the amount of flavour you get from the amount of milk you use!"

Harry rolled his eyes once more and placed his arm around her shoulder pulling the girl into his side. "And how do you have your tea?"

"Like a normal person, not strong, some milk, two sugars and the majority water." She stated, putting her arm around his waist and stopping her step.

"You disgust me!"

"And you disgust me!"