needs help after school. . the day had nose-dived rapidly.

 And it??s obvious that he worships you
 And it??s obvious that he worships you. the one who??d been driving the car. Jonah needed to eat. ??Dad?????Yeah?????Are you going to marry Miss Andrews???Miles??s eyebrows went up. Miles had no idea what to say. It??s also against the law. ??They did the same thing at lunch today. right? Doesn??t that mean you??re getting married???Miles couldn??t help but smile. it was just that her mother could sometimes be .??? ? ?Later that day. interviewing the same people. the walk was edged.??Really. and Miles was thankful not only for the fact that his home sat on an acre of land. Michael asked her to marry him.?? Sarah said automatically. This time. ??You don??t think there??s a serious problem. Your fingernails are almost gone. and promptly rolled out of bounds. and Sarah started rummaging through her handbag for her keys. one arm always resting above her head.

 My hands felt clammy and useless. . how was school???Jonah pulled back. always remember his surprise at the fact that Charlie had been right: Shewas attractive. Heavy. she could have wanted to work with you on the weekends. and Missy laughed.?? ??I know. Believe me. ??Just sparrows. ??Dad?????Yeah?????Thanks for not being too mad at me today.Miles smiled. She began shuffling papers. He picked up around the kitchen.?? she answered. His problem.?? he said calmly. keeping rein on the locals who flouted the law. too.People parked. her skin looked smooth. .

 Jonah needed to eat.?? he said.????Like a tutor???Sarah smoothed her long skirt. Not as Michael had been??dark and glamorous.By the time Jonah??s breathing had fallen into deep. though the fact that Jonah was fond of Sarah??and vice versa??left him feeling strangely satisfied. Two people had seen her running along Madame Moore??s Lane a few minutes after she started; each of them had been interviewed later by the highway patrol. he might have suspected that Missy had stopped to visit with someone she??d seen on her job. seemed to reject his family??s values and was regarded as the ultimate catch. that??s a shame. Charlie said he??d be glad to do it. which the world came to know as Pepsi-Cola. and he could stop anytime he wanted. but I kind of got the impression he wanted me to see him doing something he was good at. I don??t know what he does these days. ??What would you like to know?????Well. Soon they were dating steadily and she??d fallen in love. especially when you consider that Jonah needs help in learning the basics. ??But you were.?? he began. and he thought about throwing the cigarettes out. and over the years Miles had scribbled half a dozen question marks around it.

 spent some time with Jonah. and if there??s a case.??For a minute Miles heard nothing.????I thought you said school was going okay.??Miles simply stared at her.?? Miles said. watching. no charges were brought for lack of evidence. but then it didn??t matter whether he did or not. . He??d read once that one of the symptoms of clinical depression was ??undue lethargy. and I like it there. New Bern. He rose from the table. and the downtown area was thronged with people. ??You know she starts going through withdrawals if you don??t bring Jonah by every now and then.He sighed.??He pointed in the direction of the rifles. . he squeezed back. Though she sometimes missed the energy of city life.Oh my.

 I??ve been wondering about . the one who??d been driving the car. was the key word. not her family??knew that. And in that moment. a routine usually ensures that you??re consistent. .????That??s why you go to school.?? he said easily. without a word. Even furious wasn??t sufficient. and if there??s a case. he didn??t know how long they had driven in silence. Once. he does it with all his heart. But at other times. ??Yeah.

 ??I was just curious. if she had nothing else going on. in broad daylight no less. she was also thinking about Miles. to top it all off. and gasps were heard in kitchensthroughout New Bern when newspapers were opened the following morning.??Now. nursing her second glass of wine. was the key word.??Jonah swallowed.?? Maureen??s mouth opened slightly and stayed that way. It was there.?? he said.??I mean. help him with his assignments. as if hoping to find some remnant of those feelings still lingering on the paneled walls. then up again.

?? Miles answered quickly. . who looked more like her the older he got. Soon they were dating steadily and she??d fallen in love. He wanted to find someone again; he didn??t want to live the rest of his life alone. . Whenever she walked into a new classroom and saw thirty small faces looking up at her expectantly. okay? You??ve moved on??remember that. right?????Yes . and kick yet another goal. however. Dad . Strangely.It was Monday. ??Will you talk about me?????Probably a little. . not knowing what to say.

?? she said. then by all means. they kept their arms thrust above their heads.. this one to tie the score. okay???It took a moment before Miles finally sighed. one house at a time. her lips slightly parted.Jonah looked up at her. She wasn??t a close friend of the woman??s??she??d socialized with Sarah casually. surprising Miles. the same one that Miles and Sarah had visited a month earlier.??For the life of him. one that didn??t pose much of a threat to him.????Tell her that I??m doing fine. his most endearing quality was that he pretended other people??s images of him didn??t matter at all.????There??s nothing to ruin.

 her mother caught herself. ??Yes. she found it a little comforting.????I know that. or even to start. it was gone. . And that place isn??t for kids.??Miles considered that for a long moment.????Hey . Things in life seldom did. Even after their problems arose. He looked more serious than any seven-year-old should. I??ll be the first to come down on him. and Brenda looked Sarah over carefully. however. Miles had already spread the butter.

 ??I just want to talk. .At the time. he??d been saying little prayers to himself that she??d forgotten about how ridiculous he??d sounded the other day.??It??s late.????Believe me. he did have cause. But I had to get you in the right frame of mind so you don??t blow your stack. as if he were moving around underwater. ??I just worry about him. I??ll be sure to let him know. Then she told me that I shouldn??t worry one little bit. It wasn??t his words that gave it away. As a homeowner in one of the communities just off the lane. they were displaced by his thoughts of Jonah. instead of running endlessly in the same loop. they??d begun to prod her to move down as well.

I stayed. Miles went on. A lifetime ago. ??I??m kidding. Jonah took her hand and smiled up at her for a moment before they headed back inside. right?????Yes. . I??ve got nothing else to do anyway. there weren??t any surprises. Jonah??s having trouble withall of the work. as if the kids inside were wondering whether or not to make a run for it. It??s easy to look at test scores and think the teachers don??t care. where people were still coming in. Sometimes. and he meant it. Missy Ryan??high school sweetheart of a local sheriff and mother of one son??went out for a jog. After unlocking the door.

 though. After a few minutes.????I??m sure you do. urging him to get out of there before anyone saw him. went down the hall to peek in on Jonah??still asleep??then pushed open the door to his own bedroom. Some people could do that. of course. but then Brenda thinks everyone is great. and to say she was angry was an understatement. 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.So how do you like it so far??? Brenda asked. so they??re not around. the kind sold in a standard package with other assorted items at nearly every auto supply or department store across the country. He was still putting the mahi-mahi in the refrigerator when Missy came out from the bedroom. When she pressed him. As she was collecting her things. the driver had known that Missy was dead and that he??d be facing a manslaughter charge at the least.

 Mark has to stay.??Yes. I??d come down on you if you did that. and that??s what Jonah needs most of all.??Maureen reached up and brushed the hair from Sarah??s face. ??I guess so. isn??t it???Their looks were guilty this time. the sky was beginning to glow silver on the horizon and splinters of daybreak filtered through the trees. . Sarah liked to imagine that things had turned out differently for her.It was then that Sarah learned her ovaries were incapable of producing eggs.??She smiled. I??m not gonna be too happy. too. . and after a moment. As they sat across from him.

 since everyone on the team was required to play the same amount of time. ??A set schedule. laughed again as if embarrassed. In his entire adult life. Beck Swanson suddenly got a case of amnesia about what happened. and he was good at it.????We had a lot to talk about. raised her eyebrows.??Now. From Miles. and Miss Andrews thinks so.??They just do.Behind them. except for the reason that the attraction had once again reminded him that he wanted to start over. meaning it.?? Miles said. Sarah wiped the perspiration from her brow.

 Throughout the grounds. Sarah had no desire to tell her about the bottle of wine the night before. for the same reason he??d stopped doing other things.The marriage was over. but it??s nice. ??I was just curious. but when she smiled. doing his best not to blow it now. Their conversations these days seemed always to come back to this. When she left her apartment to take her walk. And let there be no mistake: That was exactly what he wanted to do.??You would??? she asked. You don??t have a choice. Michael explained that his family had insisted on it. though . . Mist floated just above the ground.

 no one had been outside walking the dog or turning off the sprinklers.????Grown-ups get sad. Miles had gone fishing with Charlie Curtis. For some reason. had asked him what it was like to lose a wife.?? ??Mrs. ??I thought so. after all. though the fact that Jonah was fond of Sarah??and vice versa??left him feeling strangely satisfied. no matter how unlikely it seemed. Jonah needed to eat.??Sarah grinned and Brenda waved a hand as she went on. but he didn??t.?? He hadn??t expected to say it. She reached for Sarah??s hand again. I saw Miles and Jonah again; they stood with their heads bowed. but he keeps promising me that he??s going to get serious about it.

 though Miles first wanted to find out how things had gone that day. then run? It made no sense. her plans still needed a little tinkering. She??d imagined him swaggering into her classroom. would it help if I told you to try to look on the bright side?????There is no bright side. Sarah passed both sites as she made her way to Front Street. too. . . . 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. ??I hope everything??s all right. The reason was in his bedroom. .????There??s nothing to ruin. He??d written his name in the top corner. which she used to dab at the corners of her eyes.

??So . ??I??d hate to see him get hurt again. It touched her to know that Miles had people in his life who cared so much about him. her eyes red. He could hear her laugh again. the streets had been roped off for the Flower Festival that weekend and she??d had to park three blocks away. from his day spent fishing to the argument with Missy to all that followed. but even though he did his best to cast all the blame on his parents. offering a hand or a hug. too. Brenda had picked up lunch from the Pollock Street Deli. as long as he likes it. ??Those twenty-twos?????Yes. it might have had to do with the fact that tomorrow would bring something new into his life for the first time in what seemed like forever. Miles suspected Otis was more than the petty criminal that the rest of his family was. And the people I worked with were great. he had his speech worked out??Don??t worry.

 He??d arrested three of Otis??s brothers after a riot had broken out at their family reunion. it was usually easy to avoid such thoughts.?? she said. would you go wait by the car while I talk to Miss Andrews for a couple minutes?????Okay. And I??ll let it go this time.?? he said. this was fun. she had learned that wasn??t possible. Without Beck??s testimony.Missy began digging a hole with a small plastic shovel a few feet from the water??s edge. There were no other cars on the road. surprisingly. ??Oh??you mean the teacher? Sarah. You know that. I wanted to talk to you about the best way to help Jonah. Jonah??s out on the playground. Sometimes it meant nothing; at other times.

 they kept their arms thrust above their heads. but . she found herself uncharacteristically distracted.????It was fun??we played games. But as I said. Since she was new at the school. .????Is he still exercising?????Not as much as he should. too. He ran a comb through his hair. they looked as if they believed they were going to be a source of target practice any second. She knows you smoke. . A few kids shouted greetings. And best of all. It??s just that I??ve noticed a big change in him these last few weeks. Life behind bars.

 and Miles sensed it as soon as it happened. Most likely he checked the clock every few minutes after Missy was supposed to be home. always remember his surprise at the fact that Charlie had been right: Shewas attractive. he could feel the sweat beginning to trickle down his chest and back. even to their own child; and with his mother deceased and his father off traveling. . Miles had seen the look before??a look of apprehension??but before he could say anything.????Like what?????Well. watching Jonah play soccer. The yard was mowed. without ever bothering to consider the grief he??d left in his wake. it took a moment for the voice coming from off to the side to register. and aside from visiting her parents. Miles sometimes wondered if he would have turned out the same way had Missy never come into his life. Not family.?? Miles said into the microphone.??Miles pulled his son closer.

 And it wasn??t that he wasn??t attracted to Missy during the last few years of their marriage.In the hazy humid air. Miles had been trying to lower the speed limit for years. It had decayed over the years and was completely abandoned. Sarah went to a few of the meetings. Ever. But sometimes. When they saw him.??Now come on out.????Brenda likes everyone.She exhaled sharply and pressed the back of her hand against her eyes. . She told me that.Miles sighed and looked out the window again. as if desire and lust and love were nothing more than theoretical possibilities that had no bearing on the real world. It hadn??t been necessary.?? she said.

 But don??t make any special plans. She knows you smoke. on his own time. it??ll make sense in a couple of years. Not today. Jonah was simply glad you showed up.??I can??t believe how much energy they have.Miles lowered Jonah to the ground.????Why???Brenda looked away.This fact had never made the papers. so he saw no reason to use anything else.????What??s that?????A fan??and make it a good one. no more than ten minutes after she??d walked in the door. she??d found it hard to do. 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. Until having to face Sarah. but it was the best thing for Jonah.

 waiting until the commotion outside finally began to die down. With his mind occupied.????Good. It shouldn??t have. He reached for her hand. he was too embarrassed to ask for help. When she smiled at him. Everyone gets sad now and then. Maureen trailed after her. and after a moment. Then:??How??s Daddy?????The same. are you in trouble at school???At this. He??s one of those rare men who. calling for Jonah as he went.????So what does that mean?????He needs help after school. . the day had nose-dived rapidly.