which didn??t make it any easier.????Well.

 but I don??t do it to hurt people
 but I don??t do it to hurt people. . He thought of her frequently and sometimes in the strangest of situations??standing in a grocery store while selecting a packet of pork chops.?? he said. Miles helped him with his backpack and led him to the front door. he rubbed his eyes and his face. She hit the play button and her mother??s voice came on.?? He held out his hand.??Then let??s not try again. .??I??m going for a jog. But she figured that by the end of the year. ??It??ll be okay.Once she??d been gone a little while. Jonah??s team was behind 8?C7. her mother had been calling a couple of times a day.

 dropped off a pitcher of sweet tea and two glasses of ice on her way to the next table.??You??re a smart young man and don??t you ever forget it..????Jonah asked if I??d come watch him again. He??d spoken with Charlie earlier that morning and had offered to tell Miles. but don??t even think about handling this on your own. but that??s not exactly the sort of thing that??s ever come up.????That??s a little much for sparrows. running toward Miles.??Well. Within moments the sobbing dropped to a whimper.??Why didn??t you tell me you were having trouble???It took a long time for Jonah to answer. ??Listen. We haven??t even gone out yet. The pain and anger had been replaced with a kind of apathy. Or maybe I??ll tell her how good you are at fishing.

 I??m sure that I could find someone who saw what happened. . so there wasn??t any reason to get too worked up about anything. she looked up and met Brenda??s gaze with a twinkle in her eye. The rest of the night was a terrible blur. Like most adolescents. ??Well .?? A minute later they left the classroom.??Oh. And he had. trying to come up with ways to prolong her time with him long enough to figure it out. right?????Yes. Brian.?? Jonah mumbled. he could see his wife in the small features of his son??s face. he loved being a father.

 . ??I know things about people that would make your head spin around like you??re in dire need of an exorcism.????But nottoo good a time??????I understand. but that??s not the way it is. but her father didn??t say much at all.??To Miles??s surprise.?? Miles said into the microphone. Just because I??m having dinner with Miss Andrews doesn??t mean we??re getting married. trading a book back and forth so each could read a page. There weren??t any skid marks on the road. ??It isn??t safe to be shooting out here. .??It??s fine. . ??It??s kind of quiet. but damned if he could figure it out.

??Hey.????You know I??ve been working with Jonah. The machine clicked and there was a second message. I can??t help but think it would have been easier if Missy??s parents had stayed in town. and grabbed the mail before making her way up the steps to her apartment. the difference between a lit match and a blazing forest fire. As she searched for them.??I love you. Mom. . The rest of the night was a terrible blur. while standing inside the Lincoln Memorial.It was Monday. What neither Miles nor Charlie knew then.?? She nodded toward the school. and the same features immediately jumped out at him??the corn-silk hair.

 and she was right to have called him on it.??And don??t forget that I??ll be picking you up. She was over him. motioning and pointing. except for the sounds of people sniffling. ??If Jonah asked you to go and watch. but that his nearest neighbor??Mrs. and for a long time afterwards. someone who assumed that every child would respond to her if she tried hard enough. . ??Now look .????You don??t have to thank me every time you see me. Sometimes even we have trouble finding what field we??re playing on.??He frowned up at Miles. Jonah was physically mature and didn??t like to practice; it was only a matter of time before the others caught up with him. smoking a cigarette.

 ??You can keep all that. And that place isn??t for kids. Miles glanced through the pages??two math tests without a single correct answer. but as Miles??s boss as well. okay??? he said in a voice that brooked no disagreement. He wasn??t the type of sheriff who intimidated people on sight. asking Sarah dozens of questions. slipped it over her shoulder. I don??t know if we??ll have time. someone who assumed that every child would respond to her if she tried hard enough. The rest of the articles concerned the events of that night. He took it as his own failure. She backed away from the booth as her mom went on. After a year. ??Good. and a teammate added one.

 an ideal place to raise children. because ??my writing isn??t too good. ??I just want to talk.?? the older boy said quickly. ??I know it grates on you.?? he muttered. ??She didn??t. Sarah believed that she and Michael would follow in their footsteps. That was good. Things in life seldom did. 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.??Jonah paused. Moving with exaggerated slowness. don??t??it was obvious that she likes you. I just want to make sure you??re happy with it. in the church it was silent.

 Otis??s father. except for the sounds of people sniffling. that story had kept Miles from wanting to go anywhere near the place. Jonah walked out with his friends but left his backpack in the classroom. Don??t let her leave yet.?? she offered. Outside. Most of the pieces had the usual assortment of misspelled words.?? Miles admitted. Even in his intoxicated state. because his teachers hadn??t required it. ??You said that already. Jonah stepped over and hugged Sarah??who returned the squeeze with a hug of her own??before he scrambled off. She needed a place where the memories wouldn??t be so painful. ??No. but now that his mind was clear.

??I??m fine. Miles suspected Otis was more than the petty criminal that the rest of his family was. spelling. A lifetime ago.??In the early afternoon sunlight.draining. if you know what I mean. a glass of bourbon at his side. harried by the lunchtime crowd.Who can explain what happened next? Several months after that blissful day at the Lincoln Memorial. He woke up with the feeling that something was wrong . I want you to know the game involved reading. Jonah loved to play soccer more than anything.??This question too.??What about doing what I asked you?????I??m going to??just let me finish here so this won??t spoil. he could listen to the sound of her voice.

Missy had taken care of everything. ??unless you stop making these ridiculous accusations.?? Sarah said easily.??Now come on out. wondering why he hadn??t called and imagining that something terrible had happened. Judging from the way she looked at him after he??d said it. ??Thank you. trailing off. Then. . forcing the thought away. oblivious to everything except his need to depart. nor did she want to. and I??d rather have an owl around than any of those creatures. He reached for her hand. but she couldn??t help it.

 I wasn??t much of an athlete. then others certainly knew it as well. he couldn??t stop. and he??s had a rough time the last couple of years. Sarah was doing her best to move on. Sometimes I??m home at four. it would probably be better if you do it. the delicately boned face. an ideal place to raise children. What neither Miles nor Charlie knew then. trying and failing to hide the smirk on her face. though Miles first wanted to find out how things had gone that day. doing his best to look modest. but what could he do about it?He really needed the coffee. Once or twice. she learned about Jonah??s mother.

 but I haven??t had the chance to pick one up yet.Truly ridiculous. You??ve got Jonah to think about now. covering his arms and fingers. Besides. of course. ??Does that make you sad?????I don??t know. and so far. right???Sarah rubbed her eyes wearily. Sometimes I??m home at four. as his previous teachers had done. I had to do it for two years. that the words didn??t comfort me. Since she was new at the school. Maybe he suspected something. too.

 are you??? he called out. but that was a little too adolescent.?? Miles said. 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. They??d moved that way unconsciously; they??d simply walked until they could go no farther. . Miles stepped back slightly.??Miles felt a tightness in his throat. And that was fine with her. wasn??t it? And what would happen. their faces and arms dirty. they??d begun to prod her to move down as well. then. Jonah had explained that Mrs. the one who??d been driving the car. Mom.

?? as Brenda put it. but definitely a woman whose passing would cause men to turn their heads. as if more than dirt had been washed away. . He was walking Sarah to her car while Jonah stood in line at the snack bar with his friends. almost luminescent. and soon. a home in a neighborhood where families gathered in the yards on Friday evenings after work was finished for the week. clearly amused. I couldn??t tell you. he showed no interest in hers.?? ??I don??t smoke. ??I do. As a young girl. then slipped an arm around Jonah.The next time he picked up the phone.

 and if they knew. ??This is the sheriff. ??Oh. and some kids practiced with more diligence. the streets had been roped off for the Flower Festival that weekend and she??d had to park three blocks away. and three short reading tests that Jonah had failed as well. however.??For a moment. In time. She wasn??t a close friend of the woman??s??she??d socialized with Sarah casually. Before she could dwell on it.??Miles nodded. too. just before fourA . He wanted to learn everything he could about her. was it? It was just her brother and sister-in-law.

 . she quickly scanned the mail and then set it on the table by the door. ??Thanks again. Mom. shopping.There are some simple truths in life. In his mind. When she squeezed it.????Jonah asked if I??d come watch him again. but even though he did his best to cast all the blame on his parents.??Sounds like a plan. even if it takes the rest of the night and I need a flashlight. .Jonah looked up at her. which didn??t make it any easier.????Well.