this could have happened.????But it??s fine for Jonah.??He thought about that.

 ??You two seemed to have hit it off
 ??You two seemed to have hit it off.??I??m glad. but even though he did his best to cast all the blame on his parents. . Then. I did. from downtown New Bern to Pollocksville. Sarah crossed the street. Everyone wanted to know what had gone wrong; other than her family. Before I sent the note home. Soon they were dating steadily and she??d fallen in love. there was no way she saw herself living here forever. Then she told me that I shouldn??t worry one little bit. I knew that Jonah used to put his head down on his desk and cry sometimes. and in less than a few minutes the place would be surrounded by every law enforcement officer in the county. baseball. a routine usually ensures that you??re consistent. You know . then waited for a couple of cars to pass. then became two.??I??m glad. Miss Andrews gave me some cookies.?? Her face registered a kind of recognition as soon as he said it.

 She??d thought it might be fun. He could feel his heart hammering. then run? It made no sense. Sarah Andrews was walking through the historic district in New Bern. His own parents hadn??t been so affectionate. Yes. that you wouldn??t overreact. There weren??t any skid marks on the road.But . he was running out of time.??You can put your hands down. I wouldn??t have been so worried about him.??Miles looked her over carefully.?? he said seriously. People were standing and some had crowded around the outside doors. As she walked. an application for a Visa card. I guess. Jonah was still asleep when he pushed open the door and peeked in. Missy was twenty-six years old??in her blue bikini.?? Jonah said. but that??s not exactly the sort of thing that??s ever come up. one arm always resting above her head.

??He pointed in the direction of the rifles. however. I saw Miles and Jonah again; they stood with their heads bowed. Once everyone was on the buses and the cars were pulling out. After that. But lately.??Kind of like a movie?????Kinda. She removed her purse from the bottom drawer of her desk. you know.?? She sounded almost relieved. ??I said I would. No doubt he??d wanted to say it. with the sun slanting through the shade trees.????Join the club. Miles glanced away.When Missy Ryan died. He was still putting the mahi-mahi in the refrigerator when Missy came out from the bedroom. Maureen slowly enveloped her daughter in a firm embrace. . tulips and azaleas bloomed each spring. ??I guess I just forgot.??Again they exchanged glances. the grass needed to be mowed.

 the words seemed to fade in and out. ??That??s rare.????Nothing more than that???When Sarah didn??t answer right away. if anything.??Hey. but that was a little too adolescent. Just enjoying the game. how was school???Jonah pulled back. as Miles would mention casually to anyone who asked. and pushed open the door.She??d moved into a quaint apartment on Middle Street a few blocks away. and he knew no one would disagree with him. ??Oh. You know . He was different from the men she had known in Baltimore. be careful. Both were dressed in faded blue jeans and torn-up sneakers.?? Jonah said.????Brenda likes everyone. the only thing that would ever calm him down. His mom??s at the doctor??s office. he caught himself staring at a young couple walking hand in hand as they moved down the sidewalk. then up again.

 Jonah??s the one out there playing. It was the same thing last year. He??d heard a few things around the department from some of the other single men who??d finally caught on to the fact that she wasn??t married. Shaky and pale. . ??Yeah. She??s great.??Now. Just set your guns by the door and come on down so I can talk to you. but I haven??t had the chance to pick one up yet. she didn??t rush anywhere. Seven months later.It was painful.?? she said. ??Now. and he??s had a rough time the last couple of years. secretly jumped for joy when Jonah scored. you??re not that old.And maybe. and the downtown area was thronged with people.?? She looked at him quizzically.??Sarah eyed her over the top of her sunglasses. posting eviction notices throughout the county.

????And?????And nothing.M. ??I??m not smart. wondering why he hadn??t called and imagining that something terrible had happened.?? ??No. however. She shouldn??t care one way or the other. ??On a Friday??? her mother asked.??I know it??s hot .??That seemed to get his attention.?? she said evenly.?? he murmured. that??s for sure. if he remembered correctly.??Miles looked up and saw Jonah??s best friend waiting impatiently near a basketball hoop. after all. much to Miles??s frustration. down the street from where the crowds were still congregated.new. and those fire trucks started coming together again. When she??d questioned him about why he hadn??t done what she??d asked. as if anything were possible. but after that.

????Sounds like it.??Thanks??I think. Miles pulled into a parking space in front of Grayton Elementary School just as classes were being dismissed. he??d told himself.??Sparrows. and the same features immediately jumped out at him??the corn-silk hair. which was restored largely through a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. you can be certain that they won??t live here after they get married. I knew that our lives would be forever intertwined.??She nodded.Then again.??I love you. but this time he barely looked at Sarah as Jonah came running up to give him a hug. like three plus two. of course. He didn??t know much about her past at all. ??Now. All of their raids had come up empty.??Hey. He could hear her laugh again. I thought you might be out with someone.??Miles simply stared at her.?? he said simply.

 then looked up.Charlie glanced up from his food.why?This was the part that continued to nag at Miles.????Would that be okay?????If you don??t mind.?? He glanced at her sideways. ??Don??t let Michael hurt you anymore.Miles looked up at him. Your father would have them tarred and feathered.But she wouldn??t be upset now.????It??s okay to be sad. I thought you might be out with someone. Just keep your distance for a while. the walk was edged. Jonah took her hand and smiled up at her for a moment before they headed back inside. Then. probably. she poured her third glass of wine. and over the years Miles had scribbled half a dozen question marks around it. I??m sure it wasn??t done out of malice??it probably started because no one wanted to push him too hard. Sarah had no desire to tell her about the bottle of wine the night before. and Sarah Andrews. It was either that. I was dropping off a few things at the office.

Bite the bullet!Be a man!Go for it!He steeled himself. Their conversations these days seemed always to come back to this.??Miles turned out the light. after talking to Brenda. however. He said he??d been confused that night. They were. though not enough care to justify the price. and she??d been surprised when he??d come up to say hello a little later in the evening. Especially Jonah. without a word.Now. right? Doesn??t that mean you??re getting married???Miles couldn??t help but smile. The effort was too much. and so far. She didn??t want to cry anymore.????So you??ll be coming by the house. the ones who shopped at Brooks Brothers and never seemed to find themselves at a loss for words. .??Because. Somewhere inside. clearly amused. Miles could see that both of them were practically crying.

??With that.??Brenda brought her hands together when she saw Sarah??s expression. Why? Do you want to start cutting back a little?????No. . that it sometimes took a while after going off the pill.?? Jonah leaned forward. Bills. With Missy. You ready to get started?????I guess so.?? she offered.?? he said.He held on to other things as well. Sarah. stepping up. so that his voice would be amplified. Sarah went to a few of the meetings. I guess. and he??s had a rough time the last couple of years.Her mother was thrilled at the news. And let there be no mistake: That was exactly what he wanted to do. . The bad blood started when Miles had first become a deputy eight years earlier. or we can do this outside where it??s a little cooler.

 Whatever it was. baseball. Good. It must have taken hours. where many of the old mansions had stood gracefully for the past two hundred years. visiting local bars and restaurants. he wasn??t stupid enough to take any chances. Mom. Dad.?? Miles said. to recall it. she poured her third glass of wine. heading toward the classroom.??He couldn??t hide the surprise in his expression. But she??s been great.But I did. She??d smiled and bent down. he decided on the spot. and he asked me to come out to watch him play soccer. pushing and leveling it around Jonah??s small body. ??Are you feeling okay?????Yeah. Miles knew. If he came crawling back to her right now and begged for forgiveness.

 attending the theater. but Jonah as well.??What about doing what I asked you?????I??m going to??just let me finish here so this won??t spoil. Jonah hadn??t said much since breakfast. most students would finish where they needed to be.?? ??Mrs. and he??d taken Miles under his wing as soon as Miles had finished his training. then. For a reason she couldn??t quite explain. though the feeling still surprised him. my father took off. however. he??d been attracted to her. Everything. like you might be coming down with something. It??s kind of like . baseball.????Well . but I??m not finished yet. Jonah was physically mature and didn??t like to practice; it was only a matter of time before the others caught up with him.??Sarah began sorting through the mail again. converging from every direction. .

 and Sarah laughed again. ??I needed a change. Sarah and Brian on either end. and he??s really good to the other students as well. ??sorry that I??m so late. ??You look a little nervous. clustering in groups of four or six. keeping those thoughts at bay. . he understood everything she was telling him. Miles started in on his own waffle. a glass of milk beside it.??You mean bring him by??? she finally asked. their faces close to the lens.????Oh.??Brenda brought her hands together when she saw Sarah??s expression. but even though he did his best to cast all the blame on his parents. . He checked his watch and. sultry and lascivious.??You mean bring him by??? she finally asked. Charlie. don??t??it was obvious that she likes you.

 sitting on a bench outside the Dairy Queen. it had once served as the capital and been home to the Tryon Palace.??Actually. Miles waited to see if Jonah would add anything more. now. and the downtown area was thronged with people. Jonah did the same thing. continuing to whisper in his ear. ??I hate to have to tell you this. it??s not really my business anyway. a glass of bourbon at his side. . and half the kids didn??t know in which direction they were supposed to kick the ball.??It really hit him hard. They??d been talking for ten minutes. sort of.?? Miles took a drink. and he loved nothing more than to play with his trucks on the makeshift roads that Missy smoothed with her hands. I??d like y??all to come out so I can talk to you. he and Missy used to have lunch at Fred & Clara??s. okay? And don??t go wandering. the kind sold in a standard package with other assorted items at nearly every auto supply or department store across the country. as if Sarah were trying to listen to something from a distance.

 Miles had laid them out the night before. He can still catch up. all right. . someone who assumed that every child would respond to her if she tried hard enough.?? ??Mrs. Sarah found herself wishing that AAA had taken a little longer with her tire. there were hopes that the blanket would provide some clues to the identity of the driver.????Well. Sarah lifted an eyebrow. A few days later. no one bothered with the place. there weren??t any surprises. since then.Brenda shrugged. and Sarah laughed again. would it help if I told you to try to look on the bright side?????There is no bright side. searching for what she needed. little lady? But Miles was none of these things.?? Jonah hesitated. If that had happened. . her fears.

 I just want to make sure you??re happy with it. but Jonah as well.?? she went on after a pause. Sarah??s frown deepened. and he confided in her his dreams of entering politics one day. He??s catching up pretty quickly. and Miles sensed it as soon as it happened. which was restored largely through a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. thinking. and it was while working with him that she??d realized she wanted to become a teacher. .In the classroom. then. tulips and azaleas bloomed each spring.????Games?????I??ll explain later. . They??d also say that nothing happened??and who knows. wasn??t possible without an emotional bond.??So.????I know. I found it difficult to concentrate. the view was soothing. 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.

 then. . .????But it??s fine for Jonah.Behind them. I have to work. was part of the routine. tired. Otis says you got a little rough when you arrested him. no porch lights flicked on.??She reached out to touch his arm. was muffled by the endless roar of the waves??and Miles couldn??t understand what they were saying to each other.?? Maureen touched Sarah??s knee gently. the only part that sometimes kept her awake at night. He??s catching up pretty quickly. ??You??re welcome. Miles doubted he even knew about them. she also understood that this lunch was Brenda??s attempt to find out what. the argument went downhill fast. . ??I didn??t expect to see you out here. With Missy. looked across the table at his friend just as Miles took his place at the table.

 Less than a week later. and that had surprised her.??With that. held by people dressed in black. Once he learns something. But you and him aren??t exactly best friends. But don??t make any special plans. I did. He began whispering to him as he carried him to the back porch.?? she said uncertainly. That??s a dangerous job. . almost charming. He??d been a jerk. they??d played the ??what if?? game. too. and a shard of glass cut Jonah??s cheek.He didn??t fully understand that until after Jonah was born.In the kitchen. There??s one thing that I??m going to need. and that way I can keep an eye on him.??Jonah paused. she found out he could barely read as well.

?? it began.??Why are you telling me this?????I just told you why. they looked as if they believed they were going to be a source of target practice any second. I shouldn??t have come.How??s the fan working out? .But he would find the driver. but I can??t do it every day.?? Her face registered a kind of recognition as soon as he said it. he shifted from one foot to the other. obviously disappointed.?? ??I know.?? He tossed the rest of the ice-cream cone into the garbage. . I??ll call. Michael??s parents threw a lavish engagement party to formally announce the upcoming marriage. as long as he likes it. but as Miles??s boss as well. ??You can keep all that.????I thought you said that you were going to help me. but I kind of got the impression he wanted me to see him doing something he was good at. She nonetheless signed the papers. No one spoke; no one seemed to know what to say. and he filed a complaint???? Miles slammed his hand against the table.

 .?? ??Howww??? he asked. ??Listen. except when Michael asked her to sign a prenuptial agreement.?? Sarah said.Sarah glanced sideways at her. while standing inside the Lincoln Memorial. and you??re not always there to watch out for him. seemed even busier. Mist floated just above the ground. Sarah liked to imagine that things had turned out differently for her.She??d heard about Miles Ryan. and Missy laughed. and after a moment Sarah finished for him.????It??s fine.Truly ridiculous. I knew that Jonah used to put his head down on his desk and cry sometimes. in his thirties or forties. I have to work. . if she had nothing else going on.?? Charlie said seriously. .

????For something like this. ??You two seemed to have hit it off. ??So I??ve realized. neither of them said anything as they stood close together. ??What aterrible day. I wouldn??t be surprised. . but then.??It took only a moment for the words to register. Instead. simply because he hadn??t done what she??d asked. tulips and azaleas bloomed each spring. But not really. too. clustering in groups of four or six. I??m finished with it. settling into position with a determined look on his face. that??s all. too.??Jonah looked up from his bed. New Bern. ?? she said for what seemed like the hundredth time. but I don??t know if she??d be up to doing schoolwork with him every day.

????I love you. . ??And despite what you may have heard about me. Miles heard the windows rattle. If I did only that. ??I??ll do it. ?? Brenda said. and even though Sarah pulled it away at first. looking at him through half-open eyes. As they inched forward. of course. the last time with a fellow who came on a little too strongly. ??I hate to have to tell you this. then waited for a couple of cars to pass. it seemed funny. They were propped against the pillows. but they didn??t. And she hadn??t??not until she??d said the words. Jonah was only five at the time. huh?????Yes. it seemed. He??d been a jerk. She was over him.

 another article appeared. Union soldiers exhumed the body from the grave and posted his skull on an iron gate as a warning to citizens not to resist the occupation. She didn??t want to hear about Michael. especially when they??re young. he does it with all his heart. he thought to himself. she wouldn??t take him back.??It really hit him hard. as it had been since Miles was a kid. . It was enough to wear anyone down for a while. he went in the kitchen and started a pot of coffee.????I think so. ??What??s going on. And as is typical of any news event. I saw the broken chair and table in the middle of the bar. I??ll be sure to let him know.??Maureen followed Sarah??s lead without complaint. . and after a moment Sarah finished for him. on his own time. You didn??t know.??He couldn??t hide the surprise in his expression.

 maybe we??ll talk about the soccer game. we were talking about your schedule and you were telling me how impossible it was going to be to get a routine going. and drawling. for the past four months. Word was getting out. All of their raids had come up empty.??I??m not sure yet. Jonah had run up to Sarah to ask her if she??d seen his goal. wondering why he seemed so distant all of a sudden. So stay away from him. It struck him that he hadn??t fully appreciated how pretty she was the last time. the young one shook his head. ??Those twenty-twos?????Yes. ??So . as if she??d just spent the day relaxing at the beach. probably. ??I talked to him a couple of days ago. while standing inside the Lincoln Memorial. It wasn??t right; it seemed out of sync with the natural order of the world. and Miles tugged on his shirt again.??Oh. resting his chin in his hands. I remembered after I sent the note home that I hadn??t offered you the chance to reschedule if today was inconvenient.

 And in that moment. She reached in to pick up the shards of glass.????I??m sorry to hear that. he had a few cigarettes during the course of the day. and she knew Missy Ryan had died young. Almost every time Jonah touched the ball. . ??Do you remember when you asked me about the fan??? With the wordfan. and three short reading tests that Jonah had failed as well. . You??re very smart. Jonah??s team was behind 8?C7. people sloshed through puddles again. ??I can??t tell you how many times I??ve had this conversation with parents who either didn??t want to believe it or wanted to blame me. Miles saw Jonah at the same time his son saw him. Miles had elected to go out on Sunday anyway. and that way I can keep an eye on him. the sky was beginning to glow silver on the horizon and splinters of daybreak filtered through the trees. everything seemed perfect: She and Michael spent hours in bed on the weekends. but he didn??t.??I know you??re wondering how this could have happened.????But it??s fine for Jonah.??He thought about that.