Lionesses- Harry Hampton

Why do they take such good people away?

Everyone was on the coach travelling down to Sunderland for the game the following day. A World Cup qualifier vs Austria.

The coach was pretty calm, and everyone sat in their seats doing their own thing.

They made it to the hotel and headed up to bed straight away.

The following morning, they were on the coach heading to the stadium. As usual, Harry went to the family zone and chilled out until it was time for kick off.

The game was even to start off with but just before half time Ellen managed to drill the ball home.

The game ended with England winning 1-0. Not the most convincing win but three points is three points.

"Class as always," Harry said to Ellen as they got back on the coach.

"Aw thanks mate," Ellen said, ruffling his hair as she did. Ellen had known Harry since her Birmingham days, so she'd basically seen him grow up.

***

They were back at St George's Park preparing for their next game. Harry was walking down the corridor to lunch when he could hear someone walking along. An idea crossed his mind. He quickly ran and pressed himself against the wall; effectively hiding himself away.

Just as the person walked around the corner he jumped out and screamed loudly.

"AHHH!" he shouted. Ella had just been minding her own business and when Harry jumped out, she was caught completely unaware. She screamed loudly.

"You dick," she said, laughing as she did, when she realised it was Harry. He was collapsed on the floor, incapable with laughter. She was holding her heart and breathing heavily from the shock.

"I'll get you back," Ella said as the pair of them walked down to lunch. Their conversation strayed to very important topics such as the best meat to have for breakfast and if you lost a finger which one would you pick.

That was one of the nice things about their friendship, they just spoke about random stuff.

***

Hannah and Harry were on one of their evening walks. It was a nice way to spend time with each other. They spoke about anything and everything.

Normally, they would bump into other Lionesses but today most people seemed to be elsewhere.

Harry pushed open the door to one of the rooms. He was busy talking to Hannah, so he didn't spot Millie and Rachel on the sofa. Rachel was crying and Millie was doing her best to comfort her.

"Oh sorry," Harry apologised when he realised he had interrupted.

"Is everything alright?" Hannah asked.

"Missing her dad," Millie mouthed as she stroked Rachel's hair.

"It's shit isn't it," Harry said, "Losing your dad."

Rachel looked up. She looked a mess.

"Yeah, it is," she agreed between sobs.

Hannah and Harry walked more towards the sofa. Hannah gave Millie a look, asking for permission to sit. Millie nodded and moved away so they could sit down.

"It does get better," Hannah said to Rachel. Rach was now cuddled into the side of her.

"It seriously does. It takes time. The pain doesn't get any better, but it gets easier to deal with," Harry added. They fell into a silence, all contemplating his words.

"When did you guys lose yours?" Rachel asked after a few moments of silence.

"3 and a half years ago," Hannah answered, "I was 17 and Harry was 9."

"Jesus. You poor kids. Don't know what I'm complaining about. You two barely got chance to spend time with him," Rachel said.

"It's hard at any age," Harry told her. The three of them sat, speaking about their dad's and crying as they did. They laughed and they wept, and they spoke and it was oddly calming.

"He was a great Dad. He cared a lot. Never missed any of my games. It hurt when he died because it was unexpected. He was fine and then they found the tumour and then he was dead," Hannah said.

"He held us all together and then when he died it fell apart," Harry said, crying into Rachel's side. She was sat in the middle with a Hampton curled up on each of her sides.

"It's so unfair. Why do they take such good people away? My Dad was amazing. It hurt so much. It still does," Rachel said. They fell into another silence. All of them were thinking about the same thing; how badly it hurt.

"The kids I used to hang out with said I was lucky my dad wasn't around. It meant he wasn't on my back all the time. But the only thing I wanted in the whole world was to have my dad back. Some days it makes my heart physically ache because he's not here," Harry said. He was crying a lot and Rachel was rubbing his back, trying to soothe him.

They carried on chatting for ages and when it felt like there was nothing else to be said, they lay crying in a calm silence.

"Ah look at us. Three crying messes," Rachel laughed after a while. Harry and Hannah laughed too.

It was nice just chatting and letting it all out. For Harry it felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, a weight he didn't know was there.

***