t help it. Everyone gets sad now and then.

 and she was right to have called him on it
 and she was right to have called him on it. converging from every direction. and he was good at it. not wanting to believe that. he and Missy used to have lunch at Fred & Clara??s.Miles smiled. If you??d done that. But don??t worry. I want to thank you again for everything you??re doing for Jonah. still in shock. Or maybe I??ll tell her how good you are at fishing.He kept it to remind him of his failure. he??d been gone most of the day.Or so he assumed. he realized. pulling up the covers.?? she said simply. Her eyes widened and occasionally filled with tears; she squeezed Sarah??s hand a dozen times.Brenda picked up her sandwich.??So how long have you been in town??? Miles finally asked. but I kind of got the impression he wanted me to see him doing something he was good at. In the first year after Missy??s death.

 she told herself that she just wasn??t ready. A long while. ??but we got off to a good start. Our divorce wasn??t exactly amicable. the janitor???Sarah nodded. What if she wasn??t home? He couldn??t dazzle her if she wasn??t even there to answer the phone.Sarah glanced sideways at her. motioning and pointing. you don??t want me to talk to your parents. tossing her clothes in the hamper and looking forward to a cool shower. Miles Ryan had become a widower at the age of thirty. obviously disappointed. his hair disheveled. thunderstruck. ??No. too. but it was long enough to finally make Jonah nervous. Missy turned around and spoke over her shoulder. his expression serious. he didn??t think the gunfire was directed at him. Jonah pulled back to look at him.?? ??No.

 a couple of pages where the assignment had been to write a paragraph (Jonah had managed a few.Keep talking.Miles looked up at him. one thing had led to the next and he??d lost track of time. ??If Jonah asked you to go and watch.?? She paused for a moment. well. he backed away in the direction of his car. She put one hand on her hip. while getting Jonah??s backpack ready. ??Well. and three short reading tests that Jonah had failed as well. and over the years Miles had scribbled half a dozen question marks around it. their faces close to the lens.??I??ll do it. ??Do you remember when you asked me about the fan??? With the wordfan.????Where?????Fred & Clara??s? It??s a little place just around the corner from where I live.??I??m going for a jog. and rain poured in through the gaping holes in the roof. she was the same height as Jonah. without reason or cause. That was good.

 . and she sure didn??t look like any teacher Miles had ever had growing up.??Miles looked her over carefully. As they sat across from him. but Jonah??s had stood out.In the following years. . there was no way she saw herself living here forever.??Well. Mark has to stay.? ? ???Are you sure you??re okay???With crowds pressing in around them.?? he said seriously. he??d scored twenty-seven times. and she??d also met parents who seemed to believe their child could do no wrong.????What??s that?????A fan??and make it a good one.?? When she smiled again. Sarah. her face smudged with dirt. as if Sarah were trying to listen to something from a distance. It was only May. Don??t get me wrong??he??s a great kid. toward finally coming to terms with his loss.

 By the beginning of the fourth quarter.??As he spoke. and Sarah Andrews. . his mind processing everything in slow motion. What he really needed was some quiet time at a little beachfront cottage down in Key West. Country kids. .??That seemed to get his attention. Miles had found a note from Jonah??s teacher. She wasn??t a close friend of the woman??s??she??d socialized with Sarah casually. He hurriedly donned his sheriff??s uniform; next he took down his holster from the lockbox above the bedroom door and put that on as well. lost in their own conversations. She??d giggled about it.??Sarah closed her eyes and held them that way. especially in my yard. and so on??Jonah climbed into the car without being asked. He kind of shut himself off from the world after that. she had learned that wasn??t possible.?? she said. something that would make her stop and stare. Missy turned around and spoke over her shoulder.

 that??s what she told herself. Before he could say anything else.?? ??Don??t be.On Thursday night??one night until D-Day. It was a glorious Saturday. Jonah wiggled his fingers. Once they??d descended the broken steps. well. . obviously disappointed. He??s also polite and extremely well spoken for his age. He??d imagined her laughing at the things he was saying. As they sat across from him. Is that all right???Another month.????And Dad?????Yeah???Jonah reached up to wipe his nose. you know. With every passing month. ??Mark wasn??t talking about you. thinking. Sometimes even we have trouble finding what field we??re playing on. . ??I thought so.

 I never had any trouble at all. she found his good-bye adorable. he was sometimes distant and withdrawn. Miss Andrews is really nice and all. During the summer.For the rest of the day. maybe second-degree murder if he??d had prior offenses. It had been a few months since he??d last mentioned Missy without being asked first. waved to the man behind the counter at the pharmacy. ??It??ll be okay. They weren??t bad kids. and she hadn??t accomplished half of what she??d wanted to. ??Who told you that?????Some of the older kids at school. ??Why do I get the impression that you??re leading up to some bad news?????Am I that obvious?????Well . He thought of her frequently and sometimes in the strangest of situations??standing in a grocery store while selecting a packet of pork chops.????Schoolis going okay. a bolt from the sky that would imbue him with wit and charisma. She hit the play button and her mother??s voice came on. Miles poured the tea and pushed Charlie??s glass toward him. she believed. Even me. she knew it wasn??t the first one he??d had.

 champ. When she smiled at him. something she sometimes did. wishing that he could turn back the clock and undo everything that had just happened.??Sarah grinned and Brenda waved a hand as she went on. It??s a good workout and it gives me a chance to unwind. Next to the photo was the manila file filled with information he??d compiled himself. on the other hand. maybe they were the ones who actually did it. the classroom was empty. he slid forward on the seat and flicked a switch on the radio. Miles guessed??looked to the older one. it??ll make sense in a couple of years. Now. When he got there. hooking his thumbs into the waistband of his pants. his father??s arm around him. wondering if she was flirting with him again. he went to bed anyway.?? Miles said. and a weekday. Or maybe he didn??t see her at all.

 wouldn??t have been surprised by what had happened this morning. the road he was following wasn??t for children.?? He trailed off. She wasn??t a close friend of the woman??s??she??d socialized with Sarah casually. In his mind??s eye.?? ??No. Unless you??ve got money to burn. It was the saddest thing I??ve ever seen. it??s fine.For a long moment neither of them said anything.Otis also held on to a grudge. ??I know this is hard for you to hear. as if she??d just spent the day relaxing at the beach. if you were owl hunting. and Miles sensed it as soon as it happened. The work she assigns ishard. the one he??d made for himself in the months following her funeral.?? Everyone in town from doctors to judges would accept the excuse without question. even to him. ??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. something she sometimes did. The way she looked at him spoke volumes.

 She glanced around.??I appreciate that. too.??Thanks??I think.????I think she??s pretty.?? He pushed up the brim of his baseball hat. My wipers pushed the rain from side to side. he couldn??t suppress a pleasant thrill at the thought of seeing Sarah Andrews again. huh?????Yes. those images led inexorably to their final day together. he just came out with it.??I??m not sure yet. I don??t want to hold him back this year. finding himself drawn to the pages. but in the end he??d learned no more than the official investigators.??? ? ?Later that night. I never had any trouble at all. though. since Jonah was already asleep and he didn??t want to leave him alone unless he had to. who looked more like her the older he got. no matter how hard she worked. .

??Oh. that??s for sure. he??d scored twenty-seven times. Jonah??s the one out there playing.????Brenda likes everyone.??Sarah opened the folder and handed Miles a stack of papers. he thinks it??s possible that Otis is telling the truth and he told me to tell you to lay off. before he headed off for his first year at the University of North Carolina. Then they lowered their arms. ??No. Heavy. Jonah looked toward Miles with wide eyes that were nearly brimming with tears. He??d arrested three of Otis??s brothers after a riot had broken out at their family reunion. It??s always a little intimidating when you??re new.??But??? Sarah finally asked. A few kids shouted greetings. baseball. Miles had been trying to lower the speed limit for years. he??d drawn a picture of himself fishing from a small boat. Once Sarah??s divorce had been finalized. Mom. except when Michael asked her to sign a prenuptial agreement.

 Clyde had spent time in prison for that??though not as long as he should have??and over the years. But I??m pretty sure from all that shooting you were doing that you didn??t get him yet. and what was Miles supposed to say next?That??s good.M.In the car. with families of their own. being positively overwhelmed by his charm.??What about doing what I asked you?????I??m going to??just let me finish here so this won??t spoil. she reflected on how different New Bern was from Baltimore. both had been in agreement that it wouldn??t be right for Jonah to grow up with only a single parent. . he??d drawn a picture of himself fishing from a small boat. he felt almost as if he??d never known them at all. one thing had led to the next and he??d lost track of time.??I mean. . no shivers pricked the hairs on the back of his neck. surprised to find himself enjoying the conversation. I wouldn??t want to hear it.One more thing on an already terrible day. In the first year after Missy??s death. By the beginning of the fourth quarter.

 Her doctor told her not to worry. ??I don??t know .Once the service started. ??Walking?????It??s harder than it looks if you keep a fast pace. she persisted until Sarah relented. People around town stopped discussing it as frequently. This time. . ??I hate to have to tell you this. then. As she walked to her car.Bite the bullet!Be a man!Go for it!He steeled himself. he??d sat in the back row and answered politely when she??d spoken to him. she also understood that this lunch was Brenda??s attempt to find out what. As they sat across from him. settling into position with a determined look on his face. a red Nissan Sentra. then became two. but instead she simply began sorting through the mail. nor was it the fact that he seemed to be taking his parents?? side. but that was typical of their relationship then. Sarah Andrews.

 when he loves. It had been a few months since he??d last mentioned Missy without being asked first. ??Do you remember when you asked me about the fan??? With the wordfan.?? Sarah looked around. She??d known all along that Michael would marry again; he??d told her as much. That was the kind of life she??d had as a child. Because I can get you a new one . almost charming.Later that night. Sarah . Miss Andrews gave me some cookies. ??You might have to give up smoking. Squatting down.????I thought you said that you were going to help me. he??d recognized the fact that she was attractive. but I like it.????Is he still exercising?????Not as much as he should. as with most mornings. Brenda was staring wide-eyed at her. her mother had been calling a couple of times a day. slowly. feeling sick to his stomach and wishing he could keep his hands occupied again.

 If you ask me today what the reverend said. he??d let her down.??Jonah swallowed. For one thing. and some kids practiced with more diligence. and Brenda looked Sarah over carefully. remember how important it is to make a good first impression. . she really has. she??d stayed to catch up on some of her work. It hadn??t been necessary. He swallowed. sort of singing the last syllable. He??s also polite and extremely well spoken for his age. do you?????Well . knowing he??d reached the limit of his father??s patience. . He didn??t know anything about her; in the end. The yard was mowed. ??Don??t forget to brush your hair after you get dressed. she set the glass too close to the sink and it toppled into the basin. no matter how hard she worked.

 motioning and pointing. I saw the broken chair and table in the middle of the bar. When he saw Sarah. Besides.??I mean.????Like what?????Well. ??No problem.?? ??Don??t be. I wanted to talk to you about the best way to help Jonah. he was hit with a blast of hot air.?? she said. 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. .????I can tell. my mom always used to let me have a couple when I got home.After he turned the faucet.That was part of it. Though he couldn??t prove it.He sighed. ??You don??t own me?? was all he offered by way of explanation.? ? ?When Jonah and Sarah walked out of the school after the tutoring session. he actually got to the sixth number before chickening out.

Miles took a deep breath and said the first and only thing that came to mind. just a little too rural for today??s world.????We had a lot to talk about. ??Just sparrows. if you know what I mean. It was exactly what she needed.??Sarah nodded almost imperceptibly. the kind that made the stomach roil. right?????Oh. and the ones her own age that she had met were already married. but I kind of got the impression he wanted me to see him doing something he was good at. the reality of the situation would bear down hard and she would begin to cry again.The night before she was to meet with Miles Ryan. Bills kept coming. neither of them said anything as they stood close together. surprisingly. Miles Ryan had become a widower at the age of thirty. ??So. She??d seen them every day at the same time.Not much. There weren??t any skid marks on the road. his mind was sorting and searching frantically.

 Miles pulled into a parking space in front of Grayton Elementary School just as classes were being dismissed. as if he??d spent many hours in the sun as a boy. A long while. Sarah??s fine. ??I know it sounds awful. other than that he hoped that she would be happy. about a month after he??d first met Sarah Andrews. He??d imagined her laughing at the things he was saying. .She??d started going out with Michael when she was twenty-three; they??d divorced when she was twenty-seven. not with him.??Are you okay.?? Sarah said.????You picked a good one.??I??m also free on Friday night. so she could watch Jonah. I guess I might be having a little trouble with some of the work. But yardwork was yardwork and fishing was fishing. he held off. tossing her clothes in the hamper and looking forward to a cool shower. It??s easy to look at test scores and think the teachers don??t care. Once he learns something.

 I??m finished with it.??You??re a smart young man and don??t you ever forget it. she found it endearing. Though he couldn??t make out the features. But that wasn??t the reason for her anger; Miles himself had been the cause. By the time Jonah had dressed himself and made it to the kitchen. I mean?????No. Over the next month. chronicling everything they had learned??which in the end was essentially nothing more than what Miles knew the moment he??d pushed open the door and seen Charlie standing on the porch. always remember his surprise at the fact that Charlie had been right: Shewas attractive. but she couldn??t help it. even though the driver had stopped the car to see what he had done.??Sarah smiled before going on. was part of the routine. Life behind bars. but he blamed himself for it. he??d seen the exhaustion etched in every feature after giving birth to Jonah. ??Walking?????It??s harder than it looks if you keep a fast pace. Miles pulled into a parking space in front of Grayton Elementary School just as classes were being dismissed. . She??d never been a big drinker.Her brother and sister-in-law were coming in from Atlanta the following day.

 there wasn??t anything at all. okay? And don??t go wandering.In the car. as if he were moving around underwater. his mouth set in a straight line. he wasn??t any better. She selected one and unlocked her front door. He??s got nine kids.??Despite her mood. and Sarah Andrews. thunderstruck. but enough??and Missy started filling in the sand.In the classroom.????I??ll be fine. Maybe he just heard the thud and felt the car shudder with the impact. . will you? If I let you go. I needed to see Miles. okay. Charlie was one of the few people in town who still treated him the same way he always had. .?? he said seriously.

 ??I??m kidding. . I??ve learned that kids remember things best when there??s a routine involved. ??But she did say that Sarah was attractive. the kind he associated with children who had yet to realize that the world wasn??t simply fun and games.?? he countered. he??d hoped that something would strike him. she??d spent long hours browsing through the antique stores downtown or simply staring at the sailboats docked behind the Sheraton. He??d seen the look a few times in the years they??d been married. They had a large circle of friends. Something happened. ??Thinking about ways to keep the citizens safe. He added more vinegar sauce to the barbecue and some pepper to his coleslaw.??I??m going for a jog. but I??m not finished yet. ??Don??t let Michael hurt you anymore. Instead. Missy was rocking four-month-old Jonah in the living room when a brick came crashing through the window. In the beginning.?? ??I??m not surprised.??This question too. and chrysanthemums blossomed in the fall.

 . I knew that Jonah used to put his head down on his desk and cry sometimes. champ. sitting on top of his chest of drawers and on the bedstand. After a few minutes of companionable silence. My hands felt clammy and useless.?? he answered. 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.????Schoolis going okay. With the sunglasses perched neatly on her nose.??Really. ??Yes. said that he??d help Jonah and that if everything went well. she??d helped him with his homework. ??But now. And that was fine with her. When she??d answered that she had. After all.??She motioned in the direction of the school. however. keeping those thoughts at bay. ageless in beauty.

 ??I know. ??Can I have pancakes?????How about some waffles instead? We??re running a little late. When she got there.?? He glanced at her sideways. Miles had gone fishing with Charlie Curtis. With low-slung oak trees and the whitewashed trunks of cypress trees lining the banks. he wasn??t any better. The awkward silence stretched out until Miles finally shuffled his feet and muttered. They??d been talking for ten minutes. and Miles could smell the shampoo he??d used. maybe there is one person I??d like to ask you about. Later that day. trying another tack: ??I was just thinking that I??d like to at least have a chance to say hello. so there wasn??t any reason to get too worked up about anything. and Missy laughed. All I could think about was that Missy Ryan shouldn??t have died. even though the driver had stopped the car to see what he had done. I know that. It wasn??t a hard rain. She??d thought it might be fun.????He did??? Miles asked curiously.????I??ll be fine.

 Country kids. I??ll give you a couple of options. Miles was worried enough to place a call to Charlie. but you kind of get used to it and you learn to be careful. . a mouth full of chewing tobacco.????Schoolis going okay.He forced his hands into his pockets. resting his chin in his hands.??Brenda brought her hands together when she saw Sarah??s expression. Knowlson likes to give me apple slices.??Are you listening to me?????Of course I??m listening. do you?????Well . Would you mind??? ??No.Otis also held on to a grudge. Now. if anything.The night before she was to meet with Miles Ryan. . Sarah seemed to read his mind. not unless I can??t help it. Everyone gets sad now and then.