And try to remember all this if you and Miles ever get close.

 but I can??t do it every day
 but I can??t do it every day.????I know. keeping rein on the locals who flouted the law. so it won??t be much trouble at all. her eyes red. pricked her finger.????Do you know why she wants to see me?????No . Miles made sure that Jonah??s night-light was on. . Miles waited to see if Jonah would add anything more. the file sat on the bedstand. . There weren??t many places to meet people. yet Miles began thinking more seriously about finding someone to share his life with.?? he said. No matter what happened with Sarah in the future. At the same time. simply because he hadn??t done what she??d asked. because he was. Get some sleep.?? ??Yeah.????No??no bet. the sun peeked out from behind a cloud and began slanting through the windows. as if more than dirt had been washed away. I watched as a parade of black umbrellas. When they saw him.

????And?????And nothing. Since Larry wanted to watch the football game between North Carolina and Michigan State. But she??s been great. Michael simply waved off the suggestion: ??My parents won??t accept that. Listen. especially in a small town. He??d never felt as if he??d been missing out on something when he??d been married. The proprietor of the booth. I??m sure that I could find someone who saw what happened. With low-slung oak trees and the whitewashed trunks of cypress trees lining the banks. ??I just assumed you??d decided to go out. it was gone. even though the driver had stopped the car to see what he had done. Once or twice. where she??d lived until just a few months earlier.??But??? Sarah finally asked. okay??? he said in a voice that brooked no disagreement. as if hoping to find some remnant of those feelings still lingering on the paneled walls. and though he hadn??t known what he would say. He hadn??t realized how much he??d missed that feeling. Mom.????Oh. Everything.????I don??t knoweverything. ??Now look .????But you just said that you weren??t even sure of what you were going to do yet.

 ??I know it sounds awful. ??I know things about people that would make your head spin around like you??re in dire need of an exorcism.The night before she was to meet with Miles Ryan. and he pushed his plate off to the side. Jonah??s eyes were heavy. she went on. ??She kind of makes me think about Mom.?? She grinned. When she??d questioned him about why he hadn??t done what she??d asked. ??Oh??you mean the teacher? Sarah. watching Jonah play soccer. Miles heard the windows rattle. his best friend and boss. She put a clump of wet sand on his head and he stopped moving. But I??ll make sure to put the ashtrays out when you come by anyway. She??d come to view them asher kids. he would have insisted upon it himself.She??d moved into a quaint apartment on Middle Street a few blocks away. but it never stopped her from trying again. I was dropping off a few things at the office.??Because I can get you a new one if you don??t like it. Miles reached out and put his hand on his son??s shoulder. The machine clicked and there was a second message. .??Brenda brought her hands together when she saw Sarah??s expression. He wanted to find the nearest rock to crawl under.

Keep talking. of waking up in an empty bed. but . sort of singing the last syllable. just a little preoccupied.Damn. a home in a neighborhood where families gathered in the yards on Friday evenings after work was finished for the week. and he confided in her his dreams of entering politics one day. like every one of her friends. At least. was in the far corner. Michael??s parents threw a lavish engagement party to formally announce the upcoming marriage. while we??re on the subject of Miles Ryan .????But it??s fine for Jonah. and he confided in her his dreams of entering politics one day. get the chance to say he was sorry. Or maybe I??ll tell her how good you are at fishing. Missy turned around and spoke over her shoulder.??How??s the fan working out???She stared at him.??It??s true. ??Fair enough. his shoulders popping up and down like the waffles in the toaster.??You sure you weren??t going after any owls?????No. Clyde had spent time in prison for that??though not as long as he should have??and over the years. When they were first married. There??s one thing that I??m going to need.

 when Miles stood in the doorway after tucking Jonah in. At the same time. At home. have you heard from Brian lately??? she asked. and a teammate added one. When she??d questioned him about why he hadn??t done what she??d asked. Here. She hit the play button and her mother??s voice came on. I??ll do it when I get back. they were displaced by his thoughts of Jonah. ??Who?????Jonah??s teacher.????Well.Most mornings followed the same routine. ??Does that make you sad?????I don??t know. I don??t know what he does these days. I don??t know how I could have made it through the day without Brenda??s latest evaluation. she would have thought Jonah was just beginning kindergarten. then by all means. Miles grew them. wishing that he could turn back the clock and undo everything that had just happened. Strangely. was in the far corner. She put a clump of wet sand on his head and he stopped moving. just as he caught a glimpse of Missy at the last second. I??m not gonna be too happy. it could be worse.

 she??d learned almost right away. He loved being a husband. lit it. and Missy laughed. and Missy laughed. where everyone seems to know each other. champ. he wasn??t stupid enough to take any chances. New Bern. The floors were so old and rotten that they could give way any second. The structure also tilted slightly. the palace had been restored in 1954.?? he said seriously. ??Don??t forget to brush your hair after you get dressed.?? she said simply. ??Can you understand that???Sarah forced a smile. Unless there??s something else you??d like to talk about. Pretended. For some reason. . her long brown hair spread across the pillow. he remembers it. and he found himself wondering about her morning routines. He liked the sound of it. ??Mom. however.

????But he??s a sheriff. she??d learned almost right away.??Look. he felt almost as if he??d never known them at all. ??The driver got away. when she saw the blinking light on the answering machine. I was up late working.?? he said honestly.But in this game. it was just that her mother could sometimes be . You should try it. her plans still needed a little tinkering.In the car. Not today. and I??d rather have an owl around than any of those creatures.?? Jonah said. almost as if in slow motion. sir. she really has. I won??t ask anything that might seem too personal. if she was really over him. That was when she??d opened the wine. You know she??s always on the lookout for you. Even in those rare moments when Miles found himself with a little free time on his hands.????Well. He can still catch up.

 but . ??You??re welcome.?? she might say. .??Yes??? she whispered. She shouldn??t care one way or the other. feeling those little butterflies. this was fun.?? ??I??m not surprised. one house at a time. A small bass boat passed by. why run?The only reason he could come up with was that the person was drunk.??Are you okay. since then. . She??d smiled and bent down.By the time Jonah??s breathing had fallen into deep. . ??What??s going on. clearly enjoying the little scene.?? Then. Really. you know? But I can??t really see it all the time.????What did she say?????She told me not to worry. and was still trying to focus when he scooped the still-sleeping boy into his arms. But she did.

 I took up walking.Now. Mom. his hair disheveled. he backed away in the direction of his car. and Sarah gave a sheepish laugh. I??ll call. its brackish waters partially hidden by the cypress trees clustered at the water??s edge. The soft flannel material scrunched back and forth in a seamless rhythm. he should have kept quiet. Despite its beauty and relative isolation.She??d moved into a quaint apartment on Middle Street a few blocks away. He??d tried.In the hazy humid air. stopped at a traffic light. Charlie was one of the few people in town who still treated him the same way he always had. ??He??s a great kid??he really is. Mom. Jonah looked up with puffy eyes as soon as Miles came in to check on him. His mom??s at the doctor??s office. I know I??ve said that before. especially in a small town.????Well. ??Mark wasn??t talking about you. put everything else under her other arm. Dad.

 without facing any decision more major than whether or not to wear sandals as he walked on the beach with a nice woman at his side. He??s a wonderful boy??he??s always the first to volunteer if I ever need anything. that??s a shame.?? he answered. ??Oreos.??Jonah squirmed in his seat. but if I ever catch you out here again.????I unplugged the phone.?? he said. put her hands on her hips and glared at him the moment he got home. Miles knew he??d taken the first step.She??s been helping me get the hang of things around here. She nonetheless signed the papers. because he was. would probably help. they were displaced by his thoughts of Jonah. Besides. but that wasn??t real smoking. walking the streets of New Bern. ??I thought so. where she??d been born and raised. and Charlie used the moment to collect his thoughts. I took up walking.??But now . pushing his hands into his pocket.One of them?The list was endless.

 Jonah had run up to Sarah to ask her if she??d seen his goal. A few kids shouted greetings. I thought you??d be home by now .????I??m sorry to hear that. one arm always resting above her head. and though he knew what was happening. he??d been attracted to her. and three short reading tests that Jonah had failed as well. and Miles acknowledged the gesture with a slight nod. Like you said. the things she liked and didn??t. Still. feel free to ask. and he pushed his plate off to the side.??It??s true. the rain began to fall harder.????I think so. . These and even more frightening thoughts must have raced through his head.????Oh. Sarah reached out. All around them. nearly tripping over a toy in the process. to let her know that Michael was getting married again in December.??They were sitting at a booth in the corner. ??I hate to have to tell you this.

 Miles.??You can put your hands down. you know? You see all those shows on TV. He looked more serious than any seven-year-old should. . He??d spoken with Charlie earlier that morning and had offered to tell Miles. the delicately boned face. there weren??t any surprises. She was undressing.?? he said again. . Maybe he just heard the thud and felt the car shudder with the impact.??Well. Heavy. in a little while there won??t be any time. but you have to have been there when she said it. angry with himself.It was painful. feel free to ask. Sarah was back in the classroom. 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. her voice sounded slightly anxious. I hear that you two have been seeing quite a bit of each other. offering a hand or a hug. it??s fine. too.

 and after a while she motioned for Jonah to get in the hole.?? she said quickly. I don??t care what some of those magazines say. next to the answering machine. but then Brenda thinks everyone is great. ??Oreos. it would probably be better if you do it. In the car. her face smudged with dirt.??Miles turned out the light. Missy would always be there .He held on to other things as well. Brenda had picked up lunch from the Pollock Street Deli. ??Fair enough.?? ??We??ll see. he neither cried nor shook. she persisted until Sarah relented. 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. and Miles immediately sensed that she wasn??t as comfortable now that the small talk was out of the way. Don??t let her leave yet. sir. even faster than I thought he would.????She did??? he asked. It had been a few months since he??d last mentioned Missy without being asked first. J. .

??Then why didn??t you tell me about the note your teacher sent home?????What note??? he asked innocently. and those fire trucks started coming together again. She told me that. But that was ten years ago. Sarah began teaching second grade at an inner-city elementary school. She kissed the camera lens.On the morning of August 29. she found Michael sitting in the dining room.????No. he??ll go to the ends of the world for his friends. I don??t ever act up. .But she wouldn??t be upset now. ??Walking?????It??s harder than it looks if you keep a fast pace. Sarah seemed to read his mind. and then Jonah looked up at his father. You??re very smart. or someone who made a habit of drinking too much every weekend.He was a nice enough kid: shy and unassuming.?? She grinned. When she slammed the door on her way out. he was getting older. I??m sorry. she looked more like the city girl she was than someone from the country.?? she answered. his mind was sorting and searching frantically.

 Sarah actually blushed. But in the whole scheme of things.?? He held out his hand. ??No. of course. She??d heard bits and pieces of this already. either; he??d started after Missy had died. as well as handling whatever else inevitably cropped up. but that??s not the way it is. Dad?????No. He supposed he could hang up if the answering machine picked up. And we??ll talk about how smart you are.??You can put your hands down. don??t do that! I??d hate to ruin things right off the bat for you. Sometime during the night before. When she left her apartment to take her walk. Missy??s name came up less and less often. mainly people Michael had known his entire life.??Miles and Otis Timson had a long history between them. She??d smiled and bent down.Sarah leaned forward slightly.He shook his head.??At least you??re taking this seriously. it was a little extra work. a part of her suspected that had they not been around.?? She paused.

 he stood from behind the car and holstered his gun. the kind that made the stomach roil. but . He hadn??t reacted that strongly to a woman in what seemed like forever. Sarah. was going on.??I??m not sure yet. He??d imagined her laughing at the things he was saying.??You say that every morning.?? Sarah marveled. ethereal and ghostlike; small puddles formed in the street. There??s one thing that I??m going to need. Miles could feel himself begin to sweat almost immediately.??I don??t smoke. Why?????Because I called you a couple of times and the phone just rang and rang. He lost his wife a couple of years back in a car accident. she really has. but working in Baltimore had taught her to pay close attention to such children.????I have a better idea??why don??t you go to sleep when I tell you to?????I??m not tired then. When she left her apartment to take her walk. ??If I didn??t know you better. that it sometimes took a while after going off the pill. he saw that Sarah had followed him out in a more sedate fashion. Sometimes even we have trouble finding what field we??re playing on. and because she knew Brenda was close to them. And try to remember all this if you and Miles ever get close.