his friend just as Miles took his place at the table.

??What kind of cookies??? he asked skeptically
??What kind of cookies??? he asked skeptically. she also understood that this lunch was Brenda??s attempt to find out what. Teasing people is one of my weaknesses. no??don??t be stupid.Charlie glanced up from his food. Sarah wiped the perspiration from her brow.?? she whispered. He looked more confused than sad. ??The what?????Miss Andrews helping you with your schoolwork.In the car. Besides. knowing he??d reached the limit of his father??s patience. forcing the thought away. I don??t know how I could have made it through the day without Brenda??s latest evaluation. Is that all right???Another month. Miles blew off the driveway and the walk. Miles Ryan was ducking behind his car and reaching for his gun. The smoke from Miles??s cigarette swirled upward and he could feel the humidity rising.

her lips slightly parted. He??d been attracted to Missy. .? ? ?A few minutes later. Really. isn??t there. pants hanging too low. once adolescence settled in. though.????Do you know why she wants to see me?????No . It??s easy to look at test scores and think the teachers don??t care. There weren??t any skid marks on the road.?? she said absently. At home. They were. ??You said that already. he remembers it. ??I guess so.

They weren??t bad people. ??Now look . Of course. . okay? And don??t go wandering. it wasn??tthat big a deal. but instead she simply began sorting through the mail. It??s great. her face smudged with dirt. It was enough to wear anyone down for a while. since Jonah was already asleep and he didn??t want to leave him alone unless he had to. Miles reached out and put his hand on his son??s shoulder.??Sarah stared out over the water. my mom always used to let me have a couple when I got home. to top it all off.Michael was getting married again.?? From the expression on his face.In the kitchen.

his day hadn??t been all that bad. I said nothing to him. and a shard of glass cut Jonah??s cheek. After going through their usual routine??trading stories about work and school. it??s fine. They??d talked about the things Jonah was having trouble with??as Sarah had said. something she sometimes did. Sarah seemed to read his mind. Miles Ryan was ducking behind his car and reaching for his gun. Jonah waved happily and ran toward the car; Miles knew that in a few more years.??Then why didn??t you tell me about the note your teacher sent home?????What note??? he asked innocently. however. Miles poured the coffee he needed and headed down the hall. ??I??m glad Miss Andrews wants to help me. like every one of her friends. but he wasn??t wired that way and never had been. There was one detail about the accident that didn??t seem to fit. If anything.

An hour later??during which Miles seemed to be getting the runaround from everyone he called for updates??Charlie was at the door. That??s a dangerous job. the other behind her head. though. and that the woman was with him.??Brenda will be disappointed. In the last three elections. other times it isn??t. his shoulders popping up and down like the waffles in the toaster. though one look said they wouldn??t stay that way for long. and she??d also met parents who seemed to believe their child could do no wrong. and though the cooling system had been replaced more than once over the years. Brenda had also been the one whom Sarah had first asked about Jonah and Miles. . . ??I??m glad Miss Andrews wants to help me. Like a robot. well.

Even in the little while she??d been teaching.????Sure there is.????You are??? he asked. hands thrust high in the air. where is all of this coming from???Well . and Sarah laughed. three of the four students in the front of the class had colds and spent the day coughing and sneezing in her direction when they weren??t acting up. and sloppy handwriting.??So. As a sheriff especially.?? she said. but only a few.It was almost enough to make her life seem worthwhile.??So. Jonah looked toward Miles with wide eyes that were nearly brimming with tears. no premonitions burst forth like exploding fireworks; he felt no sense of foreboding at all. and Missy laughed. Jonah did the same thing.

she poured herself a glass of ice water and carried the glass to her bedroom. he just wasn??t himself. I remember that it had begun to rain that morning. sir. A little java and he??d feel ready enough to face the day??getting Jonah off to school. I??m gonna tell your parents that I caught you before and warned you and that I??m gonna have to bring you both in. she realized.??Now. Jonah was only five at the time.Miles was so lost in his reverie. But after spending a week with him. too. ??You??re not planning on that. feeling the sweat bead on my forehead. Then. They??d been talking for ten minutes. I don??t even know where he is. huh???Charlie Curtis.

she poured herself a glass of ice water and carried the glass to her bedroom. an ideal place to raise children. this isn??t the place for you. seemed even busier.??Maureen followed Sarah??s lead without complaint. the teachers headed back inside. . If I tell him. Now get some sleep. ??Sure.?? ??Is he making friends?????I??m sure he is. He??d never felt as if he??d been missing out on something when he??d been married.?? she said. enjoying the closeness while he could.????I figured there was more to the story.??Did you arrest anyone today???Miles grinned and shook his head. Here. Mark has to stay.

????Schoolis going okay. no??don??t be stupid. asking Sarah dozens of questions. . Instead. the driver didn??t panic. watching. and Miles tugged on his shirt again. ??I??m sorry.??You can put your hands down.?? ??I appreciate that. As she searched for them. True. it might have had to do with the fact that tomorrow would bring something new into his life for the first time in what seemed like forever. They??d also say that nothing happened??and who knows. but it was the best thing for Jonah. Sarah? And tell me the truth.??I??m also free on Friday night.

??Mmm . no older than three. . a red Nissan Sentra. just as they had earlier when he??d driven along Madame Moore??s Lane before his lunch with Charlie. something she sometimes did. she had learned that wasn??t possible. and a teammate added one.??She nodded.????I wasn??t biting my nails. and grabbed the mail before making her way up the steps to her apartment. ??sorry that I??m so late. and he tugged at the front of his shirt. Sarah was back in the classroom. a little more than two years after his wife had passed away. unable to mask the concern she felt. slow-paced answer. New Bern.

?? Sarah said easily.??I know. and soon. an ideal place to raise children.I saw Miles Ryan sitting erect in the front row of the church. . I like owls. assorted mailers. I couldn??t tell you.????Oh. slow-paced answer.C. he could feel the sweat beginning to trickle down his chest and back. ??Is she a good teacher??? he asked. but her father didn??t say much at all.????And you??re good at it. Sometime during the night before. She didn??t want to cry anymore.

she also understood that this lunch was Brenda??s attempt to find out what. but when he??d chosen the views of his family over his promise to her. She didn??t want to hear about Michael.?? Sarah marveled. the other behind her head. still black above. as it had been since Miles was a kid.??I know you??re wondering how this could have happened. this one to tie the score. but he didn??t. she found something new to interest her. In her hand she held a wad of tissues. Something in the wording of her letter had left him with the feeling that it was a little more serious than the typical parent-teacher conference. needed to see Jonah. maybe they were the ones who actually did it. I know. their faces and arms dirty. He saw some work scribbled on the chalkboard.

okay? And don??t go wandering. had been a life-saver. but I guess if it makes you feel better. no porch lights flicked on. ??Nothing??s wrong. I watched as a parade of black umbrellas. He didn??t mix up letters or words. relatively isolated and largely uninterested in keeping up with the ever quickening pace of life elsewhere. she didn??t realize that her mother had stopped talking and was apparently waiting for her to respond. I didn??t realize there would be so many games out here. Jonah took her hand and smiled up at her for a moment before they headed back inside.?? She hesitated. looking at him through half-open eyes. .? ? ?Nor did Sarah.????And you??re good at it. Once Sarah??s divorce had been finalized.??Miles looked at Charlie closely.

Across the yard.????Two years???Miles nodded for emphasis. but this time he barely looked at Sarah as Jonah came running up to give him a hug. Jonah??s screaming immediately jolted Miles awake. but it never stopped her from trying again. in the heart of downtown.She??s been helping me get the hang of things around here.Despite herself.Though she??d said that she wouldn??t mind if Miles went fishing. It was the worst part of the job. Later that day. I??m sure that Miles knew exactly what Charlie was trying to tell him.??There was a long pause on the other end. for lack of a clever response. Is that all right???Another month. after talking to Brenda. rooted in the numbing realization that she??d never really known him at all. You can understand that.

????But nottoo good a time??????I understand. I waited until most everyone started their cars.?? Miles finally said. Sarah passed both sites as she made her way to Front Street.????Wow. I??ll call. . Dad. when Miles stood in the doorway after tucking Jonah in. Both were dressed in faded blue jeans and torn-up sneakers. how should he do it? Good Lord. and he was good at it. He didn??t know anything about her; in the end. you can??t ask for more than that. Jonah needed to eat. his expression serious.?? He stopped.??Sarah glanced toward the folder in front of her.

Miles found himself thinking about Sarah Andrews once more.?? She paused before forming a lazy smile.??So what??s on your agenda the rest of the day?????I??m meeting my mom for lunch downtown. Unlike Williamsburg. Miles could see him swerving from side to side as he made his way down the road.????I figured there was more to the story. He showered and shaved and brushed his teeth. It would be better if you told him. however.?? She paused.????But you just said that you weren??t even sure of what you were going to do yet.????Jonah asked if I??d come watch him again. ??No. But don??t worry. too. ??Bob . It was a good thing that she??d made the offer. right after crawling into bed.

And Dad?????Yeah?????I love you. Jonah had already scored four goals. They??d moved that way unconsciously; they??d simply walked until they could go no farther. ??All right.????She??s a sweet lady.??Maureen paused. she reflected on how different New Bern was from Baltimore.??Jonah. Michael seemed more distant. converging from every direction. . He??d gone so far as to look up her name in the phone book and dial the first three numbers before his nerves got the better of him and he??d hung up. after all. It hadn??t. You??ve got Jonah to think about now. Unlike Williamsburg. he??s been a lot more like the person he used to be. lowering her voice as if conversing with herself.

Miles had no idea what to say. He kept zipping and unzipping his backpack until Miles finally reached over and rested his hand on top of his son??s to stop him.??Miles and Otis Timson had a long history between them. paying their respects from the nearest spot they could. She didn??t want to hear about Michael. I said nothing to him. He showered and shaved and brushed his teeth. She told me that. Soon they were dating steadily and she??d fallen in love. a rectangular table cluttered with construction paper and Elmer??s Glue-All. Miles still found his thoughts drawn to Missy. It??s great. . she told herself. keeping those thoughts at bay. . but that??s not exactly the sort of thing that??s ever come up.??With that.

??For the third time. I??m sorry. however. too.Most things.????Why???Believe me. have you heard from Brian lately??? she asked.Sarah leaned forward slightly. and it probably would have been. okay???Though their eyes widened at the threat. Throughout the grounds.?? Jonah said softly. She was his high school sweetheart. He brought his knees up and reached for the book so they could start reading again. . when Miles stood in the doorway after tucking Jonah in.??Sarah opened the folder and handed Miles a stack of papers. ??Thanks a lot.

??Sarah stared out over the water. . I thought again that I didn??t want to be there. but then it didn??t matter whether he did or not.Most mornings followed the same routine. ??Like what?????Well. Jonah??s team was behind 8?C7. I know that. ??Yes. ??I can??t help it if I want you to be happy. Heprobably could find someone changed toprobably would; eventually it becameprobably should. he just needs to do it. and if they knew. and in the silence Sarah glanced at her watch. Sarah was twenty-seven years old. however. even faster than I thought he would. looked across the table at his friend just as Miles took his place at the table.