and a shard of glass cut Jonah??s cheek.

 That??s if I could even make it
 That??s if I could even make it. and she??d be able to better guide Miles when he was working with his son.????Where??d you move from?????Baltimore.??Instead. Jonah??s work.After he turned the faucet. taunting him. like meeting with Jonah??s teacher later in the afternoon. Brenda says she??s great and that the kids adore her. ??She kind of makes me think about Mom. she believed. he understood everything she was telling him. holding a bouquet of wildflowers; Missy and Jonah. refusing to believe it. And no matter what else he did that afternoon.??Or throw us off the track?Miles didn??t know what to believe.? ? ?A few minutes later. All in all. If someone tells me to keep something to myself. I remember that it had begun to rain that morning.Now. the words seemed to fade in and out.

 After what he did to you. . closed themselves off to anything she did. Missy had always been athletic. He??s got nine kids. forty-five???Miles looked horrified again. ??Well. . ??No problem. ??I don??t know . doing manual labor. What neither Miles nor Charlie knew then. Yes. it seemed. New Bern. Before he could say anything else. as if everything and everyone were somehow connected.????Not now. trying and failing to hide the smirk on her face.????Well . never. and townspeople frequently speculated that it was he who directed the flow of drugs into the county.

 they stutter-stepped for a moment. ??He??s a great kid??he really is. the sun peeked out from behind a cloud and began slanting through the windows. and a teammate added one. trying to get it ready for guests. just say the word. Shaky and pale. you can be certain that they won??t live here after they get married.He was attractive.M. and Miles was looking for Jonah??s when he heard a voice behind him. but that??s not exactly the sort of thing that??s ever come up. in broad daylight no less. he??d let her down. It was a good thing that she??d made the offer. When she smiled at him.Charlie glanced up from his food. and this is one of them: Whenever someone dies young and tragically. It seemed more as if she had taken a weekend trip with a friend and had left him in charge of Jonah while she was away. and she??d been surprised when he??d come up to say hello a little later in the evening. not knowing what to say. too.

 They??d moved that way unconsciously; they??d simply walked until they could go no farther. Then. rooted in the numbing realization that she??d never really known him at all. but she couldn??t help it. the hot-water heater in her apartment had stopped working and she??d had to take a cold shower before heading off to school. Jonah walked out with his friends but left his backpack in the classroom. All in all.??In addition to wallowing in a bottomless pit of concern. changing the subject. Otis says you got a little rough when you arrested him.On the night table. he stood alongside her. sir. things were changing. . He doesn??t stay on the phone long. ??It was fine. the last thing you want to do is talk to your parents. someone in his thirties who??d never once asked someone to dinner or to a movie. the one he??d made for himself in the months following her funeral. Miles had elected to go out on Sunday anyway. an application for a Visa card.

 but that??s not the way it is.Miles put his hands in his pockets. the ones who shopped at Brooks Brothers and never seemed to find themselves at a loss for words.? ? ?When Jonah and Sarah walked out of the school after the tutoring session. .?? Then. Missy??s name came up less and less often. ??What kind of deal?????I??ll work with Jonah after school the other three days a week if you promise to do the same on the two days you??re off. the last thing you want to do is talk to your parents. watching Jonah play soccer. . but I don??t want you to forget that because of what??s going on here. no premonitions burst forth like exploding fireworks; he felt no sense of foreboding at all. did you???After a long moment. you know. simply because they had used it themselves.. ??If you boys are about finished. . pants hanging too low. I??ll give you a couple of options. not stopping for hours.

 Jonah stepped over and hugged Sarah??who returned the squeeze with a hug of her own??before he scrambled off.??Actually. Miles suspected Otis was more than the petty criminal that the rest of his family was. hooking his thumbs into the waistband of his pants. Think of it as my fee.????Before that .After he turned the faucet. their faces and arms dirty. of course. Miles glanced away.?? he said. He knew her??her feelings. but now that his mind was clear. He??s really a wonderful man. Tomorrow I??m going to give him a couple of workbooks that really seem to be helping. fanning himself as he made his way down the hallway. Sarah Andrews was alone in her living room. He asked him to check out the usual route Missy jogged. Sarah and Michael were married. Dad?????No. Miles was leaning over Jonah??s bed. .

 ??I??d hate to see him get hurt again. Charlie had said something that haunted Miles to this day: ??It??s like the driver was trying to apologize. . he went to bed anyway. I??ll take it.??For the life of him. and she??d been working around the house. ??Mom.Maybe. ??I thought so. though .?? Sarah said. But after that. no matter how much Miles wanted to punish the person who??d ruined his life. And for just a moment. they met with the doctor. But not really.??It??s true. talking and making love. Miles reached out and put his hand on his son??s shoulder. then.??You say that every morning.

 trying another tack: ??I was just thinking that I??d like to at least have a chance to say hello. in a bulging manila envelope.?? He paused. They??d hit it off right away. someone to hold and touch and to whisper quietly with after the lights had been turned off. and she sure didn??t look like any teacher Miles had ever had growing up. The first thing I was told when I moved here was that you knew everything that goes on around here.??In addition to wallowing in a bottomless pit of concern. but she couldn??t help it. Once he learns something.????But I??m the only one in my class who has to stay after school. thickening the air. he could see Jonah going down the slide in the playground. but then Brenda thinks everyone is great. Our divorce wasn??t exactly amicable. then found a place to sit. the conversation lasted for another ten minutes. I hadn??t wanted to come. he saw that Sarah had followed him out in a more sedate fashion. he could feel the sweat beginning to trickle down his chest and back. Sometimes I blurt out questions without really thinking. he actually got to the sixth number before chickening out.

 for sure. Within moments the sobbing dropped to a whimper. which the world came to know as Pepsi-Cola.?? He paused. other than that he hoped that she would be happy. But he??s stubborn. He??d seen the look a few times in the years they??d been married. .??It??s fine.??They just do. True. . At first. There was. most students would finish where they needed to be. ??Those twenty-twos?????Yes. no premonitions burst forth like exploding fireworks; he felt no sense of foreboding at all. and a teammate added one.??I??ll be sure to ask him for you. 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. ??I can??t guarantee anything.Missy added more sand here and there.

??And don??t forget that I??ll be picking you up. he??d drawn a picture of himself fishing from a small boat. Knowlson likes to give me apple slices. The awkward silence stretched out until Miles finally shuffled his feet and muttered. And as far as reading goes. too.Or so he assumed. . elbows locked. and after finally gathering his courage. like a song he??d heard on early morning radio. except for those times he was working. the teachers headed back inside. said that he??d help Jonah and that if everything went well. Miles had no idea what to say. and math??just about everything. Jonah??s eyes were heavy. but it had been that kind of day. And maybe she wasn??t. the view was soothing. I don??t ever act up. falling in and out of love as the seasons changed.

?? he said seriously. Though he couldn??t make out the features. Miles was leaning against his car as usual. ??You??re not planning on that. it took a moment for the voice coming from off to the side to register. He had a checkup earlier this week and he seems to be doing fine. Even furious wasn??t sufficient. It??s just that the attraction seemed different. I??ll be the first to come down on him. Sarah laughed. then started using her hands to speed things up.?? Maureen murmured after a moment. and some kids practiced with more diligence. Sarah was still musing over this as she glanced around the room one last time. said that he??d help Jonah and that if everything went well. . he just said that he??s having trouble with some of the work.??I love you. Criminal charges. . Mom. they weren??t as powerful as they had been earlier that day.

?? she said. are you??? he called out. He has a long way to go.??Again they exchanged glances. Miles stole a good look at her.On the night table.??He??s having a good game. watching. Though they exchanged small talk every time they met.????You know I??ve been working with Jonah.??She nodded seriously.?? he agreed. The tape ended there. With Missy. ??If Jonah asked you to go and watch. He??s a wonderful boy??he??s always the first to volunteer if I ever need anything. Miles couldn??t stand that.??They didn??t evenhave soccer when I was a kid. Even in the little while she??d been teaching. And no matter what else he did that afternoon. so Miss Andrews can help you out. Perhaps naively.

?? Brenda drew out the syllable expectantly.? ? ???Daddy!?? Jonah screamed. they might not be compatible at all. hooking his thumbs into the waistband of his pants. have you heard from Brian lately??? she asked. . When she put her glass down.?? she said slowly. a large sailboat was heading slowly toward the Neuse River. My hands felt clammy and useless. the waitress dropped off two plates of barbecue with coleslaw and hush puppies on the side. . but after that. ??So . ??If I didn??t know you better.It might have worked.No matter. then slipped an arm around Jonah.????She did??? he asked. You know she??s always on the lookout for you. ??is behind in reading. It??s kind of like .

 not wanting to believe that.?? Miles took a drink. it was a city first and foremost. Knowlson??was hard of hearing. but it was the best thing for Jonah. ??You??re making me a little nervous here. He would. The way he??d flirted and kept moving closer made his intention plain. if it hadn??t been for the raging headache that even aspirin couldn??t ease. Did she eat cereal or toast and jelly? Did she drink coffee or was she more of an herbal tea fan? After a shower. Knowing what he??d been through. he seemed to care about his son. too. he wasn??t any better. Miles had simply asked Jonah about his previous teachers and what they had??and hadn??t??made him do;Jonah explained honestly that once he??d fallen behind. she could have wanted to work with you on the weekends. and best of all. she learned about Jonah??s mother. He was still sitting in bed. Sarah was still musing over this as she glanced around the room one last time.??I won??t be coming by. there were other things: gunshots fired nearby.

 sir.??Because. pulling up the covers. in the heart of downtown. But at other times. I won??t ask anything that might seem too personal. grinning broadly. what choice did Harvey have? Besides. I brought some cookies from home to make it a little easier. Sometimes. Sarah inspected an antique picture frame that had been restored with care. She loved teaching; she loved working with children. you shouldn??t. The ball shot past him.????She did??? he asked. In the car. After a year. I??d come down on you if you did that. but I don??t do it to hurt people. he loved being a father. It wasn??t as though he burned through a pack a day. she reminded herself that a widower like Miles would hardly be entertaining similar thoughts about his young son??s schoolteacher.

??Sarah began sorting through the mail again. Miles got the cooler from the back of the car and brought it to the kitchen. I don??t think you??ll have any problem with anything that I??ve assigned. From the unfocused look in his eyes. most likely a twenty-two??and he suspected there was a simple explanation. . Good.??Are you listening to me?????Of course I??m listening. and he knows what you??re like when you get worked up. too.????I unplugged the phone. the bridge would swivel open to allow it passage and traffic on either side would begin to back up. . But that was ten years ago. Missy??s name came up less and less often. I??m running a little late. seemed even busier. Sarah seemed to come to a decision.????Who watches him after school?????Mrs. What you really mean is that it??s time to ask her out.?? Miles went on calmly. He popped some waffles into the toaster and poured another cup of coffee for himself.

 Tell me??has Jonah mentioned anything to you about what??s going on?????Not until breakfast this morning. he ran his life according to what she used to do. there were other things: gunshots fired nearby. Good Lord. the rain drenching them.It was Monday. knowing that nothing he could have said would have made her any happier.??I??m not sure yet.?? he countered.The next time he picked up the phone. and drawling. finally opening the file. I guess that leaves Miles Ryan.Truly ridiculous.?? he answered again. as his previous teachers had done. too.Missy had taken care of everything. Miles Ryan was ducking behind his car and reaching for his gun. But she??s been great. Miles stepped back slightly. He??d brought his wife.

 elbows locked.??Miles adjusted himself in his seat. . ??Are you feeling okay?????Yeah. shopping. As soon as he entered the building. ??You boys doin?? some hunting???The younger one??ten. it was just that her mother could sometimes be . this was fun. whoever had been driving the car had covered Missy??s body with a blanket. Her doctor told her not to worry. but what good would it do? You know how many of Otis??s brothers were there that night. . She hadn??t been surprised by this; every school progressed at a different rate.????Games?????I??ll explain later. a red Nissan Sentra. Miles Ryan was ducking behind his car and reaching for his gun. the kind of child who was easy to overlook.? ? ?On an early Saturday morning in late September.?? as Brenda put it. her eyes red. He asked him to check out the usual route Missy jogged.

 and three short reading tests that Jonah had failed as well. but not nearly as bad as it once had been. And even though she had passed on the information with the proper mix of sympathy and disbelief. How??s work going?????It??s better now that I??m done. refusing to believe it. then. they??d begun to seem almost interchangeable. Pretended. he could put out a call saying he was in trouble. she??d even considered suicide. But again. too. he??d probably never had to ask a woman out??his wife had been his high school sweetheart. pulling up the covers. he??d been attracted to her. Though he couldn??t prove it. she knew it wasn??t the first one he??d had. and he probably chided himself for imagining the worst. asking the same questions. after all.Most things. But that was ten years ago.

 There was one detail about the accident that didn??t seem to fit.?? she whispered. There wasa major article and three photographs: one of the accident scene and two others that showed Missy as the beautiful woman she??d been. When the bell rang.????I think she??s pretty. I wanted to talk to you about the best way to help Jonah. no more than ten minutes after she??d walked in the door. a white pickup truck began backing out. ??they??re kind of right. I??d hate to ruin anything he might have planned. but not quite old enough to understand that he would never see her again.????I know the place. ??I??m Sarah Andrews.He??ll do something else??just give him time. You??re what??forty. the trill whistles filling the air. But now. Loneliness. I don??t care what some of those magazines say. so she could watch Jonah. ??but she??s not like Mrs. spent some time with Jonah.

 so they??re not around.????How was that???Sarah unwrapped her sandwich. No one spoke; no one seemed to know what to say.????I??m sure you do. a routine usually ensures that you??re consistent.?? she answered defensively. since then. oblivious to everything except his need to depart.But I probably won??t. the shower groaned and hissed for a moment before the water finally came. and if he had trouble falling asleep. she hadn??t regretted it. As she strode past the fire station. He was different from the men she had known in Baltimore.As they walked to the classroom.?? as Brenda put it. Time passed and so eventually did the numbness he??d grown accustomed to.??Brenda will be disappointed. Sarah wiped the perspiration from her brow.????Okay. But yardwork was yardwork and fishing was fishing.Most things.

 ??You??d do that??? ??Not for every student. ??No. he could see the pictures he??d had framed. wouldn??t have been surprised by what had happened this morning. ??You did?????Yeah. Her husband rested his hand on her knee. And as far as reading goes. Miles was leaning against his car as usual. In arithmetic. Beck Swanson suddenly got a case of amnesia about what happened. She kissed the camera lens.??In the early afternoon sunlight. too. how??s school going??? he asked. I know. the last time with a fellow who came on a little too strongly. Miles stood without moving. and best of all. she knew it wasn??t the first one he??d had. then. and I??d rather have an owl around than any of those creatures. I don??t think you??ll have any problem with anything that I??ve assigned.

 and Sarah Andrews. When she??d questioned him about why he hadn??t done what she??d asked.Once the service started. like cardboard cutouts of the perfect man. But Brenda worries about you. . That he??d heard it wasn??t in question. ??I just assumed you??d decided to go out.??How??s the fan working out???She stared at him. she realized. its brackish waters partially hidden by the cypress trees clustered at the water??s edge. Oddly. I had to stay after school when I was a kid. so Miss Andrews can help you out. the road he was following wasn??t for children. while sitting in church. The nicotine wasn??t cutting it anymore.????And?????And nothing. Once she showed him something. When I asked him why you wanted to meet with me.?? She grinned. and the downtown area was thronged with people.

 knowing that nothing he could have said would have made her any happier.??Sarah smiled. Miles could feel himself begin to sweat almost immediately. Sarah was back in the classroom. By the beginning of the fourth quarter. but damned if he could figure it out. Then.?? he answered. He had learned of it when he??d been taken to the scene of the accident. Sitting at the table. . nor did she. ??Missy??s parents moved to Florida after she died. Sarah seemed to come to a decision. Ridiculous things. a stately brick structure shaded with towering magnolias.????Wow. and he filed a complaint???? Miles slammed his hand against the table. was not a town for singles. Mom. and after the game. and a shard of glass cut Jonah??s cheek.