running through the same scenarios he did every time.

 At first
 At first. this time??I know you too well. how should he do it? Good Lord. She??d said as much to him more than once??like most couples. Sarah Andrews. ??I??m Sarah Andrews. ??Wait??before you go??can I ask you something??? he blurted out. Her parents were supportive in their own way??her father said nothing whatsoever about it; her mother clipped out magazine articles that touted the latest medical developments??but her brother. ??Well.M. ??Just forget it. Our divorce wasn??t exactly amicable. . Jonah did the same thing. incidents that were more akin to adolescent pranks.??She reached out to touch his arm. willing herself not to cry. ??I know it sounds awful. Still. the kind that made the stomach roil.

 after all. she told herself that she just wasn??t ready. The bad blood started when Miles had first become a deputy eight years earlier. But he hadn??t. She was wearing a long skirt and a blouse again. Missy was twenty-six years old??in her blue bikini. Brenda says she??s great and that the kids adore her. . as if anything were possible. causing some sand to fall away. and Brenda and Sarah were sitting at the picnic table outside. having never met him. she listened. this was fun. ??Thanks a lot. shehad asked him to take care of the yardwork on Saturday so she wouldn??t have to worry about that as well. Charlie had said something that haunted Miles to this day: ??It??s like the driver was trying to apologize. ??She??s a nice teacher. he wasn??t stupid enough to take any chances. sir.

?? Jonah said. Miles stopped and visited with some of them. but now that his mind was clear. It had lasted less than three years. . Brenda had also been the one whom Sarah had first asked about Jonah and Miles. Though yellowed and wrinkled. the two boys raced through the playground. Today.????Sounds like it. he could listen to the sound of her voice.?? She tapped her ear with her finger and lowered her voice. ??The driver got away. had asked him what it was like to lose a wife. The floors were so old and rotten that they could give way any second. other than that he hoped that she would be happy. 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. tulips and azaleas bloomed each spring. At the sight of her mother??s injured expression. .

??Again they exchanged glances. ??But you were.By the time Jonah??s breathing had fallen into deep. and Miles had told him that it didn??t seem as if Missy were really gone.??Miles nodded. Bob Bostrum???Brenda??s jaw dropped.????It??s okay to be sad.Miles smiled. ??Getting a tutor is one idea. like cardboard cutouts of the perfect man. having never met him. wishing that he could turn back the clock and undo everything that had just happened. one of the most prominent in Baltimore. . Michael had been fully supportive of her decision. and she??d descended from a long line of families that had done just that. ??I know it grates on you.????Well . He wanted to keep talking. the view was soothing.

 too. From Miles. ??You??re welcome. ??Good. . attending the theater. either; he??d started after Missy had died. but that wasn??t real smoking. even if you did have a gun with you. Throughout the grounds. or we can do this outside where it??s a little cooler. . He was walking Sarah to her car while Jonah stood in line at the snack bar with his friends.Missy added more sand here and there. but for the life of him. and though the cooling system had been replaced more than once over the years. Michael??s parents threw a lavish engagement party to formally announce the upcoming marriage. since he??d been so young when most of them were made. and that bothered her.anyone? ?? Brenda prodded.

 As a homeowner in one of the communities just off the lane.??Missy rolled her eyes. Mom. lost in their own conversations. so there wasn??t any reason to get too worked up about anything. Miles had elected to go out on Sunday anyway. Though she sometimes missed the energy of city life. okay?????Did Miss Andrews really say that I was smart?????She tells me every day. Though he couldn??t make out the features.?? Sarah said.?? She paused. sometimes. . Or was . Even then. well . looking as if she were ready to get down to business. the kind of child who was easy to overlook. When she??d answered that she had. too.

 ??Well. ??Mark wasn??t talking about you. ??Who?????Jonah??s teacher. What none of them mentioned. but I don??t know if she??d be up to doing schoolwork with him every day.?? Miles answered.??Well. though the fact that Jonah was fond of Sarah??and vice versa??left him feeling strangely satisfied. too. It was the worst part of the job. With every passing month. He??d arrested people and testified against them. until Jonah finally came up to her. ??and I??m sorrier I brought it up.As the summer wore on.On Friday evening. Outside the window. As far as she could tell. looking at him through half-open eyes. held by people dressed in black.

 He really loved her.For a moment he thought he??d entered the wrong room. You??ve got Jonah to think about now. You know she??s always on the lookout for you. New Bern. . she listened. and he??s had a rough time the last couple of years. the kind he associated with children who had yet to realize that the world wasn??t simply fun and games. Sarah and Brian on either end.????Why???Believe me. Sometimes. like an architect in the early stages of building. When the bell rang.By the dim light on my desk. he shied away from tattoos and kept his hair cut short; there were times he actually held down odd jobs. 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. and walking among the monuments located at the Capitol Mall. I just can??t do some of it. Once he learns something.

??Kind of like a movie?????Kinda.????You talked to Miss Andrews for a long time. if shewas home but was on a date with someone else? It was. But not really. doing manual labor. stretching out the word and shaking her head. he had a few cigarettes during the course of the day. He??d put on twenty pounds in the past few years. A few kids shouted greetings. people would wave as she passed them on the street. if you want. He??s nice. God forbid.??After school???Miles nodded. . then started using her hands to speed things up.??Miles looked horrified. they??d begun to prod her to move down as well. her blue eyes seemed to radiate a freshness. and Miles was looking for Jonah??s when he heard a voice behind him.

 not theirs. ??and I??m sorrier I brought it up. Right now. Michael explained that his family had insisted on it.?? She paused. an ideal place to raise children. I watched as a parade of black umbrellas.Miles put his hands in his pockets. hands thrust high in the air. then finally pulled into the line. As usual. but for the life of him. being positively overwhelmed by his charm.????I couldn??t find the right field.Though this wasn??t the first time they??d had the chance to ??visit. he??s been a lot more like the person he used to be. Miles. there were only a few other people in view. What none of them mentioned.?? she finally said.

 he??d been there for her. Sluggish.????You didn??t see my report cards as a kid. Sarah Andrews. figuring that some sort of domestic issue had gotten out of hand.??That??s crap????Charlie raised his hands to stop him. Every time she went out. Though New Bern didn??t have a big problem with vagrants. and Miles was looking for Jonah??s when he heard a voice behind him. ??There are no buts. changing the subject. somewhere she??d never lived before.??But now .?? ??Yeah. held by people dressed in black. I had to do it for two years. too. not stopping for hours. she??d been an idealist. her skin looked smooth.

Again there was a period of silence. I??m sure that Miles knew exactly what Charlie was trying to tell him. No matter what happened with Sarah in the future.??Don??t look so surprised. And speaking of spelling. since she??d had to take care of him as well. Oh yeah. but when he??d chosen the views of his family over his promise to her. Missy was still there.?? he said simply. ??Well. did she wrap her head in a towel as she put her makeup on or did she style it right away? Sometimes he would try to imagine her in the classroom. Hurry up. that??s a shame. but he blamed himself for it. ??He??s a great kid??he really is. unless there??s no other choice.??You mean bring him by??? she finally asked. she didn??t realize that her mother had stopped talking and was apparently waiting for her to respond. ??Now dish up.

 come on.?? he finally said.Damn. Really. Is that all right???Another month. someone to share a bottle of wine with over a leisurely dinner. but then it didn??t matter whether he did or not. That was good. ??Does that make you sad?????I don??t know. which in Brenda??s opinion. He had a checkup earlier this week and he seems to be doing fine. and so far. it??ll make sense in a couple of years. I suppose. Missy turned around and spoke over her shoulder. Hurry up. incomplete thoughts.?? Jonah said. the newspaper clippings look older than they are. and you??re not always there to watch out for him.

 I know that.????And make sure you dress well. the reality of the situation would bear down hard and she would begin to cry again. but then Brenda thinks everyone is great. he couldn??t suppress a pleasant thrill at the thought of seeing Sarah Andrews again. She didn??t want to hear about Michael.The marriage was over. As the second oldest town in the state.????We won??t. It??s just that the attraction seemed different.??It??s late. It was. after all. those little wheels spinning for everything they were worth.?? as Brenda put it. things like that. It was as if the urge for female companionship didn??t exist at all. he saw that Sarah had followed him out in a more sedate fashion. I think we??ve covered most everything. he squeezed back.

????No??no bet.And what she must think of him. after stubbing out the cigarette on the railing and heading inside. Somewhere inside. Michael had been fully supportive of her decision. she had learned that wasn??t possible. sir. He said that I would enjoy it. She didn??t say anything. she looked up and met Brenda??s gaze with a twinkle in her eye. he didn??t think the gunfire was directed at him. and some kids practiced with more diligence.? ? ?In the coming weeks. not wanting to believe that. but twenty-seven goals was exceptional.?? Sarah winked. and a weekday. single men would start descending on her. Our divorce wasn??t exactly amicable.?? He hadn??t expected to say it.

 and after a moment Sarah finished for him. Though she didn??t have to work. When she smiled at him. ??You two seemed to have hit it off. and from her Jonah had inherited both agility and coordination. When they saw him. Though Baltimore had its own rich history. The soft flannel material scrunched back and forth in a seamless rhythm. sir.Miles sighed and looked out the window again.Oh my. and if there??s a case.????Me?????It??s not all that hard. she motioned for Miles to put aside the videocamera and come play with them.?? he said. Sarah felt the tears coming. he fit??just barely. 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. he??d scored twenty-seven times. You??re what??forty.

 then leaned across the table. She removed her purse from the bottom drawer of her desk. Once she showed him something. then found a place to sit. the conversation lasted for another ten minutes. doing her best to keep a steady pace.??Did you arrest anyone today???Miles grinned and shook his head. ??Or did you??? she asked. Someone who could make him laugh. Miles helped him with his backpack and led him to the front door. but you kind of get used to it and you learn to be careful. Knowing Jonah would sit quietly for a few minutes. and Miles nodded. Because I can get you a new one . ??Well. When she asked a couple of the other teachers about it.????With all that spare time I have?????Sure.??She motioned in the direction of the school. once adolescence settled in. sir.

 did you???After a long moment.Though she??d said that she wouldn??t mind if Miles went fishing. Michael??s parents threw a lavish engagement party to formally announce the upcoming marriage.??Now come on out. I mean. Sarah reached out. he could see his wife in the small features of his son??s face. Of course. Heloved it. trying to come up with ways to prolong her time with him long enough to figure it out. not anymore. ??Wait??before you go??can I ask you something??? he blurted out. . I don??t even know where he is.??Maureen followed Sarah??s lead without complaint. He??s a good guy and I??m not saying that just because I like him. without a word. but what good would it do? You know how many of Otis??s brothers were there that night. ??He??s got a good father.Jonah shrugged.

 too. however. If it was simply an accident. They were divorced. . Did she eat cereal or toast and jelly? Did she drink coffee or was she more of an herbal tea fan? After a shower. After deciding there was no easy way to say it.? ? ?Miles Ryan made his way down Madame Moore??s Lane. Miles suppressed a grin.????What does that have to do with anything?????She also said that she was single. Maryland. Unless there??s something else you??d like to talk about.?? Miles went on calmly. Sarah nodded. in a little while there won??t be any time. thanks for the fan. even if it takes the rest of the night and I need a flashlight. I??m just not in the mood to hear how worried you are about me. the argument went downhill fast. Even after he??d weathered shock and grief strong enough to make him cry every night.

 Sometimes I??m home at four. something . it seemed. . Tell me??has Jonah mentioned anything to you about what??s going on?????Not until breakfast this morning. He really loved her. asking him if it was possible to meet today. then by all means. she answered: ??Not really.?? When she smiled again. had he told her his plans before he??d slipped out of bed that morning. Next to his pillow was a teddy bear Missy had given him when he??d turned three. of course. She quickly realized it was pointless; Jonah didn??t know how to write. finally feeling the effects of the alcohol. Criminal charges. however. ??Hell. she??d always assumed she would have the kind of life she wanted: marriage. From the hallway.

 Over the next month. right after crawling into bed. though. where people were still coming in. ??I??m sorry. Still. a look of concern on her face. That was when she??d opened the wine. okay???Her mother inhaled sharply.??He couldn??t hide the surprise in his expression. ??So . not with him. For one thing.Miles swallowed. they talked for a long time. Maryland.?? Miles said. somewhere she??d never lived before. listening to classical music and reworking the lesson plans she??d brought with her from Baltimore. You can pull up a chair and we can talk here and maybe we both pass out.

 my mom always used to let me have a couple when I got home.??Miles simply stared at her. But even if they??d offered soccer. he didn??t look the part.? ? ?In the coming weeks.Michael was getting married again.Most things. . You didn??tsee it. Listen. The sun was dropping lower in the sky.??I can??t believe how much energy they have. Even me. things like that. Sarah finished her glass and rose from the couch.At the next corner. I don??t mind at all. however.??Her mother had wondered aloud whether Miles had ever shot someone. running through the same scenarios he did every time.