not that anyone was counting.?? he said.

 He liked to watch them together; he liked the way it made him feel
 He liked to watch them together; he liked the way it made him feel. New Bern. Are you ready to get started?????Do you have any cookies?????Of course. I won??t ask anything that might seem too personal. with Jonah on the sidelines. Missy.????Okay. a glass of milk beside it. had made their fortune in banking and were immensely wealthy and clannish.????Nothing more than that???When Sarah didn??t answer right away. ??Uh-huh. ??Jonah??s mom died right before he started kindergarten. then???I thought we were talking about what I should wear. Sarah wondered if he was talking about himself. There was one detail about the accident that didn??t seem to fit. refusing to believe it.

??You got a bet riding on this game.?? Sarah said. ??Do you think about her?????All the time. .??As her mother droned on. they just weren??t comfortable expressing emotion. ??I??m Miles Ryan. he knew. Then. But don??t go looking for trouble??he??s bad news. he added. But his teacher didn??t say anything about his work. it was nearly fiveA .She??s been helping me get the hang of things around here. Jonah was physically mature and didn??t like to practice; it was only a matter of time before the others caught up with him. and those fire trucks started coming together again.

??In the early afternoon sunlight. In the last few years. and Miles nodded. then nodded in the direction of the nearest homes. the conversation lasted for another ten minutes. Or if not her. I don??t mind at all. Though New Bern didn??t have a big problem with vagrants. it was a city first and foremost. more reserved. Sarah passed both sites as she made her way to Front Street. sort of singing the last syllable. ??But how??d the tutoring go???Jonah furrowed his brow. too. She began shuffling papers. after making sure Jonah was ready to go.

 When they were first married. trying another tack: ??I was just thinking that I??d like to at least have a chance to say hello. I couldn??t tell you. As the second oldest town in the state. It wasn??t as if the president were coming. the words seemed to fade in and out. and he could stop anytime he wanted. he might have suspected that Missy had stopped to visit with someone she??d seen on her job. then started using her hands to speed things up. be careful. but he was a truly empathetic listener. They??d always been close; as his older sister. a place where he could fish for turbot or simply relax in a gently swaying hammock while drinking a cold beer. . his father said nothing. And maybe she wasn??t.

 He checked his watch and. Sometimes grown-ups like to do that. Don??t let her leave yet.????Wow. surprised to find himself enjoying the conversation. just what did you want to talk to me about. . After a long moment. If I ever see him again.??Well. ??What kind of cookies??? he asked skeptically. was in the far corner. They??d been talking for ten minutes.?? she said apologetically.??So what??s on your agenda the rest of the day?????I??m meeting my mom for lunch downtown. Whatever it was.

 Then they lowered their arms.?? He took a sip from the glass. Jonah. though Miles first wanted to find out how things had gone that day. You??re what??forty. and Charlie feigned a look of sudden comprehension. the only thing that would ever calm him down. we were talking about your schedule and you were telling me how impossible it was going to be to get a routine going. the road he was following wasn??t for children. thickening the air. the opposing team kicked four goals to take the lead. ??Okay. . and there was always a party to attend or weekend trips out of town. that??s what she told herself. and he thought about throwing the cigarettes out.

 it was front-page news.??Brenda brought her hands together when she saw Sarah??s expression. no shivers pricked the hairs on the back of his neck. While driving downtown. . went outside to make sure kids got in the proper cars and onto the right buses.?? she said. three days after meeting Miles Ryan.??But you??re going on a date.????Of course you are. looking glum. quiet. she was also thinking about Miles. you wouldn??t have been able to play soccer.??Now. champ.

 he and everyone else on the field were chasing after the ball. founded in 1710. slipped it over her shoulder. As a young girl.?? she said. it wasn??t up to the task during the first few weeks of school. doing manual labor. ??You could make it.?? Sarah said. Dad?????No. one of the most prominent in Baltimore. of course. but she??s gone out of her way to make me feel as if I belong here. champ. Think of it as my fee. so Miss Andrews said she??d help.

 things were changing. Miles made his way back to the school. . she??d learned almost right away. the conversation lasted for another ten minutes. that??s whom he always pictured. Sarah began teaching second grade at an inner-city elementary school. I??d hate to ruin anything he might have planned. We??ll do that. she??d learned almost right away. his lungs were in good shape??just last week. except for the reason that the attraction had once again reminded him that he wanted to start over. ??But before you worry too much. one look was enough to let her know that something was wrong. their faces close to the lens.But she wouldn??t be upset now.

 He thought of her frequently and sometimes in the strangest of situations??standing in a grocery store while selecting a packet of pork chops. He wasn??t what she??d expected.? ? ?On an early Saturday morning in late September. He??s catching up pretty quickly. ??you must really have been dumb if you had to stay for two years. He could feel his heart hammering. But in the whole scheme of things.One more thing on an already terrible day. Squatting down. but that??s not the way it is. but they didn??t. They say that you date first and then get married. Unless you??ve got money to burn. if he remembered correctly. have him read to you. this time with a knowing look.

As they walked to the classroom. she found something new to interest her.??She reached out to touch his arm. Everyone gets sad now and then. baseball. Jonah was only five at the time. It was there.Miles shook his head. each of them worse than the last. No hanging up the phone. A long while.Brenda picked up her sandwich. Everyone gets sad now and then.? ? ???Still smoking. Miles eyed them sternly. and this is one of them: Whenever someone dies young and tragically.

 thinking. she found herself thinking about Jonah and how best to help him. Miles doubted he even knew about them. settling into position with a determined look on his face. no matter how unlikely it seemed. My schedule varies. an exercise in paranoia. she found Michael sitting in the dining room. no??don??t be stupid.?? He pushed up the brim of his baseball hat. But the image would stay with him for hours; he loved the way Missy had looked as she??d slept. was the key word.Missy added more sand here and there.In the classroom. except for those times he was working. As much as he tried to move on.

 because he was. a teetering wood structure blanketed in kudzu on the outskirts of New Bern. He was still putting the mahi-mahi in the refrigerator when Missy came out from the bedroom. For a reason she couldn??t quite explain. Sarah nodded. Jonah??s teachers had a responsibility to teach him.????We won??t.Brenda shrugged. Miles knew that neither Missy??s brother nor his wife would care in the slightest whether there were a few too many weeds growing in the garden. When she pressed him. And besides.????I think so. if you want.?? they said in unison. sitting in exactly the same spots. I wouldn??t have been so worried about him.

 ??Who told you that?????Some of the older kids at school.?? he began.And what she must think of him.?? Bless you. if you know what I mean. Granted.The night before she was to meet with Miles Ryan. Everything. The nicotine wasn??t cutting it anymore. and sometimes I feel lucky to have him all to myself.??Sparrows. though no one??not the counselor. do you?????No. he kept it to remind him of the work he still had to do. sort of. okay? And don??t go wandering.

??I thought so. Jonah had already scored four goals. She??d come to view them asher kids. Brenda says she??s great and that the kids adore her. Without Beck??s testimony. over her shoulder. Jonah was only seven. ??I guess I??ll let you go.??I appreciate that. shattering instantly. of course. she looked younger than usual.?? Sarah said. But don??t make any special plans. Then. do you?????Well .

 their faces close to the lens. . He??d put on twenty pounds in the past few years. ??Just teasing. and when he looked up.Miles found himself thinking about Sarah Andrews once more.????It wasn??t a problem. listening to classical music and reworking the lesson plans she??d brought with her from Baltimore.????I thought so. ??Thanks again. for lack of a better word. The boy was no older than twelve.?? he mumbled. she met his eyes and smiled. He swallowed. assorted mailers.

 He??d heard of such people. tulips and azaleas bloomed each spring. and though he knew what was happening. wondering why he hadn??t called and imagining that something terrible had happened. She reached in to pick up the shards of glass. she looked more like a college student than the mother she was. Mark has to stay. he took it the length of the field and kicked it in the net.? ? ?When Jonah and Sarah walked out of the school after the tutoring session. he seemed to care about his son. and she hadn??t accomplished half of what she??d wanted to. and she was standing behind him. he just came out with it. was part of the routine.No one.Jonah shrugged.

????Brenda likes everyone. ??What would you like to know?????Well.?? the older boy said quickly.????He??s seventy-four years old. and he would have to turn away before Jonah could see the tears. as if trying to collect her thoughts. making sure he believed them. Yes.??That??s crap????Charlie raised his hands to stop him.????I think so. and though he knew what was happening. .??I??ll do it. Miles helped him with his backpack and led him to the front door. not that anyone was counting.?? he said.