he??d had.He kept it to remind him of his failure.?? Sarah marveled.

 Thank God no one was around to hear it! Except for Sarah
 Thank God no one was around to hear it! Except for Sarah. and a shard of glass cut Jonah??s cheek. ??You could make it.??Well. Sometime during the night before. I??m sure that Miles knew exactly what Charlie was trying to tell him. that??s okay.??He pointed in the direction of the rifles. Jonah looked toward Miles with wide eyes that were nearly brimming with tears. now. she learned about Jonah??s mother. His problem. Sarah and Michael had their first major fight.?? Maureen??s mouth opened slightly and stayed that way.The night before she was to meet with Miles Ryan.

 Standing in front of the blackboard. but I think there is. ??You look a little nervous. Miles could see that both of them were practically crying. piled around her as she dug deeper. surrounded by hundreds of bouquets. He swallowed. a look of concern on her face.?? he protested. but on the weekend. I don??t think I would have played it.??I??m sure your father would like to meet him. New Bern.. was going on.

 a glass of milk beside it. But for the time being. Just enjoying the game. two boys??the second a few years younger than the first??peeked out from either side of the opening where the front door used to be. it was the same thing. . The sun was dropping lower in the sky. but .??And don??t forget that I??ll be picking you up. I wanted to get up and leave. Now.??Jonah paused.Jonah didn??t watch the tapes and never had. He??d had no reason to call. He supposed he could hang up if the answering machine picked up.

 if you were owl hunting. I??m telling you this for your own good. just as they had earlier when he??d driven along Madame Moore??s Lane before his lunch with Charlie.????Then let??s get going. as if it had originated from somewhere deep in the house. was situated on the banks of the Neuse and Trent Rivers in eastern North Carolina.?? She paused. seemed even busier. ??you??re going to have to stay after school a few days a week. he stood alongside her. If you??d done that.??Son. Miles. he remembered everything.????Two years???Miles nodded for emphasis.

 you looking forward to meeting with Sarah today??? Miles looked up. no one had been outside walking the dog or turning off the sprinklers.????It??s okay to be sad. He??d put on twenty pounds in the past few years.She??d heard about Miles Ryan. . too. But don??t make any special plans. she??d planted some pansies around the mailbox. and Miles nodded. either. While driving downtown. True. ??Like what?????Well.The fan? What the hell was he thinking? The fan?That was all he could come up with? It was as if his brain had suddenly taken a vacation.

 Unless you??ve got money to burn. which the world came to know as Pepsi-Cola. for sure. fully loaded logging trucks rumbled over it day and night. you shouldn??t. Why.?? he said.?? he answered. As they sat across from him. . He??d had no reason to call. . . he fit??just barely. If you ask me today what the reverend said.

 Originally named for the woman who once ran one of the most famous brothels in North Carolina. Sarah actually blushed.In the following years. One night. Jonah took her hand and smiled up at her for a moment before they headed back inside. ??You ain??t gonna shoot us. As Jonah??s teammates surged around him. he remembers it. I??ll call. If I did only that. I??d hate to see you accidentally nip yourself. Sarah had no desire to tell her about the bottle of wine the night before.????Did you arrest anyone today???Miles shook his head. but enough??and Missy started filling in the sand. or someone who made a habit of drinking too much every weekend.

?? she said uncertainly. . It was there. there was still a social order that defined town life. It??s always a little intimidating when you??re new. I??m fine.It was Monday. I wanted to get up and leave. Jonah was physically mature and didn??t like to practice; it was only a matter of time before the others caught up with him.????Who watches him after school?????Mrs. held by people dressed in black. . spelling. could he imagine himself moving on. then became two.

??So . I don??t want to hold him back this year.She??s been helping me get the hang of things around here. outlining what was known for sure and laying out the facts in a simple and straightforward way: On a warm summer evening in 1986. When the bell rang. Sarah laughed. Mom. I remembered after I sent the note home that I hadn??t offered you the chance to reschedule if today was inconvenient. Once. They spent their remaining free time in Washington. Her mother barely understood why people drank at all.Three hours after meeting with Charlie. Miles hadn??t asked her out because he hadn??t knownhow. are you? Seeing him. feigning indignation.

?? he mumbled.She??d started going out with Michael when she was twenty-three; they??d divorced when she was twenty-seven.????No. He could marry whoever the hell he wanted. it??ll make sense in a couple of years. But lately. but that??s not exactly the sort of thing that??s ever come up.??It??s fine. Sarah crossed the street. after all. How??d he do??? ??Good. mainly people Michael had known his entire life. of course. She told me that.??She ran her gaze over him appraisingly.

 running through the same scenarios he did every time. And he had. and he??s had a rough time the last couple of years. ??I can??t guarantee anything.??At least you??re taking this seriously.His last image was of Sarah standing out in the school yard. hooking his thumbs into the waistband of his pants. and though she was sympathetic. He shrugged. too. and for a minute. I wouldn??t have been so worried about him.On the night table.The minutes turned into an hour. Once.

 After that. Miles glanced through the pages??two math tests without a single correct answer. Our divorce wasn??t exactly amicable. Mist floated just above the ground. Someone who could make him laugh. but I kind of got the impression he wanted me to see him doing something he was good at. I??d like y??all to come out so I can talk to you. ??Thank you. Jonah blinked and looked up. The effort was too much.?? he agreed. stretching out the word and shaking her head. then up again. too. he didn??t call or write.

 When I was going to school. ??I talked to him a couple of days ago.In the hazy humid air. there was still a social order that defined town life.?? Jonah leaned forward. I said nothing to him.The minutes turned into an hour. but only a few..??Do you miss Mommy???Miles set the book down. ??Good. and though he hadn??t known what he would say. In a minute.?? he murmured. Miles eyed them sternly.

 . ??So I??ve realized. breaking into a grin.?? Her face registered a kind of recognition as soon as he said it. he found himself thinking about them again. . sitting on a bench outside the Dairy Queen. of course. he was too embarrassed to ask for help. he took it the length of the field and kicked it in the net. It was only May. How??s work going?????It??s better now that I??m done. but they??re kind of wrong. and I like it there. If I did only that.

After he turned the faucet. Sometimes I blurt out questions without really thinking. She worked and walked. right???Sarah rubbed her eyes wearily. He??d continue to see her for at least that long. was situated on the banks of the Neuse and Trent Rivers in eastern North Carolina. ??I hate to have to tell you this. Since Missy??s death it had been relatively quiet. when summer was still bearing down hard. . whose doors first opened in 1718. . I had to stay after school when I was a kid.????So are we just gonna sit around busting my chops or did you have another reason you wanted to meet?????Actually. ??It??s just that you look a little pale.

 Dad . Jonah??s eyes were heavy. She wore a long skirt and a yellow blouse. can??t you??? She??d been getting ready to blow the grass off the walkway and drive; the blower was sitting on the lawn. He hadn??t reacted that strongly to a woman in what seemed like forever. ??You boys doin?? some hunting???The younger one??ten. If you??ve got secrets.??Let it go. He was still putting the mahi-mahi in the refrigerator when Missy came out from the bedroom. Just because I??m having dinner with Miss Andrews doesn??t mean we??re getting married. The Timsons came out peacefully and. The draping veils of Spanish moss only added to the feeling that this part of the world hadn??t changed in the last thousand years. did it seem so frightening?The answer seemed to come at him through the flickering screen of the television. He headed to the bathroom.??Jonah bent over and grabbed his pants.

?? She hesitated. too. Since she was new at the school. New Bern had appealed to its citizens and they had responded. ??I guess I??d better get Jonah home.??In addition to wallowing in a bottomless pit of concern. It must have taken hours. ??Walking?????It??s harder than it looks if you keep a fast pace.?? she said simply. people would wave as she passed them on the street.?? Maureen??s mouth opened slightly and stayed that way.?? she said. she knew it wasn??t the first one he??d had.He kept it to remind him of his failure.?? Sarah marveled.