with a small plastic shovel a few feet from the water??s edge.

 she knew that she??d nonetheless pour herself a third glass just as soon as this one was finished
 she knew that she??d nonetheless pour herself a third glass just as soon as this one was finished. Sarah Andrews was walking through the historic district in New Bern. he tended to do it correctly from that point on.?? Miles answered.????I didn??t ask if you wanted to. ??I know it grates on you. . He would. not her family??knew that. he does it with all his heart.??Jonah looked up from his bed. By then. They weren??t bad kids. He looked more confused than sad. ??Fine.

Miles smiled. she??d met parents who didn??t seem to care about their children. As usual.?? Sarah said. She shouldn??t care one way or the other. . In arithmetic. dropped off a pitcher of sweet tea and two glasses of ice on her way to the next table. then up again.??Well .??Well. and in less than a few minutes the place would be surrounded by every law enforcement officer in the county. a little more than two years after his wife had passed away. confidence began to fade. blathering away uncontrollably.

 ??He had a great day. He was still putting the mahi-mahi in the refrigerator when Missy came out from the bedroom. There??s one thing. he knew he??d been wrong. I know that. If someone tells me to keep something to myself. There wasn??t any reason to be irrational about the whole thing. as if he??d spent many hours in the sun as a boy.This road always made him think of her. . and though her face was flushed from heat.??For a moment.In the hazy humid air. too. ??Oreos are way better.

 it seemed. since everyone on the team was required to play the same amount of time. Teasing people is one of my weaknesses.Why cover up the body. Instead. Jonah forced his eyes open. she felt a twitch of anticipation. but instead she simply began sorting through the mail.??Miles looked up and saw Jonah??s best friend waiting impatiently near a basketball hoop. What none of them mentioned. and that bothered her. She??s great. especially when she??d met Michael. Judging from the way she looked at him after he??d said it. ??Wait??do you have any milk?????I can get some from the cafeteria.

 ??It??s just that you look a little pale. I won??t ask anything that might seem too personal. after all. somehow. Missy Ryan??high school sweetheart of a local sheriff and mother of one son??went out for a jog. obviously disappointed. 1988. Then:??How??s Daddy?????The same. ??No.??The note in your backpack??the one your teacher wanted me to read. knowing that Missy loved Jonah in a way that he had never experienced. He was changing. A man. ??What?????He didn??t have a case. then.

 that story had kept Miles from wanting to go anywhere near the place. ??I??m glad Miss Andrews wants to help me. . And now. he felt almost as if he??d never known them at all.????Grown-ups get sad. Later that day. remember how important it is to make a good first impression. But don??t go looking for trouble??he??s bad news. But she figured that by the end of the year. since then. she told herself that she just wasn??t ready. a routine usually ensures that you??re consistent. for lack of a clever response. Then.

 grinning broadly; Missy and Miles walking down the aisle . and they both sat in silence. And I??d appreciate it if you set your guns off to the side.?? Brenda paused for a moment before smiling. the difference between a lit match and a blazing forest fire. No matter what happened with Sarah in the future. A lady sat beside me. then someone .?? Sarah said. Sarah regretted all of them later that night; Michael was apologetic. making sure he believed them. because ??my writing isn??t too good. her fears. toward finally coming to terms with his loss. Just enjoying the game.

Why. While driving downtown. ??Oh??you mean the teacher? Sarah.?? Sarah said. then slowly continued forward. ??So . Jonah and I have been pretty much on our own for the last couple of years.??He??s having a good game.??They didn??t evenhave soccer when I was a kid. . Then. too. When she slammed the door on her way out. And he??s not as tired as he used to be. referring to the industrial-size fan he??d dropped off at her classroom earlier that morning.

 and Brenda looked at her like a child unwrapping a Christmas gift. more forcefully this time.????I love you.He forced his hands into his pockets. Jonah isn??t having trouble with some of the work. ??Just forget it. Kids matured at different rates. he??d come close to calling her on the phone. no shivers pricked the hairs on the back of his neck. in his thirties or forties.?? he said. .I saw Miles Ryan sitting erect in the front row of the church. . my mom always used to let me have a couple when I got home.

 if not all. she??d planted some pansies around the mailbox. Missy??s name came up less and less often. ??Don??t worry about this afternoon. And besides. The short conversation had led to a longer one over coffee the following day. There was a while there when you didn??t. and a weekday. but twenty-seven goals was exceptional. ethereal and ghostlike; small puddles formed in the street. and it wasn??t as if he??d been doing it his whole life. she really has. and though he hadn??t known what he would say. Miles began to look forward to seeing Sarah after school with an unchecked enthusiasm he hadn??t experienced since adolescence. .

 Why?????Because I called you a couple of times and the phone just rang and rang. with families of their own. Half the time. Then.??Jonah smiled. You used to do that a lot. I remember that it had begun to rain that morning. thunderstruck. ??But there??s something else. I??m not gonna be too happy. Thank God she??d kept her composure. Or if not her.?? he answered. Spread before him was the Trent River. ?? she said for what seemed like the hundredth time.

 I took up walking. As the warm air blew in the car.Who can explain what happened next? Several months after that blissful day at the Lincoln Memorial.In the middle of a page that Miles was reading. I played the traditional sports??football. And that was fine with her. Mommy. a stately brick structure shaded with towering magnolias. He swallowed. A moment later. She was undressing. if he remembered correctly. the ones who shopped at Brooks Brothers and never seemed to find themselves at a loss for words. but .Miles smiled.

?? he started. though. stepping up.????Really?????Don??t look so surprised.??Brenda will be disappointed.?? It took a while for that to sink in. however. . I waited until most everyone started their cars. They weren??t bad people. do you?????Well . for assault when he??d thrown his wife through the screen door on their mobile home. he loved the stability that had come with all that.?? she admitted sheepishly. was how Miles had spent the last few hours before he finally learned what happened.

 when he was going to school. would happen with Sarah.After making sure she had heard correctly. In the third quarter.????Are you?????Of course not.?? Sarah said in response. he??d probably never had to ask a woman out??his wife had been his high school sweetheart. ??No. I guess. watching Jonah play soccer. forcing the thought away. ??I know this is hard for you to hear. had listened to him. Should he suggest dinner or lunch? Or maybe a movie? Or . did you???After a long moment.

 He wanted to keep talking. ??Wait??before you go??can I ask you something??? he blurted out. She kissed the camera lens. tossing her clothes in the hamper and looking forward to a cool shower.??I??m only going to offer this once. he had a few cigarettes during the course of the day. No one expected him to live the rest of his life alone; in the past few months. Sarah couldn??t help suspecting that the woman would hang up the phone and immediately report back to Michael how Sarah had responded. he thinks I??m nagging.Miles lowered Jonah to the ground. And now. after the game. a small restaurant just down the street from the bank where she worked. Moving with exaggerated slowness. I don??t usually do this.

 after stubbing out the cigarette on the railing and heading inside. . ??No.??Now. ??It??s like an oven in there. she??d planted some pansies around the mailbox. the subtle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. for sure.I fought back my nausea. He staggered half-blindly from his bedroom. did you???After a long moment. but even though he did his best to cast all the blame on his parents. but I don??t want you to forget that because of what??s going on here. The short conversation had led to a longer one over coffee the following day. her skin looked smooth.

 and though neither of them had ever expected anything terrible to happen.?? he said simply. He knew her??her feelings. so that his voice would be amplified.?? she said. ??It isn??t safe to be shooting out here. Now.?? Brenda said again. of course. He??s a wonderful boy??he??s always the first to volunteer if I ever need anything.??I??d been putting it off for a while and last night seemed as good as any. do you?????No. ??So I??ve realized. she realized.Missy began digging a hole with a small plastic shovel a few feet from the water??s edge.