It was Tuesday, March 17th, 2020. St. Patrick's Day. It was a beautiful day. The sky was clear with puffy white clouds floating by gently in the breeze, it was warm and the sun was shining.
Tommy Settigren was heading over to his girlfriend's house to pick her up for their date. Naturally, he was wearing something green. He wore a pair of sneakers, a pair of blue jeans, and a green, short-sleeved T-shirt with a pot of gold in the center. He walked down the sidewalk, humming to himself merrily on his way to Annika's house.
Annika Settigren was eagerly waiting for her boyfriend to arrive. She too was wearing something green. She wore a pair of sneakers, a pair of blue jeans, and a green, short-sleeved T-shirt with a clover on the chest, along with her hair bow. She couldn't wait for Tommy to arrive.
Tommy arrived shortly, and walked up to the walkway to the porch. He knocked on the door, and heard footsteps coming to it. Annika opened the door, and her warm smile instantly met his.
"Hiya, Annika!" Tommy smiled.
"Hi, Tommy!" Annika smiled cheerfully. She stepped out onto the porch, took his hands into hers, leaned up and kissed him on his cheek. He grinned a goofy grin, which made her chuckle.
"Happy St. Patrick's Day," he said.
"Happy St. Patrick's Day," she said back. Annika then released his hands and stepped back a few steps. "How do ya like my outfit?" she asked, twirling around once in front of him.
"You look great, Annika. Like a pot of gold and a rainbow put together," he smiled.
"Oh, Tommy," she cooed, taking his hands into hers, leaning close to him and giving him a kiss on his nose.
"How do I look?" he asked.
"You look wonderful, Tommy. I've found something even better than gold at the end of my rainbow," she smiled, draping her arms loosely around his shoulders, as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Both young children chuckled as they stared into each others eyes. Then he remembered something.
"Nuts," he muttered.
"What is it?" she asked curiously.
"You're wearing green. Now I can't pinch you." He was grinning the whole time he spoke. A wide grin came to Annika's face as she began to giggle.
"Tee hee! Can't pinch me. Whatcha gonna do now?" she teased playfully. Then a thought hit her. "Nuts," she mumbled.
"What is it?" he asked. A grin found her face.
"You're wearing green, too. Now I can't pinch you, either." He chuckled.
"Heh heh! You can't pinch me, either. Looks like you're up the creek without a paddle, eh?" he smirked playfully. Annika giggled as she smiled slyly and pressed her front against his.
"Tell ya what. I'll let you pinch me..." She leaned her face up close to his. "...as long as I can pinch you," she finished with a devious smile. Tommy then got a devious grin of his own.
"Okay. Deal," he remarked.
"Good," she said. She then leaned up and gave him a peck on his lips. "But let's save our 'love pinch' for later. Alright?"
"You got it," he replied. They each chuckled, then pulled each other close and pressed their lips together in a loving kiss, Annika's leg rising behind her. After a few seconds, they each broke the kiss and pulled back to meet each others smiles and eyes.
"I love you, Tommy," Annika smiled softly.
"I love you, too, Annika," Tommy smiled softly. They then leaned close and touched their noses together, then pulled back. "So, are you ready for our date?" he asked.
"You betcha!" she replied brightly and cheerfully. He nodded, then pulled back and took her hand.
"Shall we?"
"Yes. We shall," she replied. As they began walking down her walkway, she chuckled.
"You think we'll see any leprechaun's today?" she asked.
"You never know. Though it wouldn't surprise me if Donald's uncle Scrooge got to his pot of gold before anyone else, " he replied, then chuckled.
"Oh, Tommy," she giggled. Both children shared a laugh together.
Tommy and Annika then began walking hand-in-hand down the sidewalk together. They went out dancing, then went to a restaurant and got a burger, fries, a soda, and a little salad, and took their food with them to the park where they sat underneath their favorite pine tree together and ate. They shared their fries and their soda together. Once they finished eating, they both laid down in the grass, snuggled up and watched the clouds float by. Annika lay with her head on Tommy's chest and one hand on his chest. Tommy sat with his hand on Annika's side and his other on hers on his chest. They going prone there for about a half hour, letting their food go down.
"What does that one look like?" Annika asked, pointing up to a cloud.
"Uhmm... Kinda looks like a boat," Tommy answered. He then spotted one. "What does that one look like?"
"Mmm... Looks a little like a rabbit," she replied. Then both children spotted a cloud.
"And that one?" he asked. She thought for a second.
"Mm... What do you think?" she asked. Both young lovers turned to each other with a smile.
"A Settigren!" both said, then began to laugh together. Annika then sat up a little, pulling her legs to one side under her. Tommy sat up as well, leaning his back against the pine tree.
"Isn't it a beautiful day?" he asked, looking up at the sky. She looked back up at the sky.
"Yes it is. It's a lovely day. I love days like this," she replied.
"Yeah, me, too." She turned to him with a warm smile.
"Know what I love most about these days?"
"What?" She leaned close to him and touched her nose to his.
"Spending them with you." He smiled an equally warm smile.
"I was thinking the same thing about you." Annika gently nuzzled her nose against Tommy's.
"I love you so much, Tommy," she smiled softly.
"I love you, too, Annika," he smiled softly back. She pulled back and met his smile and eyes with her own. "How about a game of hide and seek?" he suggested. She grinned.
"You're on!" Annika and Tommy both stood up and faced each other.
"Who goes first?"
"Coin toss?" she suggested. He nodded, reached into his pocket and pulled out a quarter.
"Heads or tails?"
"Heads."
"Tails." Tommy placed the quarter on his thumb and flipped it. It spun a few times before he caught it in his hand. He placed it on the top of his hand and took his other hand off of it. "Heads it is! You go first." Annika nodded.
"Okay. You hide and I'll count." She giggled as she turned to the pine tree, folded her arms across it, closed her eyes and began to count. Tommy took off to find a hiding place. He looked around a couple of trees until he found a bush big enough to hide in. He climbed into the bush and crouched down. "Okay! Ready or not, here I come!" Annika called. She then began to look for her mate, looking around every tree she came to. She looked high up into the branches, thinking he may have climbed up a tree. She also checked through all the bushes she found too.
Finally, she walked around a tree and stopped when she noticed something sticking out from under a bush. She bent down to get a closer look and couldn't help but snicker when she saw a thin, black tail sticking out. He had a pretty good spot. Had it not been for his tail, she might not would have found him. He didn't know that she knew he was in the bush. She decided to play along.
"What's this?" she asked calmly, looking at her companion's tail. She thought it was cute how, at her words, it tensed, and curled up a little. "What's this little black thing?" She snickered again when she saw his tail slowly slither under the bush. She couldn't hold back her laughter. She grabbed her stomach and began to laugh. "Hahaha! Okay, Tommy. Heehee! I know you're in there. Hahaha!" Tommy climbed out of the bush.
"How'd ya find me?" he asked, standing up as he dusted himself off. Annika giggled and pointed behind him to his tail. Tommy looked behind him and saw his tail. He got a cocked grin as he brought his tail around to his front. "And I was hid so well, too. Sometimes I think it has a mind of it's own." He wiggled his tail. Annika began to giggle. "Maybe I should tie it in a knot when we play hide and seek." Annika stepped closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Aww, don't do that," she soothed in a childlike and playful voice. "I like your little tail. It's cute." She leaned her face up closer to his. "Just like the rest of you." Tommy smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
"You've got a cute tail, too. Just like the rest of you."
"Aw, Tommy," she uttered, then leaned up and brushed her lips against his. She pulled back and giggled. "Now it's your turn to find me." He nodded. Tommy then pulled away and began to count as Annika searched for a good spot. She looked around the trees, and in the bushes, until she spotted a big oak tree that was big enough for her to hide behind. And it was close enough to a few other trees to provide cover. She stood behind the tree, leaned her back against it and waited.
"Ready or not, here I come!" Tommy called. He then began to look for his mate, looking around the trees, up in the trees and in the bushes. Finally, he got to a group of several trees that were close together, and stopped when he noticed something sticking out from one of the tress. He stepped closer to the oak tree to get a closer look and couldn't help but snicker when he saw the tip of a thin, black tail sticking out from behind the tree. She didn't know he had found her. Had it not been for her tail, he may not would have. He decided to play along with the moment.
"I wonder if she's around here?" he asked calmly. He thought it was adorable how her tail seemed to tense and curl up a little at his words. "Is that a little black branch?" He chuckled again when he saw her tail slowly slither around the side of the tree. He couldn't contain his laughter. He leaned against a tree, grabbed his stomach and began to laugh. "Hahahehe! I found you, Annika. Hehehe! Come on out. Hahaha!" Annika stepped out from behind the tree.
"How'd ya find me?" she asked. Tommy chuckled and pointed behind to her tail. Annika looked behind her at her tail, then faced him with a cocked grin as she brought it around to her front. "You're not the only one with tail trouble." She looked back at her tail. "It think it has a mind of it's own sometimes, too." She wiggled it and Tommy chuckled. "Maybe I should tie it in a knot next time we play hide and seek." Tommy stepped closer to her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"You'll do no such thing," he said in a soothing and childlike voice. "I like your little tail, too." He leaned his face down close to hers. "It's cute. Just like the rest of you." Annika beamed up at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She leaned up and touched her nose to his. Pulling back, she smiled.
"How about we play one more game?"
"What game?" he asked. Annika leaned up and gave him a playful peck on his nose.
"Tag. You're it!" With that, she pulled away and broke to run away from him, laughing all the while.
"I'll getcha!" he called as she took off after her, laughing as well. Annika ran around a couple of trees, trying to get some cover, but Tommy was hot on her tail. Finally, she ran away from the trees and he tore off after her. She knew he was going to get her, but she didn't mind. As he closed the distance, he opened his arms to grab her. He closed the short distance, and wrapped his arms around her waist, picking her up and twirling her around once before setting her back on the ground. Annika was laughing the whole time, as was Tommy. When he set her down, she turned around in his arms and draped her arms across his shoulders.
"I gotcha," he smiled. She giggled softly.
"Yep, you caught me." She pulled him tighter. "But I'm glad you did." She then kissed him on his cheek. He smiled, leaned down and gave her a peck on her nose.
"You're it!" With that, he pulled away and tore off away from her, laughing as he did.
"Oh, I'm gonna getcha!" she called as she tore off after him, laughing as well. Tommy tried the same trick Annika used, running around trees and bushes in a attempt to gain distance from his pursuer, but it too was proving to be futile, as Annika was hot on his tail. He ran from behind a tree away from her, and she tore off in hot pursuit after him. He knew she would catch him, but he didn't mind. As she closed the distance between them, she opened her arms to grab him. She closed the short distance, and wrapped her arms around his waist, tackling him. Tommy was laughing the whole time, as was Annika. He turned around in her arms and wrapped his arms around her back.
"I gotcha," she smiled.
"Yep, you did," he chuckled. "But I'm glad." He kissed her forehead. She smiled, leaned up and kissed him on his nose. Both children were a little out of breath from their game of tag. "How about we take a rest?" he suggested.
"I'm game for that," she chuckled. Tommy and Annika then sat down under their favorite pine tree to rest. Tommy sat with his back against the tree trunk, and Annika snuggled next to him, resting her head against the side of his chest, draping one arm around him. He countered her action by wrapping one arm around her waist. They sat there for a little while resting and enjoying each others company, when Tommy spoke.
"Have you had a good St. Patrick's Day, Annika?" Tommy asked. Annika sat up a little, slid her leg across his legs and straddled him as she placed her hands on his sides and began to rub them, smiling lovingly.
"I've had a wonderful St. Patrick's Day, Tommy. I've had so much fun today. Thank you so much," she smiled. Tommy wrapped his arms around her waist and smiled.
"You're welcome, Annika. I'm glad you've enjoyed today," he smiled. She raised her hands up to his face and cupped his cheeks with her hands.
"Oh, I have. But then you make every day wonderful for me." Tommy felt his insides melt.
"You make every day wonderful for me, too." Annika felt her heart melt in her chest. She leaned close and pressed her lips to his, holding his face in her hands. She pulled back and met his smile.
"I love you so much, Tommy," she uttered as she stroked his cheeks.
"I love you, too, Annika. So much," he murmured as he rubbed her sides.
"Happy St. Patrick's Day, baby."
"Happy St. Patrick's Day, doll." She leaned close and nuzzled her nose against his, then pulled back and smiled. She then eased off him and sat next to him.
"Hey! Since it's St. Patrick's Day, why don't we look for a four-leaf clover together?" she suggested with a bright and hopeful smile.
"Sure. It wouldn't complete the day if we didn't look for one," he replied.
"Wonderful!" she said happily. Tommy and Annika got onto their knees and forearms and began to scan the grass side-by-side for a four-leaf clover. The looked for the next half hour together, but only found three-leaf clovers. After several more minutes of searching, both were ready to quit, when they both saw one.
"Found one!" they said in unison. Both young Settigren lovers began to laugh.
"I can't believe we actually found one," Tommy said.
"Me, neither. But I'm glad we did," Annika said. She then turned to Tommy. "You go ahead and pick it up. You found it."
"Nu-uh. You found it. You go ahead." Both then smiled tenderly.
"We both found it," they said together. Annika gently picked the clover and she and Tommy both stood up on their knees.
"Here. You keep it," she smiled, letting the clover rest in the palm of her left hand as she held it up to him.
"I know just what to do with it," he said with a smile. He stood up and took her hand. She smiled at him as she stood up in front of him. Tommy then took the four-leaf clover from her palm, and delicately placed it in her hair, in front of her left ear just to the side of her bow. "There. Now you'll be lucky wherever you go." Annika beamed up at him as her heart twirled within her chest.
"Oh, Tommy," she cooed, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I don't need some clover to be lucky. I'm already the luckiest girl in the world." She pulled him closer, brushing her front against his. "Because I have you." Tommy felt his own insides melt at her warm words. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer.
"I have something better than a four-leaf clover. I have you." He saw her eyes sparkle just before she embraced him and nuzzled her cheek onto his chest.
"You're wonderful, Tommy," she whispered.
"You are too, Annika," he whispered. He kissed her softly on the top of her head. She returned the favor by kissing him softly on his chest. She pulled back a little and gazed up into his brown eyes with her own.
"Happy St. Patrick's Day, sweetie."
"Happy St. Patrick's Day, baby." They leaned close and brushed their noses together. "Speaking of which..." he said with a sly smile when he pulled back. "Mind if I give you a little 'love pinch' now?"
"Not at all," she replied with a sly smile. She felt an enjoyable shiver go up her spine and her cheeks heat up when she felt his hands slide down her back to her tush. She knew what he had in mind, and she had no intentions of stopping him. She blushed and felt a shiver of pleasure travel up her body and she let out a little squeak when she felt him gently pinch her tush. Once he pinched her, he slid his arms back up and rested them on her back. Both children chuckled. Then a sly smile came to Annika's face.
"Now it's my turn to give you a little 'love pinch'," she said.
"Alright," he chuckled. She slipped her arms from around his shoulders and moved them around his waist. He too blushed and felt a shiver go up his spine when he felt her hands moved down his back to his rear. He knew she was going to do the same thing to him, and he had no intentions of stopping her. A shiver traveled up him and he let out a little squeak when he felt her gently pinch his tush. Once she got her pinch in, she then moved her arms up his back and let them rest around his torso. Both children chuckled.
"And to think some people don't want to get pinched. They just don't know how fun it can be," he grinned.
"Especially the way we do it," she grinned slyly, squeezing him a little. Both young children shared a laugh, then stared into each others eyes.
"Why would I want to search for a pot of gold, when I have something much better. It wouldn't matter how many rainbows I followed, I'd never find anything better than you, Annika," Tommy smiled warmly, pulling her closer. Her heart just melted right there.
"I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have you, Tommy. It doesn't have to be St. Patrick's Day for me to know how lucky I am. You're the only thing I need at the end of my rainbow," Annika smiled warmly and lovingly, pulling him closer.
"I love you, Annika."
"I love you, too, Tommy."
"Happy St. Patrick's Day, sugar."
"Happy St. Patrick's Day, doll baby." Annika giggled softly. "You're my good luck charm, Tommy," she smiled.
"And you're mine, Annika," he smiled. Tommy and Annika each leaned close and pressed their lips together in a loving and passionate kiss, her leg rising behind her. They each let out a soft moan and felt their bodies tingle when they tasted each others tongue. They pulled back and smiled at one another, then they embraced each other again.
Tommy and Annika held each other as they basked in the warmth and comfort of each others presence. It doesn't have to be St. Patrick's Day for them to know how lucky they are to be together. They both know they're very lucky to be with one another and to have each other. At the end of the rainbow, they didn't find a pot of gold. They found something much better. They found each other. They could search every rainbow, but they would never find anything that would be more special to them than what they found at the end of their rainbow... Each other. Having each other and being with each other is all the luck they'll ever need.