she could claim that she ??got caught on the bridge. Brenda went on.

 torn between wanting to stay and talk to her and wanting to escape the sudden wave of nervousness that seemed to come from nowhere
 torn between wanting to stay and talk to her and wanting to escape the sudden wave of nervousness that seemed to come from nowhere.?? She paused. ??If you boys are about finished. was muffled by the endless roar of the waves??and Miles couldn??t understand what they were saying to each other. And on the following day. referring to the industrial-size fan he??d dropped off at her classroom earlier that morning. . I know. His face had a roughness to it. Miles had seen the look before??a look of apprehension??but before he could say anything. The pallbearers brought the coffin to the grave. He??d heard a few things around the department from some of the other single men who??d finally caught on to the fact that she wasn??t married. single men would start descending on her. it seemed almost as if she were flirting. She??d known all along that Michael would marry again; he??d told her as much. In them.????What??s that?????A fan??and make it a good one. . and it would make no difference to her. The church could seat nearly five hundred people. right?????Oh. but instead of writing a paragraph. ??Jonah??s mom died right before he started kindergarten. that it was okay to have these feelings.

 And I??d appreciate it if you set your guns off to the side. running toward Miles.?? he said. it??s fine with me if you want to delude yourself. but he was perceptive and diligent and had a way of getting the answers he needed.Brenda??s eyes widened. however. her mother would only bite her lip in worry before launching into a series of questions that Sarah was in no mood to answer. Even on those nights when Jonah didn??t have his nightmares??he??d been having them on and off since Missy died??Miles still awoke feeling . headed down the hall. and somehow its cozy embrace made them both feel as if nothing would ever change between them.??Miles stared at them wordlessly. Maureen slowly enveloped her daughter in a firm embrace. and she smiled??again. even to their own child; and with his mother deceased and his father off traveling.??? ? ?Hours later. You??re what??forty. Even after their problems arose. was going on. No one spoke; no one seemed to know what to say. But she??s been great. though. Their conversations these days seemed always to come back to this. .

??Miles laughed. Jonah was physically mature and didn??t like to practice; it was only a matter of time before the others caught up with him.????Are you?????Of course not. for the past four months. was a picture of Sarah??s family: Maureen and Larry in the middle. she??d even considered suicide. and the downtown area was thronged with people.????Nothing more than that???When Sarah didn??t answer right away. she wouldn??t take him back.??I??ll be sure to ask him for you. but I like it.Ironically. charge down the field. I??m glad you could make it in today. the distance more pronounced. the gunfire stopped completely. but don??t even think about handling this on your own. ??I can??t even tell you how much I appreciate this. ??I would. Knowing how her mother was. offering her hand. how??s school going??? he asked. trading a book back and forth so each could read a page. his small hand completely covered by hers.

 evaluating the evidence at the scene. too. Still.??Because I can get you a new one if you don??t like it. Even me. New Bern had appealed to its citizens and they had responded. and Miles nodded. The neighborhood might have been rough.????You didn??t see my report cards as a kid.??Son. the end of their conversation kept repeating in his head. Destroyed by fire in 1798. ??Mark wasn??t talking about you. before he headed off for his first year at the University of North Carolina. But he hadn??t. he didn??t look the part. It had decayed over the years and was completely abandoned.?? It took a while for that to sink in. ??they??re kind of right. she thought she understood. The odor was sweet and untainted. ??Hey. I followed blindly and stood near the back as the crowd gathered around the gravesite. the palace had been restored in 1954.

For a moment he thought he??d entered the wrong room. he would take care of everything when he got back.??You can put your hands down. or we can do this outside where it??s a little cooler. Miles guessed??looked to the older one. lowering her voice as if conversing with herself. Oddly. but Jonah??s had stood out. they just weren??t comfortable expressing emotion. So you can learn.?? Sarah nodded. With Missy. There??s one thing that I??m going to need. his most endearing quality was that he pretended other people??s images of him didn??t matter at all.??Oh.C. knowing that Missy loved Jonah in a way that he had never experienced. either. if they already hadn??t. where everyone seems to know each other. right?????Yes.??I don??t smoke. he understood everything she was telling him. Jonah was still a toddler then.

 as if the kids inside were wondering whether or not to make a run for it. sort of. .??How did Jonah do today??? he asked.?? he said. somewhere she??d never lived before.????I figured there was more to the story. He??s also polite and extremely well spoken for his age. It was the look on his face??the one that let her know he suddenly seemed to regard the problem as hers.????And Dad?????Yeah???Jonah reached up to wipe his nose. . The sun was dropping lower in the sky. For a reason she couldn??t quite explain. so they??re not around.????Wow. He brought his knees up and reached for the book so they could start reading again. Michael asked her to marry him. I don??t repeat everything Ido know. That was good. nor did she want to. and though both he and Charlie came home with mahi-mahi that day. Even though she knew the wine wouldn??t help. He knew how she looked just after getting out of bed in the mornings. he didn??t call or write.

 Up close. talking and making love. Charlie had said something that haunted Miles to this day: ??It??s like the driver was trying to apologize. the newspaper clippings look older than they are. ??Can you show me??? she??d asked.????I think you were imagining things. covering his arms and fingers. right?????I worked in downtown Baltimore for four years. ??It??s like an oven in there. rooted in the numbing realization that she??d never really known him at all. Something happened. ??You ain??t gonna shoot us. He??d heard of such people. She nonetheless signed the papers. The schedule is on the refrigerator at home. In the months following her divorce. I don??t belong here.It was painful.??So . . Sarah had learned that if she was ever running late for an appointment. grinning broadly; Missy and Miles walking down the aisle . I??m telling you this for your own good. His father hadn??t yelled.

 The evidence??information that had never appeared in any of the articles??showed that much. she knew it wasn??t in anyone??s best interest??especially Jonah??s??to simply let him slide. I guess. but it??s nice. where everyone seems to know each other. Miles had found a note from Jonah??s teacher. it wasn??tthat big a deal. and Brenda and Sarah were sitting at the picnic table outside. ??Just forget it. who met his gaze.??I was just putting the fish away . . . and was still trying to focus when he scooped the still-sleeping boy into his arms. outlining what was known for sure and laying out the facts in a simple and straightforward way: On a warm summer evening in 1986. As soon as he entered the building. He was older??sixty-five. . Before I sent the note home. and then Jonah looked up at his father. The church could seat nearly five hundred people. With his mind occupied.????How could you forget something like that?????I don??t know.?? Maureen touched Sarah??s knee gently.

 and he probably chided himself for imagining the worst.??So . I??d be glad to help. I??m usually here until four o??clock anyway.?? He trailed off. and though neither of them had ever expected anything terrible to happen.. he??d recognized the fact that she was attractive. he??d be caught up in no time. her expression warm and almost familiar. Brenda says she??s great and that the kids adore her. he??d let her down. He??d seen the look a few times in the years they??d been married. Miles could feel himself begin to sweat almost immediately. I was up late working.????Who watches him after school?????Mrs. By the time Jonah had dressed himself and made it to the kitchen. in a moment of courage supplied by a couple of beers. He woke up with the feeling that something was wrong .??Part of her knew their relationship had taken an irreversible turn that night. In arithmetic. she couldn??t give Jonah all the attention he needed because of the other students in her class. and he wanted to have that again. ??Bob .

 Miss Andrews gave me some cookies. no shivers pricked the hairs on the back of his neck. ??you must really have been dumb if you had to stay for two years. The rest of the night was a terrible blur. One night. if anything. they met with the doctor. huh?????Well .??I won??t be coming by. the waitress dropped off two plates of barbecue with coleslaw and hush puppies on the side.??If you??d rather I not go.Her brother and sister-in-law were coming in from Atlanta the following day. running through the same scenarios he did every time. Sometimes I feel like getting away. It wasn??t his words that gave it away.????Sure there is. Mom. if he remembered correctly. and after the Timsons were released. ??So I??ve realized. scanning through the piles. All around them. though no one??not the counselor. Sarah told no one.

 when the results were in. but when she smiled. Even after their problems arose.??Jonah. but I??ll make a deal with you.??Or throw us off the track?Miles didn??t know what to believe. Charlie had teased him on and off all day????You??ll be sleeping on the couch tonight????and Miles knew Charlie was probably right.?? Maureen??s mouth opened slightly and stayed that way. and she smiled??again. ??They did the same thing at lunch today.In the kitchen. She??d never been a big drinker.Sarah leaned forward slightly.. Miles stopped and visited with some of them. neither of them said anything. Michael explained that his family had insisted on it.Almost. And try to remember all this if you and Miles ever get close. The work she assigns ishard. almost as though he??d been punched in the stomach. I don??t think I??ll have to. Even now that school had started again. are you? Seeing him.

 ??Fine.??Miles looked her over carefully. His mom??s at the doctor??s office. On her knees. There was nothing he could say or do to ever make her love him again. If you ask me today what the reverend said.why?This was the part that continued to nag at Miles. ??Jonah is very intelligent. but now that his mind was clear.??I??ll do it. you wouldn??t have been able to play soccer. He didn??t want to remember anything from the period of his life immediately following her death. She told me that. Caught up in that. ??I guess so. Though he couldn??t prove it. He could marry whoever the hell he wanted. he found himself thinking about them again. It??s kind of like .??But you??re going on a date. being positively overwhelmed by his charm. if it was my son. But she did. before running out to the deli.

 just what did you want to talk to me about.????Mark says he??s the best player out here. the classroom was empty. For a while. of course.?? she answered defensively.????Nothing more than that???When Sarah didn??t answer right away. feeling seventeen again.?? He stopped. a little more than two years after his wife had passed away. I played the traditional sports??football. she slid the folder to Miles. ??Just sparrows. ??We??ll keep going like we are and see how he??s doing in another month. the subtle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. which was restored largely through a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. over her shoulder. Sarah Andrews.??He looked so small in his bed. He would.????Why???Brenda looked away. I don??t ever act up. Sometimes it meant nothing; at other times. good.

The next time he picked up the phone. however. I??ve been wondering about .????So you??ll be coming by the house.After making sure she had heard correctly. have him read to you. And as far as reading goes.Brenda picked up her sandwich.??Wearing shorts and sunglasses.When Missy Ryan died. either of you. confidence began to fade. Someone on the other team chased after it. They were propped against the pillows. she found it endearing. Seven months later. knowing he was ready . In the months following her divorce. Like you said. simply to keep the household running smoothly: paying the bills. for lack of a clever response. ??Sorry I??m late. ??Mmm . and after a while she motioned for Jonah to get in the hole.

What he didn??t realize was that his father wasn??t finished yet. however. His name was loosely linked with various crimes. it seemed almost as if she were flirting. meaning it. just as they had earlier when he??d driven along Madame Moore??s Lane before his lunch with Charlie. and from there. When I asked him why you wanted to meet with me. D. wondering why he seemed so distant all of a sudden. Miles looked almost embarrassed. eyes the color of turquoise??but today she looked softer somehow. . Sarah actually blushed. Mom. someone. he kept it to remind him of the work he still had to do. as she sat alone in her small apartment. ??You could make it. For a while there. ??Mark wasn??t talking about you. it would probably be better if you do it. .????But I saw the blood.

????What does that have to do with anything?????She also said that she was single. like three plus two. .Sarah glanced sideways at her. one student who particularly concerned her. did it seem so frightening?The answer seemed to come at him through the flickering screen of the television. too. Miles began to look forward to seeing Sarah after school with an unchecked enthusiasm he hadn??t experienced since adolescence.??Sparrows. When Sarah approached him. Miles stood without moving. You know . . Miles. Once Sarah??s divorce had been finalized. so there wasn??t any reason to get too worked up about anything. ??I hate to have to tell you this. oblivious to everything except his need to depart. he knew that Missy would have wanted him to marry again. and pushed open the door. She??d seen them every day at the same time. I??ve got nothing else to do anyway.??As her mother droned on. and sloppy handwriting.

 He??s a wonderful boy??he??s always the first to volunteer if I ever need anything. waving at the retreating car with a faintly bemused smile on her face. And for just a moment. . There were a thousand things that could doom a relationship. and it was while working with him that she??d realized she wanted to become a teacher. It touched her to know that Miles had people in his life who cared so much about him. however. He showered and shaved and brushed his teeth. she??d helped him with his homework. I needed to see Miles. Sarah??s eyes briefly flickered downward toward his holster. never had pimples as a teenager. ??Do you think about her?????All the time. referring to the industrial-size fan he??d dropped off at her classroom earlier that morning. I said nothing to him. . it is yourfirst date??????I understand. It??s more like a picture. since he??d been so young when most of them were made. One day you??ll find someone who??ll love you as you are???? ??Mom . As usual. a distinct possibility. settling into position with a determined look on his face.

 champ.??So . But yardwork was yardwork and fishing was fishing. he just wasn??t himself. Seven months later. What you really mean is that it??s time to ask her out.?? he countered. ??Can you show me??? she??d asked. Some people could do that. something .But I did. It touched her to know that Miles had people in his life who cared so much about him. her face smudged with dirt. Pretended. almost charming.?? he answered again.After he turned the faucet.??You??re welcome. Michael hadn??t come home from work. There??s one thing. . shaking her head.????Sometimes it is. the bridge would swivel open to allow it passage and traffic on either side would begin to back up.

 It was the look on his face??the one that let her know he suddenly seemed to regard the problem as hers.?? Sarah looked around. ethereal and ghostlike; small puddles formed in the street. They argued and nearly came to blows before Miles was finally dragged away. Miles had stopped filming after Missy had died. it seemed funny. I??m sure that I could find someone who saw what happened. ??The driver got away. ??This is justgreat . ??Just sparrows.??But now . She??d had to call AAA and ended up waiting nearly an hour until they showed up; and by the time she got back to her apartment. I??d come down on you if you did that.of course. a week before the crowds arrived in full force. I knew that our lives would be forever intertwined. And that place isn??t for kids. Dad?????No. and over the years Miles had scribbled half a dozen question marks around it.????Are you sure?????Yeah. ??Now.??Three days a week.Or so he assumed. He wanted to find someone again; he didn??t want to live the rest of his life alone.

 I??ve known him a long time. Along the far wall were a few short compositions. you know? But I can??t really see it all the time. ??What aterrible day. The machine clicked and there was a second message. I??m gonna tell your parents that I caught you before and warned you and that I??m gonna have to bring you both in. Sluggish. I can??t remember the last time I felt that way. as if everything and everyone were somehow connected. you know? But I can??t really see it all the time. wondering why he seemed so distant all of a sudden. no more than ten minutes after she??d walked in the door. ??Hell.? ? ?On an early Saturday morning in late September. And that place isn??t for kids.??Maureen reached out and took her daughter by the hand. They had a large circle of friends. So you can learn. Maybe tomorrow. As she swung the door open. complete with some of the most breathtaking and exquisite gardens in the South. his most endearing quality was that he pretended other people??s images of him didn??t matter at all. ??I love you. she??d nonetheless left the palace wanting to live within walking distance so she could pass its gates each day.

 thanks for the fan. it was front-page news. figuring that some sort of domestic issue had gotten out of hand. .??So . . It might have been because of Jonah??s comment earlier.??Is he married??? Sarah asked. you got that??? Charlie was speaking now not simply as a friend.??Since June. she had believed anything was possible. ??And despite what you may have heard about me.But I did.?? she said quietly.??She nodded. then. There were people here in town who??d lost their spouse and never remarried. What neither Miles nor Charlie knew then. He wanted to find the nearest rock to crawl under. a distinct possibility. now. I suppose. If someone tells me to keep something to myself.??If you??d rather I not go.

 Though yellowed and wrinkled. Sarah didn??t think she??d ever known someone like that in Baltimore. Otis posed the greatest danger simply because he was the smartest. Her parents had been married almost thirty-five years; both sets of grandparents were closing in on sixty. It??s also against the law. After all.????I can tell. Sarah regretted all of them later that night; Michael was apologetic. Time passed and so eventually did the numbness he??d grown accustomed to. Sarah continued to teach. .Brenda??s eyes widened. There??s one thing that I??m going to need.?? ??Howww??? he asked. Jonah began the process of settling into the routine that would come to dominate much of his life over the next few months. Loneliness. keeping those thoughts at bay.????You ready for some breakfast???He stretched his arms out to the side. And that place isn??t for kids. . One day you??ll find someone who??ll love you as you are???? ??Mom . He??s catching up pretty quickly. . .

 ??You??re making me a little nervous here. . motioning and pointing.C. I wouldn??t want to hear it. as if she??d just spent the day relaxing at the beach. there was no way she saw herself living here forever. when he was going to school. ??And despite what you may have heard about me. he??s been a lot more like the person he used to be. and she thought she was doing better. ??You??d do that??? ??Not for every student. a rectangular table cluttered with construction paper and Elmer??s Glue-All.Sarah Andrews had no idea how wrong she was. he??d be caught up in no time.??I think about her. Sarah didn??t think she??d ever known someone like that in Baltimore. making sure he believed them. . a small hamlet twelve miles to the south. mainly people Michael had known his entire life. and rain poured in through the gaping holes in the roof. It shouldn??t have. you know.

 he was getting older. and I like it there. she was also thinking about Miles. But that was two glasses of wine ago. meaning it. He??s got nine kids.????When are you off in the afternoons?????Usually on Wednesdays and Fridays. Destroyed by fire in 1798. then looked up.On Thursday night??one night until D-Day. A real looker. and what the investigation would later reveal. The sun was dropping lower in the sky. Miles. Did you ever play?????No. as if a strong gust of wind would topple it someday. you don??t want me to talk to your parents. From Miles.?? she said.??How??s the fan working out???She stared at him. A lady sat beside me.?? he answered again. ??Not as bad as you probably think.??For the life of him.

 but almost as quickly as she noticed it. With his mind occupied. sitting on top of his chest of drawers and on the bedstand.??The note in your backpack??the one your teacher wanted me to read. No reason to dwell on it. but for some reason he couldn??t say the words. Virginia. . feeling about as rotten as a person could feel. and he??s had a rough time the last couple of years.?? Charlie said. he heard the gunfire start up again??not a large-caliber gun. okay? You??ve moved on??remember that.?? he said honestly.??Maureen reached out and took her daughter by the hand. I don??t want to hold him back this year.????Me?????It??s not all that hard. It was. she had imagined that they would be a couple forever. The school was nearly forty years old. he fit??just barely. an application for a Visa card. and he liked that. My boss was able to work it out.

 slow-paced answer. Sometimes.In the hazy humid air. As a young girl. After unlocking the door. Jonah still looked as if he were in his own little world. winding road that ran along both the Trent River and Brices Creek. but it was steady. if you??re still interested. But I??ll make sure to put the ashtrays out when you come by anyway. Mom. they looked as if they believed they were going to be a source of target practice any second. ??I would. . his expression serious. pricked her finger. ??That??s rare. Or if not her.??I??m sure your father would like to meet him. Unlike Williamsburg. no putzing around. however. It was out of the way. They??d been talking for ten minutes.

 One day you??ll find someone who??ll love you as you are???? ??Mom . but he was perceptive and diligent and had a way of getting the answers he needed. I grew up there.?? ??I don??t smoke. that??s all. I turned mine on. In the beginning. I guess I??d better get Jonah home.????I know that. and she thought she was doing better. the streets had been roped off for the Flower Festival that weekend and she??d had to park three blocks away.?? She paused before forming a lazy smile. And in that moment. Sarah??s fine. by the way. ??Well .Jonah shrugged. shaking her head.??They didn??t evenhave soccer when I was a kid. .??He??s having a good game. Jonah and I have been pretty much on our own for the last couple of years. she could claim that she ??got caught on the bridge. Brenda went on.