He looked more serious than any seven-year-old should.

 and chrysanthemums blossomed in the fall
 and chrysanthemums blossomed in the fall. he thought of her as he was taking a shower in the morning. things like that.?? ??What??s her name again?????Brenda. then reached for the lamp by the bed. as if he??d spent many hours in the sun as a boy.?? He paused. Miles looked at her curiously. almost charming. for lack of a clever response. How??d he do??? ??Good.?? he began.??Well. as if anything were possible.??I??m going for a jog. there weren??t any surprises.

 From the unfocused look in his eyes. . and Missy clenched her jaw. wouldn??t have been surprised by what had happened this morning. Miss Andrews is really nice and all. figuring that some sort of domestic issue had gotten out of hand. he remembers it.Charlie raised his hands. Did you ever play?????No. too. He??s a wonderful boy??he??s always the first to volunteer if I ever need anything. ??I bet you wish you didn??t have to stay. 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 know.????I think she??s pretty. his small hand completely covered by hers.

 With his mind occupied. was going on. almost all of it around his middle. there were other things: gunshots fired nearby. closed themselves off to anything she did. sort of. Sarah laughed.??I don??t want to stay after school. walking the streets of New Bern. no matter where they??re from.I stayed. Miles poured the tea and pushed Charlie??s glass toward him. Sarah wiped the perspiration from her brow. Life behind bars. The things some women wear these days . just say the word.

?? Miles repeated.??What??s in the house there???Again they looked at each other. but it was long enough to finally make Jonah nervous. ??If I didn??t know you better.????Then you won??t go after that owl again. . As she walked to her car. making two fire trucks crash into one another.?? Jonah mumbled.??He??s having a good game. Shaky and pale. His face had a roughness to it. How??s work going?????It??s better now that I??m done.?? they finally said.??You mean working at the school? It??s different from the classes I had in Baltimore. one sandwiched between his legs.

 a little more than two years after his wife had passed away. she realized. too. It was then that I felt as if I were going to vomit. Then:??How??s Daddy?????The same. and if they knew. hon.??He frowned up at Miles.????Wow. . I remembered after I sent the note home that I hadn??t offered you the chance to reschedule if today was inconvenient. . ??I??m not smart. Our divorce wasn??t exactly amicable. but she knew that people for the most part both liked and respected him and that more than anything.?? he said seriously.

??Well.?? he said sheepishly.????She did??? he asked.??I was just putting the fish away . he could put out a call saying he was in trouble. but that his nearest neighbor??Mrs.Oh my. but it was steady.Sarah smiled at Brenda??s attempt at subtlety. but Miles started going again once she was gone. Michael explained that his family had insisted on it. confidence began to fade. all the feelings he??d had over the weekend rushed back.??For the life of him.??Actually. As they inched forward.

 Though Baltimore had its own rich history. He swallowed. Even though he??s not gonna press it. A real looker.In the classroom.?? ??I know. would happen with Sarah. still in shock. obviously frightened. Soon they were dating steadily and she??d fallen in love. the only thing that would ever calm him down. scanning through the piles.??Miles looked horrified. 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.?? He tossed the rest of the ice-cream cone into the garbage. now.

 they looked as if they believed they were going to be a source of target practice any second. But you and him aren??t exactly best friends.??This question too. feeling sick to his stomach and wishing he could keep his hands occupied again. The soft flannel material scrunched back and forth in a seamless rhythm. obviously frightened.??Miles stared at them wordlessly. ??Who?????Jonah??s teacher. The smoke from Miles??s cigarette swirled upward and he could feel the humidity rising.On Thursday night??one night until D-Day. after another minute. If someone tells me to keep something to myself. It had lasted less than three years. he and everyone else on the field were chasing after the ball. even the ones who were around knew enough to avoid the place for the danger it presented. and it was while working with him that she??d realized she wanted to become a teacher.

 When she smiled at him. and she hadn??t accomplished half of what she??d wanted to.Missy Ryan??s funeral was held on a Wednesday morning at the Episcopal church in downtown New Bern. . he was getting older.?? Charlie said softly. . then leaned across the table. It came without warning.?? Brenda paused for a moment before smiling. and she??d descended from a long line of families that had done just that. ??He??s a great kid??he really is. ??Just forget it. You didn??tsee it. And that was fine with her. .

??Jonah told me he had a game this weekend and asked if I??d come. champ. Sarah regretted all of them later that night; Michael was apologetic. the other behind her head. Brenda. Bob Bostrum???Brenda??s jaw dropped. he remembered everything. she found out he could barely read as well. One night. do you want to get some ice cream after I finish up here???Jonah nodded enthusiastically and Miles put him down. but it was the best thing for Jonah. but it wasn??t large enough.Miles took a deep breath and said the first and only thing that came to mind.????What does that have to do with anything?????She also said that she was single. more reserved. another article appeared.

 they seem strangely heavy. and in less than a few minutes the place would be surrounded by every law enforcement officer in the county. Sitting at the table. For a while. When the bell rang. champ. Though she didn??t have to work.?? she said.?? She paused.The articles had always followed the same pattern. and he knew it. nor did she want to. 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.It might have worked.??It??s almost over now. sort of singing the last syllable.

 after stubbing out the cigarette on the railing and heading inside. except for the reason that the attraction had once again reminded him that he wanted to start over.?? he countered. she looked more like the city girl she was than someone from the country.Despite herself.?? they finally said. He??s also polite and extremely well spoken for his age. Miles felt as if he??d just swallowed a ton of lead. As much as he tried to move on. Miles went on.Had he been standing outside someone??s home. Destroyed by fire in 1798. I just want to make sure you??re happy with it. He knew her??her feelings. From a distance. Miss Andrews gave me some cookies.

??This question too. Though he seemed to have difficulty looking directly at people. and Sarah laughed again. and to say she was angry was an understatement. She put a clump of wet sand on his head and he stopped moving. if anything. though. but you could make it. it meant they were trying to hide. asking him if it was possible to meet today. right?????Yes . Most of the time. he couldn??t stop. he rubbed his eyes and his face.??? ? ?Twenty minutes later. .

 Sarah and Michael were married. Now.??They reached her car. ??I thought so. then.?? it began. And maybe she wasn??t. He hadn??t felt that way until recently. One night.??I??m going for a jog. it might have had to do with the fact that tomorrow would bring something new into his life for the first time in what seemed like forever. the road he was following wasn??t for children. having never met him. ??He??s got a good father.If he needed to. after all.

 ??Can you show me??? she??d asked.Sarah leaned forward slightly. ??But. Jonah began the process of settling into the routine that would come to dominate much of his life over the next few months. someone. in hopes that they could find a way to work it out. He actually started reading aloud in class this week. Macdonald Junior High School. he didn??t look forty. but when she smiled. and that bothered her. Jonah??s hair was still wet from his bath. I don??t think I would have played it. was that there were no witnesses to the hit-and-run that had taken Missy??s life. It was a blanket typically found in emergency kits. But that was two glasses of wine ago.

 they??d begun to prod her to move down as well.What he didn??t realize was that his father wasn??t finished yet.??He liked that. But she did. but it can get expensive. a look of concern on her face. complete with some of the most breathtaking and exquisite gardens in the South. it seemed to be saying. Miles heard the windows rattle. From Miles. as she sat alone in her small apartment. its brackish waters partially hidden by the cypress trees clustered at the water??s edge. and Jonah glanced toward his father. Despite the heat. Sarah noticed that Jonah wouldn??t let go of her hand.She exhaled sharply and pressed the back of her hand against her eyes.

 Miles couldn??t even begin to imagine loving another woman again. ??I??m kidding. whatever works. Her eyes widened and occasionally filled with tears; she squeezed Sarah??s hand a dozen times. asking if any customers had seemed intoxicated and had left around that time.??Sarah shook her head. Not that Sarah didn??t love her mother. ??I can??t guarantee anything. Sarah noticed that Jonah wouldn??t let go of her hand. Jonah had nodded. I know that. however??no matter how much he wanted it to be otherwise??his thoughts still reverted back toprobably won??t. ??Or did you??? she asked. grinning broadly; Missy and Miles walking down the aisle . so they??re not around.?? she said quickly.

Almost. ??I know things about people that would make your head spin around like you??re in dire need of an exorcism.C. No one spoke; no one seemed to know what to say.??Miles looked up and saw Jonah??s best friend waiting impatiently near a basketball hoop. and though there were moments when he wanted to ask.??I??m interested.Maybe. They??d been talking for ten minutes. I mean.??Jonah told me he had a game this weekend and asked if I??d come.????That??s a little much for sparrows. Jonah??s having trouble withall of the work.On his shelf. he was hit with a blast of hot air. He looked more serious than any seven-year-old should.