For you, I hope the grass is greener

Chapter 7 Planting Gone Awry

Daphne's POV

I wake up earlier than anyone else in the house as usual. This is an everyday thing even on the weekends.. My internal clock goes off even if my alarm on my phone doesn't. So I just got up without a fight, and prance around the room, humming to myself as I threw my hair up into a messy bun and put on a tank top and shorts.

I need to take care of some chores, and they can get a little messy, so putting on something comfy that can get messed up is probably the best thing to do. I make my way through the house, watering each of the indoor plants before I feed our cats, and then I head straight for outside. The first place I go to is towards the hose onto the back corner of the house. It's hanging up as I make sure it's securely hooked up to the faucet, then turn on the water.

I spray each of the plants for a moment before moving onto the next one. I squat down, looking at the tomtoes growing on my plants and then seeing the tiny stems emerging from the dirt beds besides these plants. I smirk to myself seeing some type of success. My garden isn't anything great by any means, but I'm trying. I'm doing my best with it. But I have been doing great this year with remembering to water my plants first thing in the morning, which is great because last year I normally didn't remember.. So, I have been loving how I'm doing with this commitment and that there are finally some results to show I'm actually doing something right.

"Their really doing great. I saw the baby tomotoes yesterday.. you're doing a great job." I hear from beside me startling me as I quickly glance up, locking my gaze with the neighbor. It may sound strange, but sometimes I'm not even alone out here like you might expect to be in your backyard early in the morning. But since we share a property, I will unexpectedly see our townhouse neighbor every now and then. He shares the other half of this property and is occasionally up at the same time as me.

I don't see him much, I'm assuming because of his work.. Since I don't ever see any other family with him, he is always wearing scrubs and is leaving at all hours of the day.. So that's why I would assume that. He is a great looking man who is tall, stocky, and looking like there might be some definition under those scrubs, but there is no way to tell for sure without looking for myself.. but that's not happening. So I will observe from afar like the creeper I feel I am sometimes when it comes to him.. He is just handsome, and I can't help but look. He has dark eyes that match his dark hair, and every now and then, I have seen glimpses of tattoos under the scrubs.

I always liked tattoos, and Daniel always refused to get one. He never liked the idea of them and said he liked mine, but that he never wanted one himself.. There were multiple times that I wished he would get one.. but he never did, sadly enough. So I find myself sometimes staring over at the mysterious neighbor.. it is not like I'm intentionally looking all the time or anything.

I just keep finding my gaze trailing to him as if it's a magnet that is naturally making my way over to his area. There is something about him that is just naturally attracting. But I wouldn't ever do anything with him, I'm not a cheater, and I'm not hitting on the guy at all.. I am just observing my surroundings, and if he is in my area, then I might see things as we pass by one another. So I just happened to notice details here and there.

I have never had an actual conversation with him in my life, but he seems nice since he sends me a wave almost every morning when we unintentionally start the day together. We share the same front porch area and pass by one another time and time again.. But out in the backyard is where I see him the most. Sometimes, he is smoking outside on his back patio, drinking his coffee and hanging out while I water my plants.

I think that's exactly what he is doing this morning.. After hearing his voice, I don't have the confidence to say something back. I just shyly smile at him right now, but it's getting getting easier to be around him since every now and then, we will both be out on our patio reading. But that's honestly the most that I know about him is that he likes to read almost as much as I do. I have that in common with him, at least.

He smiles and waves with his book in hand once again as I wave with the wrong hand. I waved with the hand that's holding the hose since it's the dominant hand I use for everything, so I accidentally spray myself. I gasped out in shock from the cold water and obviously not expecting that as he laughed, but so did I.

I wasn't expecting that, but that's what makes it all the more funny. I can feel my cheeks heating up in embarrassment as I try to pretend that this didn't happen. But every time I glance his way, I can see his smirk showing me that there is no way I can forget this with a whitness around. I keep watering my plants, trying to act casual as I smirk to myself before I quickly make my way inside the house.

I feel so embarrassed and I know I'll have to see him again but it was funny all the same. I just wasn't expecting it, and the shock got the best of me. I press my back to the clear door leading outside. I am so embarrassed, but at least he was the only one who saw it. "Good morning, momma.. I liked the bird bath fountain look that you showed just now.. that was fun." Marley declares to me as I bust up laughing at her comment.

"Yeah, I was just out of it and wasn't thinking when I waved." I declare as she responds. "And it makes it just that much worse that he is such a cutie." I smile and nod, not wanting to say that out loud. "Well, what else is on your list for things to do?" she asks as I think about it because I think she is implying she wants to help, and believe me, I won't object to those offers from my children.

"Well, I needed to transfer these new flowers. I got into new pots outside and get some laundry done, plus scrub down the kitchen and bathrooms." I declare with excitement as her face drops. "How about we just do the planting thing.. and see how we feel after.. because you're way too ambitious for the weekend, Mama." She declares, making me laugh as I nod at her.

"Ok.. I guess, but I just embarrassed myself out there. I was hoping to avoid it all together." I declare as she laughs and shakes her head. "Welp, that's what you get for thinking.. Let's get this done." She has determination in her step as she brings me with her outside. Of course, I instantly see the smiling, handsome neighbor, feeling my embarrassment hit me once again. So I try to pretend he is not there so we can get things done.

"Ok, Marley, we need to take these plants out and put them over here into these ones." I declare as she walks up to me as we both bend down and this job going. She fills up the pot with dirt as I take the plants out of their container and get them ready to put straight into the new one. I play around with the roots, making them pop as I gently put the plant into the pot. She helps me fill up the rest and cover some of the roots with the dirt she has.

We go onto the next one and then the next as I notice she is looking at me. "Are you ok, Lee?" I ask her as she nods, then leans in. "He hasn't stopped staring at you since we came out here." I shake my head. "He is staring at you probably.. You're just so beautiful." I declare as she shakes her head. "Nope.. he is staring at you." I swallow the nervous lump in my throat as I state. "He is probably just waiting for me to make another mistake and embarrass myself again.. you know for entertainment purposes."

She giggles at that as she shakes her head. "Why can't you believe that he would be staring at you because you're beautiful?" She declares as I snap back at her. "Why would it matter.. I'm married." she nods her head sadly as she states. "Sorry, I wasn't meaning anything bad by it.. I wasn't saying you need to go cheat. I was just saying that you're beautiful, and even the neighbor can see it and admire it.. It's not a bad thing to accept any sort of compliment.. even if it's a silent one." I nod at her, not trying to be rude at all.

"I'm so sorry for snapping. I have just been stressed and kind of fighting with your father, so that was just a sensitive subject for me.. but yeah, a compliment is a compliment, and I can't change it if someone thinks I'm attractive.. I'm trying to have some confidence in myself it's just hard sometimes." I explain as she leans in further. "Especially when he is so hot.. that's making me nervous.. and he is not even enthralled with me." She declares as I roll my eyes.

"Shut up.. he is not enthralled, and you're making this bigger than what it is. Now, can you just water these plants, please?" I ask her about the new ones we just moved because they are dry and need some water. She grabs the hose and sprays it with so much pressure that the dirt flies all over me and the ground, making it all muddy with the water.

"Marley?!" I yelp out as she starts laughing. "Whoops.. um.. sorry.. maybe I should have done it a way you're used to." she declares holding the hose up until it splashes over me and the plants soaking everything around me, including myself. "Marley!" She laughs pretty hard as I'm now soaking wet. She sees me standing up quickly so she drops the hose and starts to run away from me. I grab the hose on the ground and pull it out so it lifts and trips her. She falls to the grass as she groans out.

"Oh no, Marley.. you got some dirt on you.. let me help." I state spraying her down with the hose as she laughs and screams, covering herself in the fetal position. "Ok, mom, ok! I give up! I'm sorry!" she surrenders as I laugh and drop the hose. "You should know better than to try to prank me.. I will always get you back, and paybacks are always a b*tch." I declare as she laughs, then slowly sits up. I extend my hand to her, helping her stand.

Clapping is heard followed by a melodious rumble of a laugh getting our attention. "That was clever.. paybacks are a b*tch.. thanks for the great morning.. have a great day, ladies." I see it's our neighbor as he stands up, still holding that big bright smile as he waves with his book in hand, and I wave back.. but without the hose this time. He walks into his place, leaving us out there to drip.

"So I guess with our soaking wet clothes, it's onto the laundry next?" I declare as Marley groans out in displeasure. "Yeah, I guess so." I smile at her before patting her, butt to walk up the stairs. "Welk, come on, let's get a move on.. I need to start breakfast." She gets a pep in her step as she claps then states. "Yes, breakfast.. I want eggs and baco, please." I smile and nod as we head into the house to get this morning started.