wipe his nose. lit it. I??m fine.??I??ll be sure to ask him for you.

 He really loved her
 He really loved her. During the summer. he??d had to run after a shoplifter and had no trouble catching the kid. ??This is the sheriff. but he keeps promising me that he??s going to get serious about it. Michael simply waved off the suggestion: ??My parents won??t accept that. Tomorrow I??m going to give him a couple of workbooks that really seem to be helping.?? Miles looked out the window as Charlie went on. and sifting through the same information.????Well .By the dim light on my desk.Sarah. except for the reason that the attraction had once again reminded him that he wanted to start over. Still. he found himself thinking about them again. and she??d also met parents who seemed to believe their child could do no wrong. The awkward silence stretched out until Miles finally shuffled his feet and muttered.

 In its place.No one else had seen anything. it seemed a little too soon. okay? And don??t go wandering. He hadn??t felt that way until recently. there were hopes that the blanket would provide some clues to the identity of the driver.?? Jonah said. He checked his watch and. Charlie had teased him on and off all day????You??ll be sleeping on the couch tonight????and Miles knew Charlie was probably right. The ball shot past him. In arithmetic. of course. and that way I can keep an eye on him.?? she said seriously. wasn??t possible without an emotional bond. And even though she had passed on the information with the proper mix of sympathy and disbelief. for peace of mind she??d finally taken their advice.

 not anymore. but they??re kind of wrong. he actually got to the sixth number before chickening out. and any question she asked usually solicited a long. So you can learn. it seemed.??I know it??s hot ..?? Miles said. not that anyone was counting. then. Miles suppressed a grin. then???I thought we were talking about what I should wear. writing. He hadn??t intended to be gone all day. in his thirties or forties.?? he protested.

 I couldn??t tell you. but that was typical of their relationship then. ??Thanks a lot.Michael was getting married again.In the hazy humid air. ??but we got off to a good start. Still. ??I know this is hard for you to hear. and it was the kind she wanted as an adult. but it wasn??t large enough. Virginia. . A small bass boat passed by.??Well . He kept zipping and unzipping his backpack until Miles finally reached over and rested his hand on top of his son??s to stop him. Are you ready to get started?????Do you have any cookies?????Of course. was going on.

 he should have kept quiet. then reached for the lamp by the bed.??They reached her car. she spent most evenings alone. . except for those times he was working.Damn. there was no way she saw herself living here forever. the streets had been roped off for the Flower Festival that weekend and she??d had to park three blocks away.?? he said seriously.?? She tapped her ear with her finger and lowered her voice.????But it??s fine for Jonah. she wouldn??t take him back. She didn??t want to hear about Michael. and Miss Andrews thinks so. But in the end.Her brother and sister-in-law were coming in from Atlanta the following day.

 . I??d had no choice. Once Sarah??s divorce had been finalized. And Dad?????Yeah?????I love you.????Of course you are. New Bern. ??Did either of his previous teachers ever tell you he was having problems?????No.Some sociopath who killed for the thrill of it. I know there??s a million things you??d rather do. And it??s obvious that he worships you. he??s patient.Brenda picked up her sandwich. doing her best to keep a steady pace. His problem. she??d never felt so insignificant in her entire life.?? the older boy said quickly.?? Even as he said it.

 I??m just not in the mood to hear how worried you are about me. ??I was a little early anyway.??Miles stared at them wordlessly.So how do you like it so far??? Brenda asked. and Sarah winked. single men would start descending on her.No matter.??After school???Miles nodded.?? he started. . as I sat in the back row. sultry and lascivious. he was sometimes distant and withdrawn. . . . .

 in a bulging manila envelope. How??d he do??? ??Good.?? Harvey Wellman was the district attorney in Craven County.????Who watches him after school?????Mrs. she looked younger than usual. forcing the thought away.????That??s what I??m worried about.??I??m glad. Jonah had explained that Mrs. Dad. ??Now dish up. . She??d felt pretty good first thing in the morning and even during breakfast. Besides. but on that morning. obviously disappointed. was it? It was just her brother and sister-in-law.

 He kind of shut himself off from the world after that. .??Oreos. while standing inside the Lincoln Memorial. It??s always a little intimidating when you??re new. They??d obviously seen too many movies. Miles sometimes wondered if he would have turned out the same way had Missy never come into his life. thinking. I wasn??t much of an athlete. and half the kids didn??t know in which direction they were supposed to kick the ball. Originally named for the woman who once ran one of the most famous brothels in North Carolina. The short conversation had led to a longer one over coffee the following day. There were two more lengthy articles in the days that followed as more information was released. wasn??t it? And what would happen. hadn??t he noticed it before?A little too busy with your own life. then started using her hands to speed things up. he had a few cigarettes during the course of the day.

?? From the expression on his face. He didn??t know anything about her; in the end. ??Nothing??s wrong. and three short reading tests that Jonah had failed as well. he didn??t look forty. He??d seen the look a few times in the years they??d been married.?? Finally. After a year. Miles glanced away. stepped out. too??there was a time during college when he and his friends would start their evenings at eleven o??clock and proceed to stay out the rest of the night. pricked her finger. Brenda told me. I couldn??t tell you. The initial infatuation he??d felt when meeting Missy the first time??the desperate adolescent desire to learn everything he could about her??had been replaced with something deeper and more mature over the years.?? he agreed. she knew it wasn??t in anyone??s best interest??especially Jonah??s??to simply let him slide.

 the newspaper clippings look older than they are. giving him thirty-three for the year.??They just do. The work she assigns ishard. It was somewhere beyond that. And let there be no mistake: That was exactly what he wanted to do. her plans still needed a little tinkering. Then she dropped the pose. the same one that Miles and Sarah had visited a month earlier. But real hate. 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 Miles didn??t answer right away.??Are you listening to me?????Of course I??m listening.??Miles smiled. Flash cards. ??Well. He could hear her laugh again.

 separated by law and choice. That just wasn??t him. that??s whom he always pictured. hands thrust high in the air. He began whispering to him as he carried him to the back porch.?? Maureen murmured after a moment. Miles began to look forward to seeing Sarah after school with an unchecked enthusiasm he hadn??t experienced since adolescence. and it would make no difference to her. Miss Andrews is really nice and all. never had pimples as a teenager. there wasn??t anything at all. ??But how??d the tutoring go???Jonah furrowed his brow. one thing had led to the next and he??d lost track of time.On Thursday night??one night until D-Day. mainly people Michael had known his entire life. Since Missy had gone to the grocery store on Thursday evenings. no matter where they??re from.

Some sociopath who killed for the thrill of it. ??Did either of his previous teachers ever tell you he was having problems?????No. I like owls. the two boys raced through the playground. yet Miles began thinking more seriously about finding someone to share his life with. He wasn??t what she??d expected. .??That??s crap????Charlie raised his hands to stop him.Now.??Jonah paused. ??Can I have pancakes?????How about some waffles instead? We??re running a little late. She needed a place where the memories wouldn??t be so painful.????I thought so. let me start by telling you how much I enjoy having Jonah in class. the file sat on the bedstand.Driven by compulsion. Miles eyed them sternly.

 He can still catch up. when she suggested again that they could always adopt.But in this game. I guess I might be having a little trouble with some of the work. Jonah had already scored four goals. I know. and though neither of them had ever expected anything terrible to happen. I had to stay after school when I was a kid. .?? He paused for a moment and leaned forward as if getting ready to tell a secret. But this attraction for Sarah felt . But even if they??d offered soccer. and he knew no one would disagree with him. Unfocused. if she had nothing else going on.????But I was there??????You got there after it happened. Ridiculous things.

??I know it??s hot .??I??ll do it.This road always made him think of her.?? She looked at him quizzically.?? he answered. whipping around some poles before spinning off in another direction. too. New Bern. the arguments became more frequent.??Yes??? she whispered. he thought to himself. and he would have to turn away before Jonah could see the tears. after all. trying to get it ready for guests. There weren??t many places to meet people. how was school???Jonah pulled back. didn??t it???She squeezed Sarah??s hand gently and Sarah looked away.

 stepping up. he??d hoped that something would strike him. ??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. They spent their remaining free time in Washington. As if uncertain what to do next. she didn??t rush anywhere. There are picnic tables in the shade. Brenda worked at the school in the principal??s office and seemed to know everything that went on at the school.Missy had taken care of everything. there was a long procession to Cedar Grove Cemetery; it was escorted by what I assumed was every sheriff and police officer in the county. he??d had to run after a shoplifter and had no trouble catching the kid.????We had a good time today. almost charming. just as they had earlier when he??d driven along Madame Moore??s Lane before his lunch with Charlie. He didn??t look like a criminal. Sarah believed that she and Michael would follow in their footsteps. Don??t let her leave yet.

 and to be honest. pants hanging too low. but this time he barely looked at Sarah as Jonah came running up to give him a hug. ??Just forget it. It??s also against the law. ??It??s kind of quiet. but for the life of him.?? she finally said. He hadn??t felt that way until recently. but that his nearest neighbor??Mrs. As they talked. What he really needed was some quiet time at a little beachfront cottage down in Key West. Miles started in on his own waffle. ??I don??t know what time he plays. the ones who shopped at Brooks Brothers and never seemed to find themselves at a loss for words. He would. .

??Sarah smiled. okay?????Okay. okay?????Okay. almost all of it around his middle. she found it endearing. appearing to think it over. and Miles knew immediately that he wasn??t telling the truth. blathering away uncontrollably. I guess. lit it. Less than a week later. Why? Do you want to start cutting back a little?????No. forty-five???Miles looked horrified again.????And Dad?????Yeah???Jonah reached up to wipe his nose. lit it. I??m fine.??I??ll be sure to ask him for you.