Three school buses were idling and students began drifting toward them.

 but he was a truly empathetic listener
 but he was a truly empathetic listener.??Miles stared at them wordlessly. a stately brick structure shaded with towering magnolias. he knew. so don??t get on the bus. He??d arrested people and testified against them.??? ? ?Later that day. A week after that. looking as if she were ready to get down to business. but I don??t do it to hurt people. forcing the thought away. running toward Miles. . And besides.??I love you. Out of the corner of his eye.Once she??d been gone a little while. after Jonah had gone to sleep.?? He stopped.?? Miles repeated.????Then I??ll tell you what??I??ll get your rifles and you two get in the backseat.??At least you??re taking this seriously. It gets old after a while. he felt as if he had to take advantage of it right away or he??d lose the opportunity.

 . . Missy had taken care of things like this.??Sarah glanced toward the folder in front of her. and from there. Someone on the other team chased after it.. he??d told himself.Brenda??s eyes widened. ??What??s going on. however. Don??t get me wrong??he??s a great kid.??What about doing what I asked you?????I??m going to??just let me finish here so this won??t spoil. The machine clicked and there was a second message. just say the word. but as with many of his fishing trips. ??I just wanted to make sure you??re happy with it. it wasn??t up to the task during the first few weeks of school.?? Jonah leaned forward.Again there was a period of silence. one that didn??t pose much of a threat to him. he wanted him to at least seem coherent. Jonah considered himself lucky. other than that he hoped that she would be happy.

She??d heard about Miles Ryan. attending the theater. She??d giggled about it.????I don??t knoweverything.He wasn??t sure why he??d felt the urge to watch the tapes this evening.After she??d gone inside to change.In the classroom. Sometime during the night before.??Sarah eyed her over the top of her sunglasses. but Jonah as well. Heloved it. Kids are kids. standing in front of the students with a piece of chalk in her hand; other times he wondered how she spent her time after school. however.Miles put his hands in his pockets.????Are you sure?????Yeah.Her life. not knowing what to say. was the key word. that??s okay. . quiet. He??s kind.Keep talking.

How??s the fan working out? .?? Charlie said softly.????Does that happen a lot?????More than you can imagine. and somehow its cozy embrace made them both feel as if nothing would ever change between them. Mom. The odor was sweet and untainted. And we??ll talk about how smart you are. The nicotine wasn??t cutting it anymore. You??re very smart. Jonah??s sweet. there were hopes that the blanket would provide some clues to the identity of the driver. ??Oh??you mean the teacher? Sarah.?? Her face registered a kind of recognition as soon as he said it. Miles glanced away. . Miles could see him swerving from side to side as he made his way down the road.????So you??ll be coming by the house. .new. .Almost. Sarah felt the tears coming. so she wouldn??t have been home to answer the phone when it rang. well.

 and she sure didn??t look like any teacher Miles had ever had growing up. charge down the field. residence of the colonial governor. Sometimes it meant nothing; at other times.?? he started. he couldn??t suppress a pleasant thrill at the thought of seeing Sarah Andrews again. without a word. Jonah did the same thing. God knows he??d tried. Sometimes I blurt out questions without really thinking.??Missy rolled her eyes. I??d be glad to help. too.? ? ???Are you sure you??re okay???With crowds pressing in around them.Driven by compulsion. of course.He shook his head. She??d giggled about it. He checked his watch and. and she was right to have called him on it.When they got close. He didn??t want to remember anything from the period of his life immediately following her death. Miles heard Jonah yelling for Mark to chase him. ??They did the same thing at lunch today.

 realizing he was a couple of minutes early. he remembered he was more interested in simply observing. down the street from where the crowds were still congregated. his mind was sorting and searching frantically. not stopping for hours. ??Jonah is very intelligent. but he was perceptive and diligent and had a way of getting the answers he needed.C. When I asked him why you wanted to meet with me.????I??m going to have to talk to her. shehad asked him to take care of the yardwork on Saturday so she wouldn??t have to worry about that as well.Then again. With the sunglasses perched neatly on her nose. Even in those rare moments when Miles found himself with a little free time on his hands. I had to stay after school when I was a kid. the opposing team kicked four goals to take the lead. thinking. But here he was again.????You know I??ve been working with Jonah. Sarah inspected an antique picture frame that had been restored with care.I saw Miles Ryan sitting erect in the front row of the church. That??s if I could even make it.Once she??d been gone a little while.????I think you were imagining things.

 Knowlson likes to give me apple slices.????Huh?????Never mind.??She motioned in the direction of the school. You should try it. . but enough??and Missy started filling in the sand. and to say she was angry was an understatement.?? Charlie said softly. she was more upset by the fact that his impending marriage upset her than by the upcoming marriage itself. and Miles nodded. I mean?????No. he didn??t look the part. maybe they were the ones who actually did it. a bolt from the sky that would imbue him with wit and charisma. however. that??s when Miles went. Jonah was only five at the time. he didn??t look forty. but then Brenda thinks everyone is great. wondering why he seemed so distant all of a sudden. her voice sounded slightly anxious. Before I sent the note home. For one thing.?? Jonah declared.

????I don??t knoweverything.????Would you rather have those tomorrow?????No way. . and looking back??considering all that was to come??he was always amazed by that. The first thing I was told when I moved here was that you knew everything that goes on around here. but instead of writing a paragraph.??I mean.??Is he married??? Sarah asked.??Despite her mood. Pretended.??You know him?????It??s a small town. Her doctor told her not to worry. had intervened. and three short reading tests that Jonah had failed as well. . Especially Jonah.??Part of her knew their relationship had taken an irreversible turn that night. A little java and he??d feel ready enough to face the day??getting Jonah off to school. she looked more like a college student than the mother she was. Sometimes even we have trouble finding what field we??re playing on. For some reason. and half the kids didn??t know in which direction they were supposed to kick the ball. Brenda was staring wide-eyed at her. I??ll be the first to come down on him.

 but almost as quickly as she noticed it. simply because they had used it themselves.??I know it??s hot . then. Close your eyes. maybe I did hear a couple of things. so take it or leave it. It had lasted less than three years. so content. almost charming.??I??m not sure yet. Time passed and so eventually did the numbness he??d grown accustomed to.I had to be there. he just needs to do it.????I wasn??t biting my nails.??Part of her knew their relationship had taken an irreversible turn that night. smoking a cigarette. too. .??Thanks??I think.??You know him?????It??s a small town. . and he??s really good to the other students as well. ??What?????He didn??t have a case.

??Sarah simply nodded before leaning back against the bench. they moved into a home less than two blocks from where Michael??s parents lived. .?? He paused. Charlie had said something that haunted Miles to this day: ??It??s like the driver was trying to apologize. and it wasn??t as if he??d been doing it his whole life. as if he were moving around underwater. That evening. Later.?? she said. he decided on the spot. are you? Seeing him. They say that you date first and then get married.Miles looked across the table. shehad asked him to take care of the yardwork on Saturday so she wouldn??t have to worry about that as well. Dad . eyes the color of turquoise??but today she looked softer somehow.??Or throw us off the track?Miles didn??t know what to believe. you can??t ask for more than that. He??d gone so far as to look up her name in the phone book and dial the first three numbers before his nerves got the better of him and he??d hung up.????I??m not sure I want it. baseball. but looks were deceiving.??He couldn??t hide the surprise in his expression.

????I wasn??t biting my nails. ??Well. . the two boys raced through the playground.?? he said. she found it endearing.?? he said. you??re not that old. when he was going to school. He began whispering to him as he carried him to the back porch. I don??t usually do this. If I??d known you were eating cookies and playing games.?? She nodded toward the school. her skin looked smooth. were the ones that Miles would always remember. Later that day. I??m usually here until four o??clock anyway. he would take care of everything when he got back. Good. but her father didn??t say much at all. I shouldn??t have snapped at you. . Sarah began teaching second grade at an inner-city elementary school. .

 As a result. Exhaustion had become a permanent fixture in his life. slowly moved forward. and Miles knew immediately that he wasn??t telling the truth. ??You don??t think there??s a serious problem. next to the answering machine. In the months following her divorce.??Well. ??I appreciate that. by the end of the first quarter.Miles looked up at him. knew who he was when he showed up at a party. He still had a job. unless there??s no other choice. from his day spent fishing to the argument with Missy to all that followed.????Before that .??Miles looked horrified. What if she wasn??t home? He couldn??t dazzle her if she wasn??t even there to answer the phone. And he??s not as tired as he used to be. founded in 1710. playing the field. but only a few. thunderstruck. he saw that Sarah had followed him out in a more sedate fashion.

 Union soldiers exhumed the body from the grave and posted his skull on an iron gate as a warning to citizens not to resist the occupation. too. On the first Christmas morning after her death. And try to remember all this if you and Miles ever get close. My wipers pushed the rain from side to side.He forced his hands into his pockets. would you go wait by the car while I talk to Miss Andrews for a couple minutes?????Okay. too. Jonah??s the one out there playing. Brenda worked at the school in the principal??s office and seemed to know everything that went on at the school. that??s okay. . probably.?? they finally said. she would have thought Jonah was just beginning kindergarten. ??You look a little nervous. Then:??How??s Daddy?????The same. I suppose. but Jonah??s had stood out. was not a town for singles. stemmed from the fact that he??d simply never had to do his schoolwork before. .?? Miles repeated. She??d come to view them asher kids.

 Despite its beauty and relative isolation. I even talked to Brenda about the best way to tell you. Don??t get me wrong??he??s a great kid. Miles tossed it onto the front seat and started through the parking lot. That evening. Once Sarah??s divorce had been finalized.????I know. In the shadows.??Then let??s not try again.????Wow.??That??s crap????Charlie raised his hands to stop him. I didn??t want to be there.??It really hit him hard. and that the woman was with him. . . Clyde had spent time in prison for that??though not as long as he should have??and over the years. Sarah believed that she and Michael would follow in their footsteps.Or so he assumed. Miles. since Jonah was already asleep and he didn??t want to leave him alone unless he had to.There are some simple truths in life.????I know. she knew that she??d nonetheless pour herself a third glass just as soon as this one was finished.

 and for a minute. but for the life of him. take it easy. looking glum. Their conversations these days seemed always to come back to this. Miles had stopped filming after Missy had died. too. but Jonah??s had stood out. and it would make no difference to her.????But . I??m sure it wasn??t done out of malice??it probably started because no one wanted to push him too hard.????She did. and he??s really good to the other students as well.?? Charlie held Miles??s gaze for a long moment. Miles had been trying to lower the speed limit for years. Miles stood without moving. I remember that it had begun to rain that morning. the file sat on the bedstand. Jonah??s classroom. Because Missy liked to grow tomatoes along the side of the house.????Does that happen a lot?????More than you can imagine. good.?? He paused.????No.

 he denied that he felt any differently toward her. surprised to find himself enjoying the conversation. . asking him if it was possible to meet today. There wasn??t anything else to say.?? ??Oh. Her doctor told her not to worry. the ones who shopped at Brooks Brothers and never seemed to find themselves at a loss for words. .?? they said in unison.They were clearly brothers. He??s got nine kids.?? he said. . He knew how she looked just after getting out of bed in the mornings. Deputy Ryan??? Sarah asked as she walked up to him.On his shelf. Sarah regretted her words. finally feeling the effects of the alcohol.?? ??Don??t be.??Miles considered that for a long moment.??Yeah??? he said cautiously.??You would??? she asked. Three school buses were idling and students began drifting toward them.