Songbird [H.S]

TWENTY-EIGHT

The morning air carried a crisp gentle breeze that was happily savoured before the midday sun would bring a thick blanket of warmth with it in a few hours' time. The middle of summer was Marley's favourite time of year, savouring the way the golden sun created warmth for life again. Everything was happy. Birds chirped in the trees; children laughed as they played in the streets and flowers covered gardens with a sprinkle of colour.

Even though the soaring temperatures were much more uncomfortable now she was pregnant, nothing was stopping her from enjoying her favourite time of year and she was dragging Harry along with her. It was a lot harder to feel upset when you were surrounded by the beautiful things in life while the warm sun caressed your skin.

The blonde's favourite thing to do on a warm day was to go for a walk. It sounded dull but there was nothing more freeing than walking all day with no purpose and just seeing where the day led you. Their small town was surrounded by nature, whether it be grassy fields, peaceful lakes or refreshing rivers, there was always something new to discover.

That morning, Marley could see Harry was struggling from the moment they woke up. He was still feeling really ashamed over his actions a few nights ago and was finding it hard to cope with the fact he couldn't speak to his grandma about it. If she was still here, Josephine would be able to help him talk through his feelings and talk some sense into him if he needed it. Marley was making a huge effort to show Harry she was there to listen to him and while he was doing his best to open up, he just needed a little more time.

In an attempt to stop Harry from getting so lost in his head, she'd dragged him outside to join her on a walk knowing the weather was going to be beautiful. Part of her thought he would be reluctant to go with her, wanting to shut himself in his bedroom to paint the day away but she was pleasantly surprised when he didn't put up a fight. He just silently got up, had a shower and got dressed in a white, flowy blouse and red velvet flares - tying his curls back with a matching red bandana. She was proud of him for making an effort but didn't want to cause too much fuss so she kissed him a little harder that morning and complimented his outfit which made him blush sweetly.

Marley knew it was going to be almost too warm for her that afternoon so she'd dressed in a crocheted triangle bikini top that was enough to cover her chest and a pink patterned maxi skirt that allowed the breeze to cool her down. Her baby bump was on full display as she confidently showed off her pregnant body, something she'd recently started to embrace. There were days she struggled with the changes her body was going through, however with the sun-kissed glow the summer months had given her, she was feeling much prettier within herself.

The couple had been strolling through their town for about an hour before Marley mentioned she wanted to have a little rest. It was getting on towards the late morning and the warmth was starting to get to her a little so Harry suggested they went and got a lemonade. That's how they found themselves sitting on a wooden bench in the shade of a large oak tree, sipping on their fizzy drinks through a straw floating in a glass bottle. Occasionally Marley would rest the cool glass against her cheek, sighing contently at the pleasant feeling.

"It's weird, I've lived in this town my whole life but I've never taken the time to just sit and enjoy the beauty surrounding us." Harry mused quietly. He was sitting with Marley resting her head on his shoulder as they just observed the world go on around them. They were in a quieter area of town where not many kids ventured out to play, instead, the occasional adult would make their way in and out of the surrounding shops as they went about their errands. The bench they were resting on was positioned opposite the town's florist so they were enjoying watching people as they carried colourful bouquets of flowers home with huge smiles.

"Sometimes you just need to stop a moment to slow down and take everything in." The blonde girl smiled, glancing up to see how Harry was doing. She noticed his lips were curled upwards ever so slightly to grace his features with a small smile, his pretty emerald eyes sparkling as he watched a butterfly flutter past him. His bruised face was definitely starting to fade and Marley was glad he wasn't hurt as bad as it first looked.