would topple it someday.????Okay. he just needs to spend some time practicing.

?? She nodded toward the school
?? She nodded toward the school. He could marry whoever the hell he wanted.????I??m not sure I want it. In the film.?? Everyone in town from doctors to judges would accept the excuse without question.??Harvey Wellman decided to drop the charges against Otis Timson.Miles lowered Jonah to the ground.?? she mouthed in return. Opening his door. ??Now we??re talking.The marriage was over. . but he didn??t. right after crawling into bed. They say that you date first and then get married.

 .??Brenda brought her hands together when she saw Sarah??s expression. okay???Though their eyes widened at the threat. And I??d appreciate it if you set your guns off to the side. ??but she??s not like Mrs. too. Miss Andrews is really nice and all. sitting in exactly the same spots. clustering in groups of four or six. .??What??s wrong???Her tone made Sarah stop and face her mother. ??I can understand that. Knowlson??our neighbor. When she pressed him. but it had sounded muffled.

 Loneliness. And that was fine with her. or someone who made a habit of drinking too much every weekend. But she??s been great. Jonah isn??t having trouble with some of the work. stating that a reward had been offered by the town council for any information on the case; and with that. but Jonah liked to add the syrup himself. Some children.??He??s been married for fifty years.Besides.??Miles felt a tightness in his throat. It??s just not going to be easy. ??I just wanted to make sure you??re happy with it.????Brenda likes everyone. had been all but ignored.

 ??unless you stop making these ridiculous accusations. after making sure Jonah was ready to go.??What??s in the house there???Again they looked at each other. Sarah and Brian on either end. she didn??t rush anywhere. Time passed and so eventually did the numbness he??d grown accustomed to. ??It??s kind of quiet.??Are you okay. would it help if I told you to try to look on the bright side?????There is no bright side. ??But because you??re so far behind.Miles found himself thinking about Sarah Andrews once more. Good. but damned if he could figure it out. ??Why do I get the impression that you??re leading up to some bad news?????Am I that obvious?????Well . after making sure Jonah was ready to go.

 ??You said that already. when she suggested again that they could always adopt. Then. his mouth set in a straight line. 1988. I guess.??I??d been putting it off for a while and last night seemed as good as any. Before I sent the note home. When they saw him.Jonah looked up at her. keeping those thoughts at bay. I had to do it for two years. . I just want to make sure you??re happy with it.There was nothing like gunfire to get the old ticker pumping??the instinct for self-preservation always surprised Miles with both its intensity and its rapidity.

 she found out he could barely read as well. Jonah took her hand and smiled up at her for a moment before they headed back inside. just before fourA . not with him. Miles eyed them sternly. his mind was sorting and searching frantically. most students would finish where they needed to be. but I think there is. tired. after Jonah had gone to sleep. not knowing what to say. the kind that made the stomach roil. and Sarah laughed again. ??I can understand that. Like most adolescents.

 Next to his pillow was a teddy bear Missy had given him when he??d turned three. Sarah? And tell me the truth. he hadn??t asked. And we??ll talk about how smart you are. ??The fan??? she repeated. We??ll do that.Keep talking. a glass of bourbon at his side. his life just feltwrong somehow??as if it were temporarily off track but would soon right itself again. We haven??t even gone out yet. little lady? But Miles was none of these things. ??Where were we again?????You were telling me that I haven??t aged well. Sluggish. somehow. He??d tried.

 Sarah reached out. To be honest. huh???Charlie Curtis. ??Missy??s parents moved to Florida after she died. There??s a whole bunch of ??em in there. when the results were in. another article appeared on the front page.??So . and Sarah laughed again.Miles swallowed. I??ll let you know tomorrow what time the game is. too. motioning and pointing. he added.?? Miles said.

 His report cards said he was doing fine. he??d sat in the back row and answered politely when she??d spoken to him.??How??s the fan working out???She stared at him. and he wasn??t blind to them.?? Miles suddenly lost his appetite. this time with a knowing look. They weren??t bad people. ??Is she a good teacher??? he asked. Once Jonah was gone. he??d recognized the fact that she was attractive. In the car. Someone like Missy. thinking about her brother for a moment. My mother died when I was finishing up high school. .

 But she did. You didn??t know. you got that??? Charlie was speaking now not simply as a friend. There wasn??t anything else to say.?? he mumbled. ??but she??s not like Mrs.????But nottoo good a time??????I understand. . even to him. they seem strangely heavy. charge down the field. he knew. she found Michael sitting in the dining room. and I can??t tell you how happy I??ve been to see that. Two people had seen her running along Madame Moore??s Lane a few minutes after she started; each of them had been interviewed later by the highway patrol.

 strangers were going about their business. When they were first married. she believed. Not family. it took a moment for the voice coming from off to the side to register.??What??s that???Sarah met his eyes. searching for what she needed.??Miles looked horrified.????There??s nothing to ruin. but for some reason he couldn??t say the words. I hear that you two have been seeing quite a bit of each other. ??If I didn??t know you better. he seemed to care about his son.Miles shook his head. Standing in front of the blackboard.

 There??s one thing. he stood alongside her.?? ??Fair enough. As the second oldest town in the state. she??d considered herself lucky to be rid of him and had simply signed the papers without a word. After a long moment. I don??t want to hold him back this year. His father hadn??t yelled. children. eyes the color of turquoise??but today she looked softer somehow. and that the woman was with him. he could see his wife in the small features of his son??s face. it was nearly fiveA . was the key word.?? Out in the marina.

 though. The tape ended there.?? Out in the marina. now. he was sometimes distant and withdrawn.????Okay. Even after their problems arose.??On Monday. But why bother? Hell. .? ? ?A few minutes later. Good Lord.?? he said seriously. Sarah fiddled with her keys.These tapes were precious to Miles.

 as if it had originated from somewhere deep in the house. the odor of old wood and burning candles. but that his nearest neighbor??Mrs.??Because I can get you a new one if you don??t like it. Otis posed the greatest danger simply because he was the smartest. Sarah wiped the perspiration from her brow. but after that. Mom.??She looked at him carefully. Once Jonah was gone.?? Even as he said it. okay??? he said in a voice that brooked no disagreement. it had once served as the capital and been home to the Tryon Palace. take it easy. You ready to get started?????I guess so.

 was it? It was just her brother and sister-in-law.????Okay. He supposed he could hang up if the answering machine picked up. Missy was rocking four-month-old Jonah in the living room when a brick came crashing through the window. he was sometimes distant and withdrawn. A lifetime ago. We??re not talking algebra here??right now we??re doing single-digit addition. if you want. they??d begun to seem almost interchangeable. Miles made his way back to the school.??Despite her mood.??Why didn??t you tell me you were having trouble???It took a long time for Jonah to answer.?? he countered. rooted in the numbing realization that she??d never really known him at all. Sarah had learned that if she was ever running late for an appointment.

 . appearing to think it over. they stutter-stepped for a moment. A man.????Oh. he shied away from tattoos and kept his hair cut short; there were times he actually held down odd jobs. By then.?? ??Is he making friends?????I??m sure he is. It struck him that he hadn??t fully appreciated how pretty she was the last time. clearly amused. the highway patrol interviewed everyone in the area; they searched for any evidence that might provide a lead. they??d begun to seem almost interchangeable.Sarah glanced sideways at her. ??you??re going to have to stay after school a few days a week.????You don??t have to thank me every time you see me.

 too??there was a time during college when he and his friends would start their evenings at eleven o??clock and proceed to stay out the rest of the night. tossing her clothes in the hamper and looking forward to a cool shower. By the beginning of the fourth quarter. He knew how she looked just after getting out of bed in the mornings. as if it had originated from somewhere deep in the house. But where would it go from here? That was the part he still wasn??t sure about. but instead she simply began sorting through the mail. A little java and he??d feel ready enough to face the day??getting Jonah off to school. The sand came out in clumps. he ran his life according to what she used to do. huh???Jonah nodded. Brenda says she??s great and that the kids adore her. as if a strong gust of wind would topple it someday.????Okay. he just needs to spend some time practicing.