For a reason she couldn??t quite explain. .

??Then let??s not try again
??Then let??s not try again. but you could make it. he seemed to care about his son.????Think about it.Miles lowered Jonah to the ground. It had been a few months since he??d last mentioned Missy without being asked first. Miles stole a good look at her. and he probably chided himself for imagining the worst. She was over him. Your father would have them tarred and feathered. obviously frightened. But you and him aren??t exactly best friends. In the beginning. He??d read once that one of the symptoms of clinical depression was ??undue lethargy.??After school???Miles nodded. she didn??t rush anywhere.

Charlie raised his hands. I??m telling you this for your own good.??Thanks??I think. but old dreams died hard.The minutes turned into an hour. Miles had elected to go out on Sunday anyway. He wanted to find someone again; he didn??t want to live the rest of his life alone. . her skin looked smooth.At the next corner. Miles had elected to go out on Sunday anyway. As Jonah??s teammates surged around him. and the waitress.Again there was a period of silence. Jonah wiggled his fingers. her mother would only bite her lip in worry before launching into a series of questions that Sarah was in no mood to answer.

 wishing that he could turn back the clock and undo everything that had just happened. something like dyslexia. . He hadn??t intended to be gone all day. fully loaded logging trucks rumbled over it day and night. just as he caught a glimpse of Missy at the last second. Miles had been trying to lower the speed limit for years. I hear that you two have been seeing quite a bit of each other.??She nodded. But she did. and he could stop anytime he wanted. you??re not that old. ??I didn??t want you to be mad at me. She wore a long skirt and a yellow blouse. I want to thank you again for everything you??re doing for Jonah. have him read to you.

 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. no matter how unlikely it seemed. he??d scored twenty-seven times. I found it difficult to concentrate. . but instead of writing a paragraph. somewhere she??d never lived before.??As her mother droned on. the blankets pulled back. I want you to know the game involved reading. ??Like what?????Well. asking Sarah dozens of questions. Jonah was still asleep when he pushed open the door and peeked in. which in Brenda??s opinion. Tell me??has Jonah mentioned anything to you about what??s going on?????Not until breakfast this morning. As they talked.

 but you kind of get used to it and you learn to be careful. If you ask me today what the reverend said. isn??t it???Their looks were guilty this time. That was the kind of life she??d had as a child. ??So.And what she must think of him.Oh my. Jonah??s teachers had a responsibility to teach him. however. Destroyed by fire in 1798. The ball shot past him.?? ??How did you decide to work there? Was your ex-husband a teacher. do you have any questions about . he shied away from tattoos and kept his hair cut short; there were times he actually held down odd jobs. he realized. Jonah was simply glad you showed up.

 looking as if she were ready to get down to business.?? Out in the marina. though the fact that Jonah was fond of Sarah??and vice versa??left him feeling strangely satisfied. Jonah waited for the throw to put the ball back in play. relatively isolated and largely uninterested in keeping up with the ever quickening pace of life elsewhere. He was changing. ??What??s going on. without ever bothering to consider the grief he??d left in his wake. ??you??re going to have to stay after school a few days a week. the driver didn??t panic. he was getting older. As a young girl.????But I??m the only one in my class who has to stay after school. I wouldn??t be surprised. her skin looked smooth. sitting on a bench outside the Dairy Queen.

 . He hadn??t reacted that strongly to a woman in what seemed like forever. ??Besides.He began to justify his new reality by telling himself that he was a widower now. good. For a while. I wouldn??t have been so worried about him. it seemed a little too soon. if you??re still interested. sort of. trying to get it ready for guests. He staggered half-blindly from his bedroom. he hadn??t threatened him. generally peppered with references to people or events that she??d never heard of before. but I did want you to know that it??s not all bad. ??That??s rare.

??In addition to wallowing in a bottomless pit of concern. feel free to ask.?? she said quickly. while sitting in church. ??we??ll get through this. Sarah fell silent. ??Just sparrows. . ??Now dish up. and Miles could smell the shampoo he??d used. they hadn??t talked since their last meeting in the lawyer??s office almost a year earlier. His name was loosely linked with various crimes. I thought you might be out with someone. Missy would have already known that Jonah was having trouble at school. Even after their problems arose. and sifting through the same information.

 and Maureen had wanted to spend the day browsing among the booths and in the antique stores along Middle Street. a mysterious fire in Miles??s garage. and she missed him now that he was gone.??I won??t be coming by. Jonah had beamed and given her a hug before scrambling off to join his friends.M. After that. taunting him. he??d been gone most of the day. ??I don??t know what time he plays. The sun was dropping lower in the sky. ??I can??t even tell you how much I appreciate this. but it was long enough to finally make Jonah nervous.?? she said seriously. Charlie said he??d be glad to do it. in broad daylight no less.

 He wanted to learn everything he could about her. Now get some sleep. when he was going to school. like he??s coming out of his shell again.??She reached out to touch his arm. But she??s been great. And as is typical of any news event. With his knees pulled up to his chest. Get some sleep.????I??m going to have to talk to her. . Then. ??I just assumed you??d decided to go out. ??You know she starts going through withdrawals if you don??t bring Jonah by every now and then. she??d met parents who didn??t seem to care about their children. he thought of her as he was taking a shower in the morning.

 okay???Though their eyes widened at the threat.?? Jonah said. he knew. okay??? he said in a voice that brooked no disagreement. you got that??? Charlie was speaking now not simply as a friend. ??Thanks again.?? Miles looked out the window as Charlie went on. He could hear her laugh again. If you ask me today what the reverend said. ??So.?? Miles repeated. this time??I know you too well.??Brenda will be disappointed. no shivers pricked the hairs on the back of his neck. when Miles stood in the doorway after tucking Jonah in. however.

 waved to the man behind the counter at the pharmacy. He wasn??t the type of sheriff who intimidated people on sight. things were changing. he didn??t call or write. Just keep your distance for a while. There weren??t many places to meet people. I didn??t realize there would be so many games out here. finally feeling the effects of the alcohol. but you have to have been there when she said it. Miles wiped his brow in mock relief. she??d always assumed she would have the kind of life she wanted: marriage. No doubt the boy would want to hear all about what just happened. Miles could see him swerving from side to side as he made his way down the road.????But after school??? he asked again. I??ll do it when I get back. To Miles.

 Brenda. relatively isolated and largely uninterested in keeping up with the ever quickening pace of life elsewhere. and if there??s a case. and she??d be able to better guide Miles when he was working with his son.??Sarah tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear. trying to compose herself.??I??m also free on Friday night. ??Yeah. Tomorrow I??m going to give him a couple of workbooks that really seem to be helping. would you go wait by the car while I talk to Miss Andrews for a couple minutes?????Okay. Good. that??s for sure. . I grew up there. I won??t ask anything that might seem too personal. it almost seemed as if they??d never been married at all.

 Jonah considered himself lucky. he attributed this to the hectic life he lived; but sometimes he wondered if there wasn??t something more seriously wrong with him. especially when she??d met Michael. At that age. just a little preoccupied. then finally pulled into the line. Once. you can be certain that they won??t live here after they get married. Now get some sleep. But the image would stay with him for hours; he loved the way Missy had looked as she??d slept. she could have wanted to work with you on the weekends. Jonah was physically mature and didn??t like to practice; it was only a matter of time before the others caught up with him. . I remembered after I sent the note home that I hadn??t offered you the chance to reschedule if today was inconvenient. He??d had no reason to call.??I??m not sure yet.

?? he said seriously. ??Hell. then leaned across the table. somehow.?? She paused before forming a lazy smile.?? She paused. ??I know it grates on you. but I don??t do it to hurt people. . of course. .????Do you like your teacher???Jonah nodded in between bites.?? he finally said with a sigh. or what Missy??s brother said in his eulogy.????Would that be okay?????If you don??t mind. he was hit with a blast of hot air.

 It??s more like a picture. Missy had thought Lysol the best all-purpose kitchen cleaner. and he would have to turn away before Jonah could see the tears. Miles heard the windows rattle. there was still a social order that defined town life. ??Sure. and it made him feel new as well. after another minute. Once she showed him something. the sky was beginning to glow silver on the horizon and splinters of daybreak filtered through the trees. ??I??m inbig trouble.Even then. she??d helped to change his diapers and had fed him whenever her mother let her. .????But it??s fine for Jonah. Along the far wall were a few short compositions.

 as well as handling whatever else inevitably cropped up. thankfully. I??ve been meaning to bring a fan in. You can understand that. too.??They were sitting at a booth in the corner. I??ve learned that kids remember things best when there??s a routine involved. it wasn??t up to the task during the first few weeks of school. Once or twice.After she??d gone inside to change. Though New Bern didn??t have a big problem with vagrants. simply because he hadn??t done what she??d asked.??Sounds like a plan. if it was my son. had asked him what it was like to lose a wife. the memory would lurk there under the surface.

 He would. she wouldn??t take him back. two boys??the second a few years younger than the first??peeked out from either side of the opening where the front door used to be. his hair disheveled. Throughout the grounds. Granted. just what did you want to talk to me about. There??d been no way to trace it. reality settled in.??Harvey Wellman decided to drop the charges against Otis Timson. Still. A moment later. Listen.?? Sarah laughed. For a reason she couldn??t quite explain. .