1

welcome to 'A Sunny Tomorrow'!

this is my 21st story. i wrote this because i wanted to write something sort of sweet but has a bit of drama in it.

i hope you'll enjoy this story.

bye!

Graham Birch

The chores had been done, the dog had been fed, and the mail collected. All that needed to be done was pick up groceries at the local market and deliver a package to the local post office.

Off I went in my old, rusted green truck. It created a rattling noise but was still in fit condition. It didn't need to be replaced. Sometimes, it's fine to leave things as they are.

At the market, I collected what I needed to stock up for the week. And when I went to check out my items, the kind owners were quick to make small talk with me.

"Good day, Graham." The old woman at the counter said. Her glasses just barely hung off the bridge of her nose. White frizzy hair was tied into a ponytail and her red and white apron covered her long pink dress.

"Is that all?" She asked. I reached the candy shelves and grabbed a packet of watermelon-flavored gum.

"That should be it." I spoke.

While she scanned the items and I bagged them, her husband came by and leaned against a nearby register.

"Did you hear, Graham?" He asked.

I looked up from my action. "It's a small town. I'm sure I've heard everything." I replied.

"A friend of mine who is close to a realtor told me that the house across the street from yours just got sold." The old man said.

"Really?" His wife asked.

"Yes. Apparently, whoever wanted it needed it in a rush. And it's apparently some city boy from Los Angeles." He explained.

I scoured my nose, and so did the old woman. People in this town are not too fond of city folks. They rarely come by. And when they do, they have a sense of entitlement. Always wanting the best hotel rooms, discount prices, and threatening to post our local business and slander us.

"You excited for your new neighbor?" She asked.

The last of my items had been scanned. "I guess. I still miss Ms. Alder."

"How is she, by the way. Ever since her daughter moved her to a hospital room, the rest of us have been worried about her sake." She spoke.

"She's been well." I replied. "I should get back before Juniper escapes again." I said as I packed the last of my items.

"Oh, Graham! My cousin's daughter is still looking for a man! If you ever-"

"No thank you." I shouted. "But I appreciated the offer, Mr. and Mrs. Poplar. Goodbye!"

That wasn't the first time someone offered to set me up on a date with someone they know. While I can't say I'm not looking for a partner, it just isn't in the cards for me.

I stopped by the post office where I had a package sent out for my sister. I also sent her text, letting her know that it was on its way. I had spent much time out and quickly needed to return home.

As I drove down the street, which was just fields of crops, I saw in the distance a large moving truck. This must be my neighbor Mr. Poplar told me about. I slowed down my car and parked it in my driveway.

While putting my groceries inside, I kept seeing men entering and leaving the house while carrying boxes or furniture. They must have taken hours. By the time the truck left, I was already done making dinner and was preparing to go to sleep.

But before I went to bed, I looked out the window that faced the house on the other side of the street. A single light was on. From my time in that house before, I knew the window to be part of the largest bedroom.

Whoever was in there was going to stay up.

"Come, Juniper!" I spoke. My dog, a golden retriever with soft yellow fur, came and slept in his bed right next to me.

I looked up at the ceiling, rethinking everything I did today. I made a mental check to see if all my chores were done. Did I clean the table before coming to bed? Did I go to the store? Of course I did.

At least my sleep came by easier, knowing that tomorrow would be another day of new things.

My morning started off just like the day before, and the day before that. I woke up, spent a few minutes petting Juniper, and then took a shower. I stared at my reflection in the mirror and knew I would have to get my haircut soon.

While making coffee downstairs, I heard the front door of the other house across the street open. I found it quite hilarious that even with a new owner, the hinges of the door are still creaky.

"Go away." I said to Juniper, feeling him looking at me. He tilted his head to the side, wagging his tail and looking at me in the eyes. I relented and fed him a bit of fruit from my bowl.

When the coffee was ready, I drank it while staring out the window. That's when I caught my first glimpse of him.

Black hair that waved in the summer breeze. Pale skin that heavily contrasted the color of his hair. He wore a knitted sweater and shorts just above his knees, showing off his legs.

For a moment, I was captivated by him. Something about the way he looked just entranced me. I didn't want to look away. But I had to when I noticed that he was walking towards my front door.

"Crap!" I muttered as I crouched down so he wouldn't see me from the kitchen window. He knocked on my front door, causing Juniper to start lightly barking.

"Hello?" I heard my new neighbor say. "Hello? I need help." He dragged his words. He definitely had a city-boy accent.

Juniper had stopped barking. He approached me in the kitchen and began to bite on my flannel and tried to drag me to the front door.

"Juniper! Stop it!" I whispered to him. But the stubborn dog didn't listen. So, with a deep breath, I stood up and went to the front door.

Through the foggy glass, I could see his silhouette. He knocked again and called for anyone inside. I made sure to put my leg in front of Juniper, so he doesn't run out and jump on the new neighbor.

'Here goes.' I muttered to myself. I opened the door right as he was going to knock.

"Oh, someone does live here." He spoke. He took a moment to trace his eyes up my body. I easily saw a blush coming on his face.

"Can I help you?" I asked, bringing my voice deeper than normal.

He took a bit of time to compose himself. "Right," He shook his head. "Uh, listen. I don't mean to be a bother. But- Wait. I should introduce myself first before asking for a favor."

"Alright." I replied. I leaned against the door frame and crossed my arms over my chest.

"My name is Spencer Cypress. I just moved across the street from you. And from what I can see, we're the only neighbors here." He spoke. He held out his hand, expecting a handshake.

I shook his hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Spencer. Name's Graham Birch." I replied. My dog barked from behind the door. "That's Juniper." I replied.

"Oh, nice. I've always wanted a dog but- never mind." Spencer said. He looked around, inspecting the wooden door and... he's looking at my body.

"You said you needed a favor?" I asked. Spencer stopped looking around and looked back at me. I noticed he was shorter than me. He practically has to raise his neck to look at me.

"Yes, I do. I hope this isn't going to be a bother. But since I just moved here, I don't have any food. I also don't have a car. Could you please take me somewhere?" He asked.

I looked at him while raising an eyebrow.

"Look, Spencer. I wish I could. But I have a few things to do right now. And if I don't get a head start, things could be delayed." I explained. That wasn't a total lie. I have a few workers that can do the work for me. But I just wanted to see what city boy would come up with to convince me otherwise.

Spencer huffed. "I'll pay you!" He spoke. There it is. A true city-boy response.

"Fine." I relented. "Let me get my things and then we can head out."

"Thank you! You're a lifesaver." Spencer said.

"Wait here." I told him. Before I closed the door, I peeked out a bit. "I'd recommend you lose the sweater. Unless you want to pass out from the heat." I told him.

"Huh? I'm fine. Gotta look good for first impressions."

"Alright." I replied, deciding that one warning was enough. He went on his phone and began typing something.

I texted a worker to do my morning chores, put Juniper's collar on, and grabbed my wallet. Outside, Spencer was leaning against my mailbox while quickly texting on his phone. He had a worried expression and didn't see me walking out.

"Spencer?" I asked. He looked up and put his phone in his pocket. "You okay?" I asked.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I was just... texting something." He stuttered. He looked to my side and saw Juniper. "Is the dog coming with us?"

"Yes. Will that be a problem?" I asked while raising an eyebrow.

"Not at all." He said. Juniper walked to Spencer and began to rub his leg. Spencer chuckled and bent down to pet him.

"Let's head out." I said, walking to my truck. I got in and Juniper was between us.

"Thanks, once again. I'll try to get a car as soon as I can." He said. I could see through the corner of my eye he was scanning me up and down.

"Don't mention it. We're neighbors now. If you need a ride, a cup of sugar, or a t-shirt, just walk the few paces across the street." I told him.

Juniper stood on Spencer's thighs and stuck his head out the window. Spencer said adorning words to him and patted his fur.

"So, Spencer. Why is a young city boy like you moving to the middle of nowhere? What's your story?" I asked.

I saw his face drop for a bit. "Hmm? Well, what is a handsome man like yourself living by yourself in the middle of nowhere? What is your story?" he asked, turning the question to me.

"You think I'm handsome?" I asked. His face turned red.

"Answer my question." He said. I retorted, insisting that I asked him first. We went back and forth.

"How about we both keep our stories to ourselves. And if we ever decide to tell in the future and become closer, then we can tell our stories." I said.

Spencer looked like he wanted to say something. But instead, he nodded. I saw him look out the window with Juniper. Meanwhile, I looked ahead at the road as I drove us to the marketplace.