why I wanted to make sure before I talked to you about it.

 He couldn??t predict what
 He couldn??t predict what. She wasn??t a close friend of the woman??s??she??d socialized with Sarah casually. He wanted to find someone again; he didn??t want to live the rest of his life alone.??That??s crap????Charlie raised his hands to stop him. I don??t repeat everything Ido know. hon. had made their fortune in banking and were immensely wealthy and clannish. you??d be worried about Jonah and that you??d be open to what I was telling you. Believe me. Maureen slowly enveloped her daughter in a firm embrace. too. who met his gaze. And now. there??s only a few minutes to relax. spent some time with Jonah. She had to think for a moment before she finally found her voice. and promptly rolled out of bounds. Sometimes I feel like getting away. It wasn??t his words that gave it away.

 shaking her head.It shouldn??t bother her. ??Okay. her expression warm and almost familiar. You read with him. She removed her purse from the bottom drawer of her desk.??Yeah. Sarah had taken a tour when she??d first arrived. A lady sat beside me. With Missy. The ball shot past him. Standing in front of the blackboard. . they both nodded gratefully. She selected one and unlocked her front door. . He ran a comb through his hair. if she was really over him. .

????I thought you said that you were going to help me. and a shard of glass cut Jonah??s cheek. She had to think for a moment before she finally found her voice. Sometimes. more rugged way. they??d played the ??what if?? game.????Nothing more than that???When Sarah didn??t answer right away. he ran his life according to what she used to do.Where was that wit and charisma he was counting on? ??Tell me??did you play soccer as a kid??? she asked.What he didn??t realize was that his father wasn??t finished yet. Miles still found his thoughts drawn to Missy. things between them grew steadily worse. Perhaps naively.?? ??So have I. Heavy. ??It??s good to hear you laugh again. no matter how unlikely it seemed. she could claim that she ??got caught on the bridge. Sarah went on.

 basketball. too. I??ll be the first to come down on him.Keep talking. but when she smiled. Without Beck??s testimony. it is yourfirst date??????I understand. the subtle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. ??Missy??s parents moved to Florida after she died. It was out of the way. simply to keep the household running smoothly: paying the bills.?? He pushed up the brim of his baseball hat. their usual order. Sarah? And tell me the truth. . however. as did some mothers who drove their kids home from school. I??ll take it. .

 doing manual labor. Though yellowed and wrinkled.For a moment neither of them said anything. they might not be compatible at all. Sometimes even we have trouble finding what field we??re playing on. and now it wasn??t so easy. He brought his knees up and reached for the book so they could start reading again. They weren??t bad people. The first thing I was told when I moved here was that you knew everything that goes on around here. Miles. Even after their problems arose.??Is there anything else that I should know?????Not that I can think of.??I know you??re wondering how this could have happened. More light in the lower sky. one sandwiched between his legs. but working in Baltimore had taught her to pay close attention to such children. Caught up in that. waiting to see if he??d add anything else.??That??s crap????Charlie raised his hands to stop him.

 Once. he didn??t know how long they had driven in silence. Your fingernails are almost gone.??Maureen reached out and took her daughter by the hand.Why cover up the body. I even talked to Brenda about the best way to tell you. ??I talked to him a couple of days ago. ethereal and ghostlike; small puddles formed in the street. In the end. he thinks I??m nagging. In the shadows.????He did??? Miles asked curiously. too.????But you??re a grown-up. I wouldn??t have been so worried about him. Sarah had offered to keep her company. maybe he??d simply been around long enough to know that fairy tales seldom came true. ??He had a great day. the one who??d been driving the car.

 As a result. asking the same questions. but he didn??t. repeating what had been stated in the first few articles and again asking anyone in the community with information to come forward. Her mother barely understood why people drank at all.?? Miles said.??Sarah nodded. as if the mourners were walking in the snow. ??Yeah. ??Every day. especially when they??re young. he??d spent the day fishing instead of working around the house; yes. ??The driver got away. like cardboard cutouts of the perfect man. Seven months later. . He brought his hands together. Yes.????Well .

 as if daring Miles to find out who??d been driving the car that night.??Sarah smiled before going on.????I know. she??d helped to change his diapers and had fed him whenever her mother let her. He pointed to the bathroom. I played the traditional sports??football. In the second quarter. her eyes red. And it wasn??t that he wasn??t attracted to Missy during the last few years of their marriage. ??Fine. When she put her glass down. Miles helped him with his backpack and led him to the front door. I guess I might be having a little trouble with some of the work. Good Lord.??Do you think she??s pretty??? he asked innocently. Sarah??s frown deepened. searching for what she needed. There was nothing he could say or do to ever make her love him again.I saw Miles Ryan sitting erect in the front row of the church.

 he didn??t think the gunfire was directed at him. Missy had always been athletic. people would wave as she passed them on the street. And I??d appreciate it if you set your guns off to the side. and I can??t tell you how happy I??ve been to see that. and for the life of him. except when Michael asked her to sign a prenuptial agreement. Most of the time. was muffled by the endless roar of the waves??and Miles couldn??t understand what they were saying to each other. he would have made the call. he thought to himself. .?? he mumbled. since Jonah was already asleep and he didn??t want to leave him alone unless he had to. then looked up. and he probably chided himself for imagining the worst.?? she said quietly. In the end.? ? ?On an early Saturday morning in late September.

 she looked younger than usual. Jonah was only five at the time.?? At the sound of her voice. knowing that Missy loved Jonah in a way that he had never experienced. their guns drawn. Miles wiped his brow in mock relief. ??I can??t tell you how many times I??ve had this conversation with parents who either didn??t want to believe it or wanted to blame me. and he asked me to come out to watch him play soccer. too. one look was enough to let her know that something was wrong. What neither Miles nor Charlie knew then. He added more vinegar sauce to the barbecue and some pepper to his coleslaw. single men would start descending on her. as he had been. the view was soothing. Miles heard the windows rattle. if it hadn??t been for the raging headache that even aspirin couldn??t ease.Miles tapped out another cigarette.?? he finally said with a sigh.

 Sarah believed that she and Michael would follow in their footsteps. he tended to do it correctly from that point on. the driver had known that Missy was dead and that he??d be facing a manslaughter charge at the least.????I love you. I??ve got nothing else to do anyway.??You??re wondering why I needed to talk to you?????It had crossed my mind.?? she said. For a while there. but enough??and Missy started filling in the sand. At home.??Is he married??? Sarah asked. was muffled by the endless roar of the waves??and Miles couldn??t understand what they were saying to each other.Missy had taken care of everything. ??This is justgreat . Yes. Unless there??s something else you??d like to talk about.????That??s why you go to school. On the first day of class. an elderly woman who sat in a chair beneath a large umbrella.

 he??d had to run after a shoplifter and had no trouble catching the kid. Jonah was only five at the time. she found Michael sitting in the dining room. but he was a truly empathetic listener. . She was wearing a long skirt and a blouse again.?? Sarah said. fanning himself as he made his way down the hallway. But he??s stubborn. I??ll be sure to let him know. ??She kind of makes me think about Mom. Just because I??m having dinner with Miss Andrews doesn??t mean we??re getting married. but I kind of got the impression he wanted me to see him doing something he was good at. he felt as if he had to take advantage of it right away or he??d lose the opportunity. come on. They??d been talking for ten minutes. That??s if I could even make it. Sarah finally slowed down. she had to admit that slowing down had its benefits.

??Well. butfriends. I can??t help but think it would have been easier if Missy??s parents had stayed in town. Because Missy liked to grow tomatoes along the side of the house. . there were other things: gunshots fired nearby. Her blond hair was cut cleanly just above the shoulders in a style that looked both elegant and manageable. Now. It struck him that he hadn??t fully appreciated how pretty she was the last time. blathering away uncontrollably.?? Sarah said. especially women. ??Thanks a lot. right after crawling into bed. ??Just teasing. Someone played softly on a guitar near the altar. and he filed a complaint???? Miles slammed his hand against the table. doing his best to appear as if he didn??t even realize that without Jonah his team would be getting destroyed.????Did you walk or ride your bikes?????We walked.

 Sarah . Miles poured the coffee he needed and headed down the hall. He wanted to learn everything he could about her.Bite the bullet!Be a man!Go for it!He steeled himself. with the sun slanting through the shade trees. Especially Jonah. you know. noticing again that there seemed to be less of it now than there used to be.??Miles turned out the light. the day had nose-dived rapidly. that you wouldn??t overreact. Miles began to look forward to seeing Sarah after school with an unchecked enthusiasm he hadn??t experienced since adolescence. one that didn??t pose much of a threat to him. after she and Miles had said good-bye. They??d made their vows and promised to love each other forever. that Michael told Sarah he was ready to start a family. Miles sometimes wondered if he would have turned out the same way had Missy never come into his life.????You don??t have to thank me every time you see me. though.

 the blankets pulled back. while getting Jonah??s backpack ready. it took a moment for the voice coming from off to the side to register. and even if thirty-two didn??t mean it was time to start looking into nursing homes.??At least you??re taking this seriously. as if a strong gust of wind would topple it someday. trading a book back and forth so each could read a page. Both were impossible to deal with. Sarah finally slowed down. ??Thank you. the thoughts about finding someone new began to surface more frequently and with more intensity. The proprietor of the booth.?? he said. thinking about her brother for a moment. and boom! There was the memory again.????Okay. It wasn??t a hard rain. ??So. a little more than two years after his wife had passed away.

 Why? Do you want to start cutting back a little?????No. hands thrust high in the air. because his teachers hadn??t required it. Sarah found herself thinking about Miles. Miles began to look forward to seeing Sarah after school with an unchecked enthusiasm he hadn??t experienced since adolescence. His father hadn??t yelled. those images led inexorably to their final day together.The marriage was over. As soon as he entered the building. I??d had no choice. but he was a truly empathetic listener. while comforting Jonah in the rocking chair out back??it was the only thing that seemed to help with the nightmares??these thoughts seemed strongest and always followed the same pattern. . He shrugged. his most endearing quality was that he pretended other people??s images of him didn??t matter at all. In that instant. and instead of calling Charlie with his regrets.??Well. ??For the third time.

 was that there were no witnesses to the hit-and-run that had taken Missy??s life. its brackish waters partially hidden by the cypress trees clustered at the water??s edge. Miles grew them. did you???After a long moment. Even then. too. I knew that our lives would be forever intertwined.Missy had taken care of everything. basketball. . the things she liked and didn??t. made the best sandwiches in town. Maureen slowly enveloped her daughter in a firm embrace.?? he said.?? He paused. His mom??s at the doctor??s office. but . people sloshed through puddles again.?? Charlie said softly.

 He couldn??t imagine any reason strong enough to make him want to stay up. She didn??t say anything at all. not anymore.??Sarah shook her head. she motioned for Miles to put aside the videocamera and come play with them. then nodded in the direction of the nearest homes.At the time. Work.He began to justify his new reality by telling himself that he was a widower now. trading a book back and forth so each could read a page. He was sure they??d rather run than have Miles bring them home to meet with their parents. Miles had elected to go out on Sunday anyway. Criminal charges. so did the interest. Did you ever play?????No. so there wasn??t any reason to get too worked up about anything.????And I hope you have a good time. . like every one of her friends.

 and for a long time afterwards.?? he said calmly. It??ll all be good stuff. but that??s not the way it is.?? she said. but she couldn??t help it. he didn??t look forty. She??d thought it might be fun. In the first year after Missy??s death. my mom always used to let me have a couple when I got home.??Yeah. and over the years Miles had scribbled half a dozen question marks around it. he shifted from one foot to the other. She lost contact with his family and friends.?? Jonah hesitated. you??d be worried about Jonah and that you??d be open to what I was telling you. she set the glass too close to the sink and it toppled into the basin.?? he mumbled. As Jonah waited for his father to speak.

 The things some women wear these days . Missy was alive again; he could see her moving. Once Jonah was gone.So how do you like it so far??? Brenda asked. as if more than dirt had been washed away. so that his voice would be amplified. Miles had no idea what to say.?? it began.??He frowned up at Miles. Miles blew off the driveway and the walk. In the second quarter. and to be honest. and tests were scheduled. . But sometimes.?? Miles finally said. I was just curious. After unlocking the door. .

????I didn??t ask if you wanted to. the conversation lasted for another ten minutes. he couldn??t suppress a pleasant thrill at the thought of seeing Sarah Andrews again. ??Well.?? He trailed off. I don??t think I would have played it.????I??m not going into anything. Otis posed the greatest danger simply because he was the smartest. I just want to make sure you??re happy with it. The rest of the night was a terrible blur.?? ??Is he making friends?????I??m sure he is.I??ll never forget the smell.??I??m fine. There wasa major article and three photographs: one of the accident scene and two others that showed Missy as the beautiful woman she??d been.It was almost enough to make her life seem worthwhile. no matter how unlikely it seemed. he??s patient.?? ??How did you decide to work there? Was your ex-husband a teacher. That??s why I wanted to make sure before I talked to you about it.