Chapter 14 The Nightmare

• Later that night, after they had all had a quiet supper with no mention of what had happened earlier in the day, they each went to their respective rooms and were soon fast asleep. Assured by Leo's promise that he would never do odd jobs again, Mara had gone to bed happy and quite satisfied. She knew that he would keep his word. She trusted him completely.
• Leo, on the other hand, did not fall asleep so easily. He stayed up for a few hours thinking about his current situation, his increased reliance on a young girl and what exactly the future could hold. He was not a pessimist, but he was sure that Mara's expectations were too unrealistic.
• If he was going to be the man she predicted he would eventually become, the best way to achieve such a goal would be to work towards it. But she didn't want him to work! This, as far as he was concerned, was a serious dilemma. How on Earth was he going to overcome it without hurting her? He was not really a fan of prayers, but he soon found himself mumbling a prayer as he lay on his back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. He needed all the help he could get, to not only avoid failing her, but to also avoid failing himself. Soon, exhaustion overtook him and he drifted off to sleep.