Read Sweet Tomorrows for Free Online

probably built around the fifties or sixties, and looked to have been neglected for quite some time. Most of the outside had been ignored. The porch was uneven, as if part of the foundation had crumbled, and the flower beds were overgrown with weeds.
    The lawn was in sorry shape and consisted of dry yellow grass. The only green visible was weeds, and they seemed to be flourishing. The yard didn’t look to have been watered in months. Yet with all that was wrong I found myself strongly drawn to the home. Maybe because I, too, felt beaten down, ignored, and discarded.
    I could see that at one time this house had been cherished and appreciated. If whoever was doing the repairs had a sense of this, then they would see it restored to the beauty it had once been.
    Someone had taken on the task. That much was obvious by the amount of wood stacked in the front, along with sawhorses and other woodworking equipment.
    I paused to study the house, and right away I felt a deep sense that this was it, the house I could see for me and the future I planned to make for myself. Sight unseen—well, the inside, at any rate—I knew this was it, and I was keenly interested.
    It was large, much bigger than I currently needed. I speculated it probably had four or more bedrooms, which was perfect. What also attracted me was the large yard and small orchard. As far as I could see, there was no indication that whoever was currently residing there had any intention to sell. It was speculation on my part; all I could do was ask.
    I decided to investigate the orchard, which looked to have about fifty trees. As soon as I entered the property, I noticed an overgrown trail winding its way through the orchard.
    The shade cooled me after my short run. The trail was perfect, as I preferred vegetation over concrete for my workouts. The grass was ankle-high, but it was easy to see where the path had been. I followed it without a problem and noticed that several of the trees were apple. The others looked to be pear and plum trees. The budding fruit filled the branches and I ambled along, stopping several times to examine them. Already my mind conjured up jars of apple butter, plum jelly, and canned pears.
    Halfway through the orchard I heard a low growl coming from behind me. My heart immediately sped with fear. Being cautious, I slowly turned around to find a large German shepherd not more than five feet away from me. His teeth were bared as if he was prepared to attack with the least provocation. His eyes were dark and menacing. I immediately sensed that he was a guard dog whose job was to ward off trespassers.
    “Hello, boy,” I said slowly, carefully, fearing that if I made an abrupt move the canine might take it upon himself to bite a chunk out of my leg. I froze and carefully looked around for his owner, but unfortunately I saw no one.
    We were at a standoff. I didn’t move and neither did the dog. Then he cocked his head as if questioning my presence in the orchard.
    “I’m friendly,” I said in low tones, being extra-careful, in case he decided to go for my jugular. “Are
you
friendly? You look like you could be.” I hated that my voice trembled. Animals could sense fear, and while I was putting on a good front, I couldn’t disguise my initial reaction.
    I’m not sure how to explain what happened next. The dog continued to study me. Somehow, some way, he seemed to sense that I wasn’t a threat. He held my gaze and then did something completely unexpected.
    He wagged his tail.
    My relief was instantaneous and I felt my body relax. I hadn’t realized how tense I’d gotten. We both got a little closer and I got down on one knee to carefully, slowly, pet his head. He had a collar with a silver circle attached with his name.
Elvis
.
    “So you’re a love-me-tender breed of dog, are you?” I asked, feeling more relaxed. He might look like a big, bad beast, but he seemed to accept my presence as if he knew I wasn’t a threat to him or his