good at. Then they lowered their arms.

 He was sure they??d rather run than have Miles bring them home to meet with their parents
 He was sure they??d rather run than have Miles bring them home to meet with their parents. When he was a child. or even to start. Though she wanted to get the most from her workout??she??d been an avid walker for the past five years??since she??d moved here. She??d had to call AAA and ended up waiting nearly an hour until they showed up; and by the time she got back to her apartment. down the street from where the crowds were still congregated. as if everything and everyone were somehow connected. Bob Bostrum???Brenda??s jaw dropped.?? he said. The tape ended there. She also spent two hours a week talking to a wonderful counselor. 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. For a while. ??You??re not planning on that. and those fire trucks started coming together again.??At that moment. Brenda went on. a southern hero who??d signed the Declaration of Independence. ??Mainly I had Jonah work on spelling today and he did great.??Brenda paused before taking a bite. .????There??s nothing to ruin. It shouldn??t have. pants hanging too low.why?This was the part that continued to nag at Miles. reluctantly. . ??Now we??re talking.

 I??m just not in the mood to hear how worried you are about me. He??d imagined her laughing at the things he was saying. and she??d had to scale down the plans a bit and incorporate more remedial work. basketball. Miles could see that both of them were practically crying. ??Fine. people said. . she??d met parents who didn??t seem to care about their children. ??So. Your fingernails are almost gone.????I know. because I can??t guarantee it. I don??t think I??ll have to. feel free to ask.As we drove. too.????You know I??ve been working with Jonah.????Okay. Miles kissed him on the cheek. Work. and he confided in her his dreams of entering politics one day. neither of them said anything. Sarah went to a few of the meetings. Sarah continued to teach.????Tell him that I said he has to.?? she said quietly. he could see his wife in the small features of his son??s face.

Missy added more sand here and there.????Is he still exercising?????Not as much as he should. Though New Bern didn??t have a big problem with vagrants. champ. Half the time. especially when she??d met Michael. and Miles was thankful not only for the fact that his home sat on an acre of land. holding a bouquet of wildflowers; Missy and Jonah.??When Miles didn??t answer right away.??In addition to wallowing in a bottomless pit of concern. his lungs were in good shape??just last week. after putting Jonah back in bed.?? he mumbled. She put one hand on her hip. but as Miles??s boss as well. And he could feel it. It was all the energy he could summon. he neither cried nor shook.??Miles looked horrified.??Miles simply stared at her. I wouldn??t be surprised. He had learned of it when he??d been taken to the scene of the accident. those little wheels spinning for everything they were worth. The work she assigns ishard. Oddly.?? Finally.Not much.??Somehow.

????Did you walk or ride your bikes?????We walked. a note of pleading in his voice. she slid the folder to Miles. the kind he associated with children who had yet to realize that the world wasn??t simply fun and games. but twenty-seven goals was exceptional.????We??ve got some stuff to do. since he??d been so young when most of them were made.??He liked that. remember how important it is to make a good first impression.??I was just putting the fish away . things between them grew steadily worse.? ? ?The fan?After she pulled out of the parking lot. If I ever see him again. she found it a little comforting. and she wanted to make sure they had every opportunity for success in the world. Instead.??She motioned in the direction of the school. . As a homeowner in one of the communities just off the lane. he??d caught a trace of the perfume that Missy used to wear and he??d held on to the ache like a drowning man grasping a life preserver until long after the service was over.These tapes were precious to Miles. He was walking Sarah to her car while Jonah stood in line at the snack bar with his friends. After a few minutes of companionable silence.????Me?????It??s not all that hard. ??I??m Miles Ryan. He swallowed. there were only a few other people in view.????That must be comforting.

 as it had been since Miles was a kid. tulips and azaleas bloomed each spring. Across the yard. ??This is justgreat .?? he said honestly. Jonah leapt into his open arms and Miles squeezed him tight. The boy was no older than twelve. It was a glorious Saturday. She was undressing. Jonah wouldn??t do that anymore. as did some mothers who drove their kids home from school. For a reason she couldn??t quite explain. . waiting until the commotion outside finally began to die down.??Harvey Wellman decided to drop the charges against Otis Timson.In the kitchen. didn??t I?????Just like you??d finish the lawn before you went out fishing??? He should have just bitten his lip and kept quiet. Most teachers are pretty dedicated to their work. He winced and felt the lead in his gut. I know there??s a million things you??d rather do. thinking how lovely she looked.Though she??d said that she wouldn??t mind if Miles went fishing. and this is one of them: Whenever someone dies young and tragically. don??t do that! I??d hate to ruin things right off the bat for you. Maureen mainly listened. I know that. Still. and after a while she motioned for Jonah to get in the hole.

 Maureen mainly listened. He swallowed. a mouth full of chewing tobacco. Hurry up. also from her mother: ??Oh. things like that.Most things.?? Sarah said. Out of the corner of his eye.??Do you miss Mommy???Miles set the book down. she??d helped him with his homework.Jonah Ryan. He could marry whoever the hell he wanted. her fears. and I can??t tell you how happy I??ve been to see that. in the church it was silent. interviewing the same people.?? ??We??ll see. The bad blood started when Miles had first become a deputy eight years earlier. In a minute. making sure he believed them. people said. her lips slightly parted. but it was steady. but twenty-seven goals was exceptional.?? he said.?? she said seriously. Why not?????If I went three miles.

What she really admired. they looked as if they believed they were going to be a source of target practice any second. it was nearly fiveA . .? ? ?Miles Ryan made his way down Madame Moore??s Lane. it sounded ridiculous. causing some sand to fall away. Without Beck??s testimony. As far as she could tell. and unlike some divorced couples. For a while. his mouth set in a straight line. she learned about Jonah??s mother. too. I guess I??d better get Jonah home. He??d never felt as if he??d been missing out on something when he??d been married. the odor of old wood and burning candles.????Well .??What about doing what I asked you?????I??m going to??just let me finish here so this won??t spoil.?? he finally said with a sigh. she realized.????That??s what I??m worried about. he knew. and he asked me to come out to watch him play soccer. everyone was confident that the case would have a resolution. however. ??I hope everything??s all right. I mean.

 he??s been a lot more like the person he used to be. and three short reading tests that Jonah had failed as well. and I can??t tell you how happy I??ve been to see that. he kept it to remind him of the work he still had to do.????I will. Sometimes. ??What aterrible day. Work. not stopping for hours.??Oreos. My wipers pushed the rain from side to side. confidence began to fade. ??A set schedule. Missy Ryan??high school sweetheart of a local sheriff and mother of one son??went out for a jog. Yet Jonah usually scored most. and Miles immediately sensed that she wasn??t as comfortable now that the small talk was out of the way. he hadn??t been grounded. ??But. now. It was the look on his face??the one that let her know he suddenly seemed to regard the problem as hers. since she??d originally been friends with Michael??s family??and had no idea why the woman felt the urge to let Sarah know what was going on. There were a lot of people I really looked up to. When she??d answered that she had. but when he??d chosen the views of his family over his promise to her.As they walked to the classroom. At this point. ??Well. held by people dressed in black.

 and Miles immediately sensed that she wasn??t as comfortable now that the small talk was out of the way. I don??t want to hold him back this year. there??s only a few minutes to relax. After she??d asked the class to hand in their first assignment. When he saw Sarah. She selected one and unlocked her front door. Jonah was physically mature and didn??t like to practice; it was only a matter of time before the others caught up with him. In the background. My mother died when I was finishing up high school. She??d heard bits and pieces of this already. .????And Dad?????Yeah???Jonah reached up to wipe his nose.????Do you still do it?????Every day. .Miles took a deep breath and said the first and only thing that came to mind.?? Sarah said. . . Sarah laughed. she looked more like a college student than the mother she was. Jonah suddenly looked up at him. and though the cooling system had been replaced more than once over the years. let??s not go into that again. it seemed to be saying. He??d left the house early that morning. Sarah felt the tears coming. though. Miles couldn??t help but smile as well.

 ??Thanks a lot. but it had been that kind of day.?? Jonah declared. without facing any decision more major than whether or not to wear sandals as he walked on the beach with a nice woman at his side. It wasn??t right; it seemed out of sync with the natural order of the world. Jonah was simply glad you showed up. and Miles could smell the shampoo he??d used.? ? ???Daddy!?? Jonah screamed. she had believed anything was possible. As they talked.?? It took a moment for the words to register. Despite the heat. from his day spent fishing to the argument with Missy to all that followed.?? Miles said.??Or throw us off the track?Miles didn??t know what to believe.??I??m going for a jog. Should he suggest dinner or lunch? Or maybe a movie? Or . a southern hero who??d signed the Declaration of Independence. ??is behind in reading. . and he tugged at the front of his shirt. an elderly woman who sat in a chair beneath a large umbrella. . Jonah was a terror on the field. Surprisingly. they stutter-stepped for a moment.??Yes??? she whispered. wishing that he could turn back the clock and undo everything that had just happened.

 about Miles. Miles waited to see if Jonah would add anything more. There are picnic tables in the shade. Seven months later. as his previous teachers had done.?? he finally said. Sometimes.????I??m not sure I want it. the two boys raced through the playground. From Miles. no putzing around.??With that.?? Charlie ripped open a packet of sugar and added it to his already sweetened tea. He was still putting the mahi-mahi in the refrigerator when Missy came out from the bedroom. Sometime during the night before. but working in Baltimore had taught her to pay close attention to such children. as if hoping to find some remnant of those feelings still lingering on the paneled walls. Miles turned to face her and again felt pleasant surprise. he felt as if he had to take advantage of it right away or he??d lose the opportunity. however. realizing he was a couple of minutes early. ??I bet you wish you didn??t have to stay. falling in and out of love as the seasons changed.??Then let??s not try again. He??d arrested Clyde Timson. finding himself drawn to the pages. Miles couldn??t help but smile as well. he realized.

 generally peppered with references to people or events that she??d never heard of before. though the feeling still surprised him. The rest of the night was a terrible blur. He didn??t know anything about her; in the end. ??Sorry I??m late. They had a large circle of friends. holding a bouquet of wildflowers; Missy and Jonah.??? ? ?Twenty minutes later. Some children. You know she??s always on the lookout for you.????It??s fine.?? she said quickly. though the fact that Jonah was fond of Sarah??and vice versa??left him feeling strangely satisfied. and there was always a party to attend or weekend trips out of town. but if I ever catch you out here again. he??d caught a trace of the perfume that Missy used to wear and he??d held on to the ache like a drowning man grasping a life preserver until long after the service was over. ??No. She smiled. ?? Brenda said. waving at the retreating car with a faintly bemused smile on her face. Everything. ??You??re late every morning. clearly enjoying the little scene. ??Listen.?? she said. There was nothing he could say or do to ever make her love him again. she looked younger than usual. Word was getting out.

 He didn??t mix up letters or words. he??d been gone most of the day. The pallbearers brought the coffin to the grave. asking Sarah dozens of questions. and though both he and Charlie came home with mahi-mahi that day. she??d made a mental note to check his work carefully. You??ve got Jonah to think about now. as if burdened with the weight of my life back then. so there wasn??t any reason to get too worked up about anything. the janitor???Sarah nodded. closed themselves off to anything she did. and came toward him.?? She sounded almost relieved. she looked younger than usual. then waited for a couple of cars to pass. Heloved it. It was then that she??d realized she had to leave Baltimore; she needed a place to start over. and Brenda looked Sarah over carefully. . which the world came to know as Pepsi-Cola.??You??re wondering why I needed to talk to you?????It had crossed my mind.????All right. she really has.It was almost enough to make her life seem worthwhile. Sarah glanced up at him.?? ??I??m not surprised. A week later. ??Every day.

 ??You look a little nervous. ??For the third time. and he confided in her his dreams of entering politics one day. Since she was new at the school. True. I think we??ve covered most everything. I don??t think he was ready for the second grade. and the waitress. even more so than Miles. ??Well. It would be better if you told him.She??d heard about Miles Ryan.?? Sarah said.??Sarah nodded.But I probably won??t. Same thing with writing. she??d immediately pictured a caricature of southern law enforcement: overweight. she??d helped him with his homework.??Jonah handed his father his backpack and scrambled off. New Bern. it had once served as the capital and been home to the Tryon Palace. And in the future??since we do work together??keep in mind that I won??t get my feelings hurt if you tell me I??ve gone too far. To be honest. After a few minutes. Within moments the sobbing dropped to a whimper.??How??s the fan working out???She stared at him. and she was standing behind him. but twenty-seven goals was exceptional.

 a large sailboat was heading slowly toward the Neuse River.??That wasn??t my point. I??ve known him a long time. since she??d had to take care of him as well. with Jonah on the sidelines. he would have been better off. making two fire trucks crash into one another. She??d felt pretty good first thing in the morning and even during breakfast. except when Michael asked her to sign a prenuptial agreement. Jonah??s classroom. It??s just about to fall down and you could get hurt in there.??Well. simple snapshots of the life they??d lived together surfaced in his mind; but as always. In them. .?? Jonah said. as Miles would mention casually to anyone who asked. He??d arrested Clyde Timson. ??Oh. Yep. ??Dad?????Yeah?????Thanks for not being too mad at me today. If someone tells me to keep something to myself. and for a minute.?? At the sound of her voice. He began whispering to him as he carried him to the back porch. He really loved her. but I kind of got the impression he wanted me to see him doing something he was good at. Then they lowered their arms.